DRCT (Direct Digital Holdings) Operating Margin %: -48.67% (As of Mar. 2026)


DRCT Direct Digital Holdings Inc DRCT
43 GF Score
Price $2.79
GF Value $20.83
Valuation Possible Value Trap
! 6 Warning Signs
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What is Direct Digital Holdings Operating Margin %?

Direct Digital Holdings DRCT -2.11% 43 Operating Margin % is -48.67% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates DRCT with a GF Score™ of 43/100 and a GF Value™ of $20.83 (Possible Value Trap). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,011 Media - Diversified companies, Direct Digital Holdings ranks worse than 88.13% on this metric.

Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Income for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $-3.25 Mil. Direct Digital Holdings's Revenue for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $6.68 Mil. Therefore, Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was -48.67%.

The historical rank and industry rank for Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:

DRCT' s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -42.53   Med: -1.39   Max: 11.5
Current: -42.4


DRCT's Operating Margin % is ranked worse than
88.13% of 1011 companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 2.42 vs DRCT: -42.40

Direct Digital Holdings's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was 0.00% per year.

Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Income for the three months ended in Mar. 2026 was $-3.25 Mil. Its Operating Income for the trailing twelve months (TTM) ended in Mar. 2026 was $-14.08 Mil.


Direct Digital Holdings  (NAS:DRCT) Operating Margin % Explanation

Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.


Be Aware

Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).

If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.

For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokia’s Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).

Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.


Direct Digital Holdings Operating Margin % Related Terms


Direct Digital Holdings Operating Margin % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % can be seen below:

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Direct Digital Holdings Operating Margin % Chart

Direct Digital Holdings Annual Data
Trend Dec19 Dec20 Dec21 Dec22 Dec23 Dec24 Dec25
Operating Margin %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial 11.50 8.93 -1.39 -21.24 -42.53

Direct Digital Holdings Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
Operating Margin % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only -48.11 -23.92 -48.99 -53.46 -48.67

DRCT vs HAO, DBMM, CNET: Operating Margin % Comparison

For the Advertising Agencies subindustry, Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating Margin % data, can be viewed below:

* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.


Direct Digital Holdings Operating Margin % vs Media - Diversified Industry

For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % falls into.


DRCT
43GF Score
Direct Digital Holdings Inc DRCT
Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
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Direct Digital Holdings Operating Margin % Calculation

Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.

Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as

Operating Margin %=Operating Income (A: Dec. 2025 ) / Revenue (A: Dec. 2025 )
=-14.755 / 34.694
=-42.53 %

Direct Digital Holdings's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as

Operating Margin %=Operating Income (Q: Mar. 2026 ) / Revenue (Q: Mar. 2026 )
=-3.251 / 6.68
=-48.67 %

* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD.
* For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about Operating Margin % →
What does a Operating Margin % of -48.67% mean?
Direct Digital Holdings (DRCT) has a Operating Margin % of -48.67% as of Mar. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Direct Digital Holdings and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Direct Digital Holdings ranks #891 out of 1011 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 88.1%.
Is Direct Digital Holdings' Operating Margin % too high?
Direct Digital Holdings' current Operating Margin % is -48.67%. Based on the distribution chart, Direct Digital Holdings ranks #891 out of 1011 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Direct Digital Holdings has a GF Score™ of 43/100 and is considered Possible Value Trap, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Direct Digital Holdings' Operating Margin % compare to HAO and DBMM?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Direct Digital Holdings ranks #891 out of 1011 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Direct Digital Holdings in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 2.42. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Operating Margin % for a Media - Diversified company?
The median Operating Margin % among Media - Diversified companies is 2.42, based on 1,011 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Direct Digital Holdings and its competitors. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median Operating Margin % is 2.42 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Direct Digital Holdings's current Operating Margin % is -48.67%. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Direct Digital Holdings stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Direct Digital Holdings (DRCT) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $20.83, compared to a current price of $2.79 — trading 86.6% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is -48.67%. Direct Digital Holdings' overall GF Score™ is 43/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Direct Digital Holdings (DRCT), the current Operating Margin % is -48.67% as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.

Is Direct Digital Holdings (DRCT) Overvalued in 2026?

Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Direct Digital Holdings stock appears to be undervalued. The current stock price of $2.79 is trading 86.6% below its estimated GF Value™ of $20.83. GuruFocus considers Direct Digital Holdings to be Possible Value Trap.

Key valuation signals for DRCT:

  • Operating Margin %: -48.67%
  • GF Value™: $20.83 vs. price of $2.79 (86.6% below fair value)
  • GF Score™: 43/100 with 6 warning signs

No single metric tells the full story. See the DRCT stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.


Direct Digital Holdings Business Description

Address 1177 West Loop South, Suite 1310, Houston, TX, USA, 77027
Direct Digital Holdings Inc is an end-to-end, full-service programmatic advertising platform focused on providing advertising technology, data-driven campaign optimization, and other solutions to underserved and less efficient markets on both the buy-side and sell-side of the digital advertising ecosystem. The company operates two reportable segments: sell-side advertising, which includes the results of Colossus Media, and buy-side advertising, which includes the results of Orange 142 and Huddled Masses. All of the company's revenues are attributed to the United States.
43GF Score

Get the complete analysis for DRCT

Operating Margin % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

$2.79
Price
$20.83
GF Value