E. W. Scripps Company Class A (SSP)

In the past six months, The E.W. Scripps Co. (SSP) stock has trended down by 2.93%. Sinclair Inc.'s merger proposal was rejected by Scripps' board, leading to a stock fall. Scripps adopted a shareholder rights plan, and Sinclair acquired approximately 8.2% of Scripps' Class A shares. Scripps Sports announced new partnerships, becoming the local TV home for the NWSL's Denver Summit FC and partnering with Varsity Spirit. Shares jumped after an agreement to sell WFTX for $40 million to pay down debt. The company reported a Q3 2025 GAAP loss, but the stock surged following the earnings report due to increased connected TV revenue and reduced net leverage.

Demand seasonality for The E.W. Scripps Co.'s products and services is significantly influenced by political advertising cycles. The Local Media segment is highly dependent on political advertising in even-numbered election years, leading to revenue declines in non-political years. In Q3 2025, the company's total revenue was down 19% year-over-year, and Local Media revenue was expected to be down about 30% in Q4 2025 due to the absence of political advertising revenue compared to 2024. The company anticipates advertiser demand to strengthen later in the year, supported by premium inventory such as women's sports.

The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) is a diversified media enterprise operating through its Local Media and Scripps Networks segments in the United States, focusing on broadcasting within the Communication Services sector. The Local Media segment operates over 60 broadcast television stations across more than 40 U.S. markets, producing news, information, sports, and entertainment content. The Scripps Networks segment includes national news outlets like Scripps News and Court TV, and entertainment brands such as ION, Bounce, and Grit. Scripps also manages the Scripps National Spelling Bee and offers Nuvyyo, a DVR product solution.

The E.W. Scripps Company's geographic footprint is primarily within the United States, operating more than 60 television stations across over 40 U.S. markets. Its national news and entertainment networks also reach households across the entire U.S.

In the past year, The E.W. Scripps Company has focused on leveraging its strong local market presence and expanding its sports content. The company's commitment to local news provides a reliable, high-trust platform. Its Scripps Sports strategy, particularly with women's sports like the WNBA season on ION, has been a key differentiator, seeing linear and connected TV revenue grow significantly. Demand for sports volume on ION was up 30% in the 2025 upfront cycle, commanding premium ad rates.

The ownership structure of The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) Class A stock includes institutional, retail, and individual investors. Approximately 53.12% of the company's stock is owned by Institutional Investors, 5.90% by Insiders, and 40.98% by Public Companies and Individual Investors. Major institutional owners include BlackRock, Inc., Vanguard Group Inc., and Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc.