AppLovin Corp (NASDAQ:APP) is gaining share of e-commerce advertising budgets as brands increase spending on the platform, according to a Jefferies survey of advertisers using the company’s advertising technology in the second quarter of 2026.
Jefferies surveyed 30 e-commerce and web advertisers using AppLovin in 2Q26 and found that AppLovin’s share of advertiser budgets increased by 169 basis points compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, reaching 11.1% of spend in 2026.
The firm noted that AppLovin maintained its position among the top three advertising networks by both budget share and return on ad spend (ROAS), ranking just ahead of TikTok.
The survey found that TikTok also gained share during the period, while Meta and Google accounted for most of the budget share losses. Jefferies wrote that the shift was primarily driven by advertisers diversifying incremental ad spend toward platforms including AppLovin and TikTok rather than reducing spending on Meta and Google.
The survey captured a greater proportion of advertisers that had joined AppLovin in the fourth quarter of 2025, with those advertisers representing 23% of respondents compared with 7% in Jefferies’ previous survey. The firm noted that these newer advertisers have continued to scale spending throughout 2026.
Jefferies also highlighted improving feedback on AppLovin’s generative artificial intelligence tools. Half of surveyed advertisers had tested AI-generated end cards, half had tested AI-generated video, and one-third had tested full campaign setup using generative AI features.
The firm wrote that feedback on AI-generated video was particularly positive, with six advertisers reporting ROAS improvements. Advertisers cited the ease of use and ability to test multiple videos as benefits. Jefferies noted that prior feedback on AppLovin’s AI video product had been more muted, making the latest results an incremental positive.
Feedback on AI-generated end cards was mixed, with advertisers describing the tool as intuitive and easy to use, though only four respondents reported performance improvements. For full campaign setup, advertisers focused more on improved speed and campaign launch efficiency rather than direct performance gains, according to Jefferies.
Advertisers surveyed also raised their expectations for direct-to-consumer ad spending growth in 2026. Respondents now expect total DTC ad spend to increase 15% year-over-year, up from an 8% growth expectation in Jefferies’ first-quarter survey. The group reported 12% spending growth in the second quarter and expects a similar pace in the third quarter.
AppLovin’s prospecting and discovery campaigns also showed improvement in the survey. Jefferies found that 73% of respondents reported an increase in new customer revenue from prospecting campaigns, up from 60% in the prior survey, while the percentage seeing a significant increase rose to 30% from 13%. For discovery campaigns, 60% of advertisers reported increased benefits, compared with 50% previously.
Jefferies’ survey cohort represented more than $1.2 billion in direct-to-consumer advertising spend and at least $7.1 billion in gross merchandise value, based on the firm’s estimates.
Shares of AppLovin traded hands at $514 on Friday, down almost 24% so far this year.
