The Trade Desk provides a self-service platform that helps advertisers and ad agencies programmatically find and purchase digital ad inventory (display, video, audio, native, and social) on different devices like computers, smartphones, digital out of home, and connected TVs. It utilizes data to optimize the performance of ad impressions purchased. The firm’s platform is referred to as a demand-side platform in the digital ad industry. The firm generates its revenue from fees based on a percentage of what its clients spend on advertising. The Trade Desk became a public company in 2016 and has since increased revenue at a 43% average annual rate. During that period, it has been profitable with operating margins of 10%-28%.