Stock fact sheet · data as of
QuinStreet, Inc. (QNST): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Communication Services · Advertising Agencies · United States · High Growth
Is QNST undervalued?
At 15.64 (close of 16 Oct 2026), QNST trades 62% below the GLS average fair value of 41.55. That average comes from 7 models run on the latest filings, and 6 of them land above the current price. Margins of safety over 30% are the exception rather than the rule across the ~7,400 stocks we value each night, so the number earns QuinStreet, Inc. the full Value points in the Wheel Score - and a closer look at what the market is pricing in.
The 7 models disagree widely: Graham Number gives 13.44 while Payback Time gives 88.32. A spread that wide means the average is sensitive to which methods you trust; the model table below shows where each one lands, and the Quote page lets you switch any of them off.
The nightly engine files QNST under High Growth: revenue and earnings growing fast enough that the growth-based models carry the valuation.
Nine valuation models for QNST
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | - | - | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital; no value tonight |
| Graham Number | 13.44 | -14% | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share |
| Graham Growth | 42.91 | +174% | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields |
| Lynch | 15.90 | +2% | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25% |
| GLS Growth | 86.98 | +456% | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year |
| 10 Cap | 27.48 | +76% | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10% |
| Payback Time | 88.32 | +465% | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself |
| DDM | - | - | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend; no value tonight |
| EPV | 15.79 | +1% | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -1.43 | -109% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 22.00 | +41% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Financial health is average - QNST passes 5 of the nine Piotroski tests, which falls one point short of the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. The Financials tab on the Quote page shows which tests fail. The GLS Moat score is 5.3 out of 10: a ten-year record that is consistent in some of the metrics the score tracks (revenue, earnings, margins, cash flow, returns on capital) and patchy in others.
Returns on capital are high - ROIC 20.4%, ROE 25.1%, ROA 11.3% - with debt at 0.23 times equity and a free-cash-flow yield of 14.2%.
QuinStreet, Inc. pays no dividend, so the DDM model does not apply and a covered-call holder earns only the premium and any price gain. Revenue comes mainly from Home Services 59%, Financial Service 42% (quarter Q4 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 10/10, insider activity 1/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 5 / 9 | ROIC | 20.4% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 5.3 / 10 | ROE | 25.1% |
| Debt / equity | 0.23 | ROA | 11.3% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | 14.2% | Payout ratio | 0% |
| Institutions | 10 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 1 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 75: Good
QNST scores 75 out of 100 on the Wheel Score (Good band, 65-79). The score blends the margin of safety (Value, 25/25), Piotroski health (11/20), the GLS moat (8/15), the option premium on offer (18/20) and how easily the stock trades (13/20). Moat (8/15) is the part holding the score back.
Implied volatility is 68% on the near-the-money contracts 20-60 days out - above the 60% ceiling of the sweet spot. Premiums are large, but the Wheel Score tapers the Premium points (18 of 20) because volatility this high usually comes with a reason. Chain open interest is 7,290 contracts across all expiries - enough for the wheel at normal size.
Volume runs at 604k shares a day on a market cap of $895M, with a beta of 0.73 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 13 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 25 / 25 | 62% margin of safety | |
| Health | 11 / 20 | Piotroski 5/9 | |
| Moat | 8 / 15 | moat 5.3/10 | |
| Premium | 18 / 20 | implied volatility 68% | |
| Stability | 13 / 20 | 604k shares/day, $895M cap, beta 0.73 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
The next earnings report is due on 4 Nov 2026 (after the close), 19 days away; a 30-45-day put sold today would expire after it, which is worth weighing against the premium.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Advertising Agencies
The 12 companies below are the closest to QuinStreet, Inc. by market cap within the Advertising Agencies industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CRTO Criteo S.A. | 15.76 | 99.76 | +84% | 78Good | $772M |
| CCO Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, Inc. | 2.42 | 13.81 | +82% | 45Weak | $1.2B |
| NEXN Nexxen International Ltd. | 9.03 | 11.13 | +19% | 65Good | $514M |
| ZD Ziff Davis, Inc. | 57.42 | 280.31 | +80% | 78Good | $2.0B |
| ADV Advantage Solutions Inc. | 29.36 | 65.07 | +55% | 42Weak | $390M |
| BOC Boston Omaha Corporation | 12.73 | - | - | 45Weak | $384M |
| STGW Stagwell Inc. | 8.78 | 5.74 | -53% | 51Fair | $2.1B |
| PERI Perion Network Ltd. | 8.81 | 17.21 | +49% | 45Weak | $364M |
| PTRN Pattern Group Inc. Series A Common Stock | 17.31 | 10.83 | -60% | 45Weak | $2.7B |
| LFTO Liftoff Mobile, Inc. Common Stock | 16.94 | 11.66 | -45% | 32Weak | $2.9B |
| MGNI Magnite, Inc. | 24.48 | 21.95 | -12% | 63Fair | $3.5B |
| NCMI National CineMedia, Inc. | 2.25 | 6.83 | +67% | 45Weak | $212M |
⚖ Compare QNST with 7 of them All Communication Services stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about QNST
Is QNST undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 15.64 the stock is 62% below the average fair value of 41.55 (data as of 16 Oct 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of QNST and what does it mean?
QNST scores 75 out of 100 (Good). The Wheel Score blends the margin of safety (25 points), Piotroski health (20), the GLS moat (15), the option premium on offer (20) and trading stability (20) into one number that ranks stocks for the wheel strategy - selling cash-secured puts, then covered calls if assigned. 80 and above is Prime, 65-79 Good, 50-64 Fair, under 50 Weak.
What is the GLS fair value for QNST?
41.55 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 7 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does QuinStreet, Inc. report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 4 Nov 2026 (after the close), 19 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does QNST have listed options, and how liquid are they?
Yes. The nightly snapshot found 106 listed contracts with 7,290 open interest across all expiries and implied volatility of 68% on the near-the-money contracts. The Options scanner lists the cash-secured put and covered call set-ups with premium and annualised yield worked out.