Mission Statement, Vision, & Core Values of Outbrain Inc. (OB)

Understanding the Mission Statement, Vision, and Core Values of Outbrain Inc. (OB) is more critical than ever, especially following its approximately $900 million acquisition of Teads in February 2025, a move that fundamentally reshaped its strategic direction. How does a company that just reported a Q1 2025 net loss of $54.8 million-despite a 32% year-over-year revenue increase to $286.4 million-align its core principles to its new vision of becoming the leading omnichannel platform? We're going to map the company's stated purpose-to empower advertisers and support premium media on the Open Internet-to the actions driving its full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance of at least $180 million. Do their foundational values truly support the massive integration effort and the expected $65 million to $75 million in synergies by 2026?

Outbrain Inc. (OB) Overview

You're looking for a clear picture of Outbrain Inc. (OB), especially after their major strategic shift this year. The direct takeaway is this: the company, now operating under the Teads brand, has solidified its position in the open internet advertising space, and its latest financials show significant growth driven by a massive acquisition.

Outbrain Inc. was founded in 2006 by Yaron Galai and Ori Lahav, pioneering the content discovery platform-those boxes of recommended links, or native advertising, you see across premium publisher sites. They went public in July 2021. The biggest change in their history came in February 2025 when Outbrain Inc. completed the acquisition of Teads for approximately $900 million, which included $625 million in cash. This merger was a game-changer, creating one of the largest independent advertising platforms on the open internet. The combined entity officially completed its corporate renaming to Teads Holding Co. and started trading under the ticker TEAD in June 2025, but the original Outbrain technology and mission are still central to the platform.

The company's products now form an omnichannel outcomes platform. They offer a suite of solutions for media owners and advertisers, including the Onyx by Outbrain branding platform and an advanced AI platform for customized experiences. The core service is still connecting advertisers to audiences across the open internet, including web, Connected TV (CTV), and mobile apps. This is a complex business, but the model is simple: advertisers pay per click, and a portion is shared with the publisher. As of September 30, 2025, the company's trailing twelve-month (TTM) revenue stands at $1.18 billion (or $1,182,811 thousand).

For a deeper dive into how this company got here, including its original mission and ownership structure, you can find more details here: Outbrain Inc. (OB): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

Q1 2025 Financial Performance: Post-Acquisition Surge

The first quarter of 2025 (Q1 2025) financial report, ending March 31, is where you see the immediate impact of the Teads acquisition. Honestly, the numbers are stark because the acquisition closed mid-quarter, but the growth is undeniable. Total revenue for Q1 2025 hit $286.4 million, which is a 32% increase compared to the same period in the prior year. Here's the quick math: the Teads acquisition contributed $80.3 million to that revenue, showing how quickly the combined entity scaled.

The focus has shifted to high-growth, high-margin areas. The company's main product sales are now heavily weighted toward its 'brandformance' strategy, which merges brand awareness with performance-based advertising. We're seeing this play out in the video space, where CTV revenue growth exceeded 100% year-over-year. Plus, the adoption of their Moments vertical video offering is strong, which is defintely a key product for future growth.

In terms of market growth, the European, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region remains the largest contributor, bringing in $164.9 million of the Q1 2025 revenue. The Americas contributed $90.3 million, and Asia added $31.1 million. The full-year outlook is also strong, with the company maintaining its 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance of at least $180 million. That's a clear signal of confidence in the cost synergies-estimated to be between $65 million and $75 million in 2026-and the combined business model.

• Q1 2025 Revenue: $286.4 million
• Year-over-Year Revenue Growth: 32%
• Q1 2025 EMEA Revenue: $164.9 million
• Full-Year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA Guidance: At least $180 million

Outbrain Inc.'s Leadership in the Open Internet

Outbrain Inc., now operating as Teads Holding Co., is not just a participant in the ad tech industry; it's a category leader, especially in the 'Open Internet' space. The Open Internet is essentially all the premium publisher sites and apps outside of the closed ecosystems like Google and Meta. The merger with Teads was a calculated move to create one of the largest independent, end-to-end advertising platforms in this environment.

The company's success comes from its ability to drive full-funnel marketing outcomes-meaning they can handle everything from building brand awareness to driving direct sales conversions. They achieve this by leveraging predictive AI technology to connect quality media with impactful creative, ensuring that every media dollar is driving value for the advertiser. They maintain direct partnerships with over 10,000 publishers globally and serve more than 20,000 advertisers across international markets. This scale and focus on premium, brand-safe environments is what differentiates them.

This combined platform is a powerhouse, offering a compelling alternative to the walled gardens of the major tech giants. The strategic move to combine Outbrain's content discovery strength with Teads' omnichannel video and high-impact format expertise is why they are positioned as a leader. You should dig deeper to understand how this 'brandformance' platform is reshaping the future of digital advertising.

Outbrain Inc. (OB) Mission Statement

You're looking for the bedrock of Outbrain Inc.'s strategy, especially after the February 2025 acquisition of Teads, and you're right to focus on the mission. A mission statement isn't just a marketing slogan; it's the compass that guides capital allocation and product development. For Outbrain Inc., now operating under the Teads brand, the mission is clear: to be the omnichannel outcomes platform for the open internet, driving full-funnel results for marketers across premium media. This shift from a pure content discovery platform to an 'outcomes' platform is the key to understanding the company's trajectory and its projected $1.45 billion in full-year 2025 revenue.

This mission is significant because it directly addresses the market's flight to quality and measurable results, a trend that accelerated in 2025. It's a commitment to both the advertiser (outcomes) and the publisher (premium media). If you want to dive deeper into the history that led to this strategic evolution, you can check out Outbrain Inc. (OB): History, Ownership, Mission, How It Works & Makes Money.

The mission breaks down into three actionable pillars that dictate where the company invests its resources and how it generates its impressive $82.7 million in Q1 2025 gross profit.

Pillar 1: Driving Full-Funnel Outcomes

The first core component is the focus on delivering measurable business outcomes, not just clicks or impressions. This means moving beyond the top-of-the-funnel (awareness) to encompass the entire customer journey-what the company calls 'full-funnel results.' This is a necessary pivot in a market where every media dollar is under scrutiny.

The combined entity is built to serve both branding and performance objectives. Honestly, that's the only way to get enterprise-level spend today. The proof is in the early 2025 numbers: the integration is already showing financial leverage, with Q1 2025 Adjusted EBITDA jumping to $10.7 million, a 665% increase year-over-year. Here's the quick math: when you can prove a direct line from ad spend to a sale, budgets follow. The goal is to make every advertiser's investment defintely pay off.

• Measure brand lift, not just reach.
• Connect ad exposure to final purchase.
• Deliver results across mobile, CTV, and apps.

Pillar 2: Connecting Quality Media

The second pillar is the unwavering commitment to premium media partners and the open internet. In a world dominated by walled gardens (closed ecosystems like social media platforms), Outbrain Inc.'s mission is to support the sustainability of independent, high-quality journalism and content. They do this by partnering with more than 10,000 publishers globally.

This focus on quality is a risk mitigator for advertisers; it ensures brand safety and a high-value audience. The company's vision explicitly states its dedication to 'support the sustainability and success of premium media on the Open Internet.' This isn't altruism; it's a sound business model. Premium environments attract premium advertisers, which is why the company has direct partnerships with over 20,000 advertisers. This commitment to the supply side is a competitive moat, and it's why the company reaches 2.2 billion consumers worldwide.

What this estimate hides is the ongoing cost of maintaining those relationships, but the long-term value of a high-quality inventory is undeniable. The market is paying a premium for trust.

Pillar 3: Leveraging Predictive AI Technology

The final, and perhaps most critical, component is the engine that powers the entire platform: predictive artificial intelligence (AI). The mission is executed by 'leveraging predictive AI technology to connect quality media, beautiful brand creative, and context-driven addressability and measurement.' This is where the old Outbrain Inc. (recommendation technology) meets the new. It's the core competency.

The AI is used for two main things: audience targeting (addressability) and proving the return on investment (measurement). This technology is what allows them to target high-value audiences across every screen, from mobile to Connected TV (CTV). The growth in CTV is a major opportunity, with CTV revenues growing by more than 100% year-over-year on a pro forma basis in Q1 2025. That kind of growth doesn't happen without a strong, scalable technology foundation. The AI is the differentiator, allowing the company to realize an expected $40 million benefit from cost synergies in 2025 following the Teads acquisition.

It's all about using data to make smarter, faster decisions for the advertiser.

Outbrain Inc. (OB) Vision Statement

You're looking for a clear map of where Outbrain Inc. (OB) is heading, especially after the major strategic move this year. The short answer is: the company is laser-focused on becoming the definitive platform for brand-to-performance advertising on the open internet. Following the $900 million acquisition of Teads in February 2025, the combined entity is operating under the Teads brand, and its vision is clear: to create the open Internet advertising platform for elevated outcomes, from branding to performance.

This isn't just a marketing slogan; it's a direct response to a fragmented ad-tech market. The new vision centers on connecting advertisers with high-value audiences across every screen, while also ensuring premium publishers remain financially viable. It's a dual mandate: maximize advertiser return on investment (ROI) and protect the quality of the Open Internet. The financial commitment to this vision is evident in the Q1 2025 results, which saw revenue jump to $286.4 million, a 32% increase year-over-year, largely due to the acquisition.

Creating the Omnichannel Outcomes Platform

The first pillar of the vision is building a truly omnichannel (across all channels) platform that delivers full-funnel results. This means moving beyond just content recommendations to managing a consumer's journey from their first 'discovery' moment to the final 'purchase.' The combined company now reaches 2.2 billion consumers and has direct access to 10,000 media environments worldwide.

A key area of growth is Connected TV (CTV). You can't ignore the shift to streaming, and Outbrain Inc. (OB) is all-in, reporting that CTV revenue grew over 100% year-over-year in Q1 2025. They now have access to more than 300 million TV screens globally. This expanded scale is what allows the company to promise meaningful business outcomes for both branding and direct-response performance objectives. Here's the quick math: more screens and more data mean better targeting, so your ad spend works harder. If you want to dive deeper into the market dynamics, check out Exploring Outbrain Inc. (OB) Investor Profile: Who's Buying and Why?

Driving Elevated Outcomes with Predictive AI

The second core component is leveraging artificial intelligence (AI) to drive those 'elevated outcomes.' This is not a future plan; it's happening now through an 'AI everywhere effort.' The platform uses predictive AI technology to connect quality media with creative content and context-driven addressability (making sure the right ad goes to the right person at the right time).

This focus on efficiency is defintely paying off in the bottom line. The company expects total cost synergy savings from the merger to amount to approximately $40 million for the full year 2025, with a target of $65 million to $75 million in total synergies by 2026. The financial guidance reflects this confidence, with the company maintaining its full-year 2025 Adjusted EBITDA guidance of at least $180 million. The AI isn't just for cost-cutting; it's generating revenue, too. For instance, in their direct-response performance business, they've already seen campaigns using their image-to-clip tool-which creates short videos from static images-surpass $1 million in spend.

Sustaining the Premium Open Internet

The third, and perhaps most crucial, element of the vision is the commitment to the 'sustainability and success of premium media on the Open Internet.' This is the ethical and structural backbone of the business model. Outbrain Inc. (OB) partners with over 10,000 media owners, including prestigious publishers, and their top 20 media partners have an average tenure of 7 years.

The company believes its value proposition to media owners is unique because it offers diverse and scaled advertising revenue across video, display, native, and performance advertising. This helps publishers diversify revenue beyond just ad impressions, supporting other streams like subscriptions. The strategy is simple: if premium content creators thrive, the platform has a high-quality, brand-safe environment for advertisers. It's a virtuous cycle. The Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) revenue as of September 30, 2025, stood at $1.18 Billion, showing the scale of their impact on the Open Internet ecosystem.

Next step: Finance: Track the Q2 2025 actual Ex-TAC gross profit against the guidance of $141 million to $150 million to confirm synergy realization by the end of the year.

Outbrain Inc. (OB) Core Values

You're looking for a clear map of what drives Outbrain Inc. (OB) now that the transformative Teads acquisition is complete, and honestly, you need to look at the combined company's operating principles. The core values aren't just posters on a wall; they are the engine behind the financial performance we saw in the first half of 2025. The new entity, operating under the Teads brand, is focused on five key values that translate directly into market strategy and shareholder value.

The successful integration, which is expected to yield approximately $65 million to $75 million in synergies in 2026, shows these values are already at work. We'll break down how each value connects to their 2025 actions and financial results.

Relentless, Customer Focus

This value is about making the customer-whether an advertiser or a media owner-the center of every decision. For advertisers, this means delivering measurable business outcomes (return on ad spend, or ROAS). For media owners, it means sustainable monetization of their content. The combined company now partners with over 10,000 publishers and 20,000 advertisers globally, a scale that demands this focus.

The proof is in the platform's evolution to an omnichannel outcomes platform (a single solution for all advertising channels). This directly addresses the market's demand for a unified, full-funnel approach. This focus helped drive Q1 2025 Revenue to $286.4 million, an increase of 32% year-over-year, primarily due to the acquisition and the expanded customer base.

• Prioritize advertiser outcomes over platform-centric metrics.
• Deliver sustainable value for premium media partners.
• Build a single platform for all advertising channels.

Obsess, About Outcomes

In a complex digital advertising ecosystem, this value cuts through the noise: deliver results, not just impressions. It's a shift from being process-obsessed to being results-driven, which is defintely what investors want to see. The company's entire value proposition post-merger is built on driving full-funnel results, from branding to performance objectives.

The focus on outcomes is particularly visible in the Q1 2025 financial report. Ex-TAC gross profit (revenue after traffic acquisition costs)-a key measure of platform quality-increased by 98% to $103.1 million, reflecting the higher margin profile of the acquired Teads business and the value delivered to clients.

Act Today, Not Tomorrow

This is the bias toward action, a crucial value in the fast-moving ad-tech world. It means being decisive, taking calculated risks, and moving quickly on market opportunities. The most concrete example of this value in 2025 is the acquisition itself. Outbrain Inc. completed the acquisition of Teads in February 2025 for approximately $900 million, a bold, transformative move to create a scaled omnichannel platform.

Here's the quick math: the combined entity immediately created one of the largest open internet companies with a combined advertising spend of approximately $1.7 billion in FY24, instantly achieving a scale that would have taken years to build organically.

Evolve, Through Change

The digital media landscape is constantly changing-from privacy regulations to the rise of Connected TV (CTV). This value is about embracing that change as an opportunity for growth. The company's strategic shift to prioritize CTV is a direct reflection of this. CTV revenues grew by more than 100% year-over-year on a pro forma basis in Q1 2025.

This willingness to evolve is the only way to manage near-term risks, like the integration costs that contributed to a Free cash flow of $(6.6) million in Q1 2025, which included $16.2 million in transaction and restructuring charges. You have to spend to evolve. To be fair, managing a merger of this size is a massive undertaking, but the early revenue growth suggests the evolution is on track. You can read more about the financial implications in Breaking Down Outbrain Inc. (OB) Financial Health: Key Insights for Investors.

We Are Human Driven, Powered by Ai

This value is the company's philosophy on technology: AI is a powerful tool, but human creativity and strategy drive its application. The combined company leverages predictive Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to connect quality media, creative, and context-driven addressability. They are not just using AI for optimization; they are using it to enhance the creative process itself.

The company now reaches 2.2 billion consumers, and its proprietary AI prediction engine is powered by uniting two of the richest contextual and interest data sets on the open internet. This is how they ensure value is driven with every media dollar, moving beyond simple targeting to predictive creative optimization and measurable impact.