Viant Technology: Capitalizing on 2026 Ad Tailwinds with IRIS ID Differentiation and GenAI-Driven DSP Innovation

Needham analyst Laura Martin has maintained their bullish stance on DSP stock, giving a Buy rating on January 6.

Laura Martin has given his Buy rating due to a combination of factors that position Viant Technology favorably in the digital advertising landscape. She views the company as a beneficiary of powerful macro advertising catalysts expected in 2026, including major global sporting events and U.S. political spending, which together should significantly increase overall ad budgets. Additionally, Martin highlights Viant’s IRIS ID as a key strategic asset that addresses a critical challenge in connected TV by providing show-level transparency and targeting, which is more granular and valuable than typical app-level solutions. She also notes the rapid adoption and expanding footprint of IRIS ID across bid requests, supported by major OEM partnerships, which strengthens Viant’s competitive moat and pricing power.

Furthermore, Martin underscores Viant’s position as a demand-side platform that is actively integrating generative AI across its product suite. The company’s introduction of four GenAI-driven tools, including an AI-powered bidding solution with very high client adoption within a year, is expected to enhance campaign performance and efficiency, thereby expanding margins. She anticipates that Viant’s autonomous, outcomes-focused GenAI offering will attract greater ad budget share as marketers increasingly prioritize measurable performance, particularly from 2026 onward. Taken together, these macro tailwinds, differentiated technology, and AI-led product innovations form the basis for her conviction that Viant’s stock presents an attractive buying opportunity at current levels.

Based on the recent corporate insider activity of 29 insiders, corporate insider sentiment is negative on the stock. This means that over the past quarter there has been an increase of insiders selling their shares of DSP in relation to earlier this year.