Roku delivered strong Q3 results, achieving positive operating income ahead of schedule and for the first time since 2021. Platform revenue grew 17% YoY, driven by strength in streaming services distribution and video advertising activities. It deepened integrations with third-party ad demand and measurement platforms, grew Roku-billed subscriptions, and enhanced the Home Screen and overall Roku Experience. Roku also repurchased $50 million of common stock under the $400 million stock repurchase program, increasing its full-year outlook. Looking ahead, the company is confident in its ability to deliver double-digit platform revenue growth while improving operating margins in 2026 and beyond.
Video advertising on the Roku platform grew faster YoY than the U.S. OTT and digital ad markets. By expanding integrations with third-party demand-side platforms (DSPs), Roku is increasing ad demand and meeting the needs of enterprises and other clients where they choose to transact. The share of Roku video impressions executed programmatically continues to rise. We’re also seeing strong momentum in Roku Ads Manager, a self-serve platform that enables it to service small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and performance marketers. The growth of Ads Manager is largely incremental and further diversifies demand. Roku's fastest‑growing advertiser cohort is digital growth marketers focused on performance across DTC e‑commerce, mobile apps, and gaming. The company continued to expand its partner integrations. In September, it integrated the measurement platform
AppsFlyer across the Roku platform, including Ads Manager, UI ad placements, and in‑stream video on The Roku Channel. This integration provides advertisers with a comprehensive view of campaign outcomes across CTV and mobile, encompassing app installs, in-app activity, and long-term customer value. Roku also expanded our integration with FreeWheel, a CTV ad‑tech platform. The enhanced partnership increases transparency, demand signals, and buyer access to Roku’s premium CTV supply, improving yield and efficiency through the FreeWheel Advertiser Suite.
Whether advertisers buy through Roku or a partner, the company delivered results. For example, SimpliSafe, a home security provider, was missing a growing segment of consumers. SimpliSafe deployed a multi-pronged campaign with Roku that combined in-stream video ads, Pause Ads, and home screen and Brand Showcase ads to drive incremental reach and action. Results showed that over 76% of the target audience was unreachable on traditional TV, 36% was hard to reach on AVOD, and Roku delivered a Cost Per Lead (CPL) 37% more efficient than the brand’s overall streaming CPL during the same period. As the market shifts toward outcomes and measurement, Roku continues to build solutions with and for our clients.
Streaming services distribution activities this quarter were driven by Premium Subscriptions and Roku's recent acquisition of Frndly TV. The ongoing improvements to content discovery are helping viewers find great entertainment, while fueling growth in Roku-billed subscriptions, particularly within Premium Subscriptions. Our Sports Experience, which aggregates and organizes sports programming from across Roku's platform, continues to help viewers find out when and where their favorite teams are playing. Roku has recently made it easier for sports fans to stay up-to-date with games and set reminders for upcoming matchups, which are sent directly to the user’s phone. Given the popularity of the Sports Experience in the U.S., Roku launched it in Mexico. During NFL kickoff week, it highlighted the NFL Zone in our Home Screen menu, and visits to the Zone more than tripled YoY, helping to drive sign-ups for subscription services carrying games.