The E.W. Scripps Company
- Open
- 2.89
- Day high
- 2.89
- Day low
- 2.73
- Prev close
- 2.85
- Volume
- 439K
- Mkt cap
- $254M
- P/E (TTM)
- —
- EPS (TTM)
- —
- P/B
- 0.2
- P/S
- 0.1
- Yield
- —
- Per share
- —
- ▼Insiders net selling -$855K over the last 3 months (2 open-market buys, 4 sales)
- ◆Cluster buying — multiple insiders bought within days
- 🏛Institutions mixed (13F)
The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) is a Communication Services company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is down 9% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 2 open-market buys and 4 sales (SEC Form 4).
The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 2 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
SSP earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2026 | $-0.21 | $-0.20 | +4.8% | $517M | +0.0% |
| Feb 26, 2026 | $0.46 | $-0.06 | -113.0% | $560M | +5.9% |
| Nov 6, 2025 | $-0.16 | $-0.40 | -150.0% | $526M | -4.5% |
| Aug 7, 2025 | $-0.04 | $-0.12 | -200.0% | $540M | +2.3% |
| May 8, 2025 | $-0.23 | $-0.18 | +21.7% | $524M | +0.8% |
| Mar 11, 2025 | $0.99 | $0.97 | -2.0% | $728M | +37.5% |
| May 9, 2024 | $-0.06 | $-0.10 | -66.7% | $561M | -0.9% |
| Feb 23, 2024 | $0.46 | $-0.02 | -104.3% | $616M | +2.3% |
| Nov 3, 2023 | $-0.22 | $-0.19 | +13.6% | $567M | +0.1% |
| Aug 4, 2023 | $-0.11 | $-0.09 | +18.2% | $583M | +1.2% |
| May 5, 2023 | $-0.38 | $-0.17 | +55.3% | $528M | -22.5% |
| Feb 24, 2023 | $0.93 | $0.84 | -9.7% | $681M | -1.4% |
SSP insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 22, 2026 | McCabe Molly E10 percent owner | Sell | 112,284 | $3.40 |
| May 22, 2026 | McCabe Molly E10 percent owner | Sell | 60,182 | $3.35 |
| May 22, 2026 | McCabe Molly E10 percent owner | Sell | 11,239 | $3.29 |
| May 22, 2026 | McCabe Molly E10 percent owner | Sell | 142,970 | $3.48 |
| May 15, 2026 | Granado Geraldine Scripps10 percent owner | Buy | 72,798 | $3.54 |
| May 14, 2026 | Brickner Samantha J.10 percent owner | Buy | 1,262 | $3.53 |
| May 6, 2026 | Barmonde Charles L.director, 10 percent owner: | Option | 90,673 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | Mehta Nishatdirector | Option | 90,673 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | CONLIN KELLY Pdirector | Option | 90,673 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | Radford Leighdirector | Option | 90,673 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | Granado Raymundo H. Jr.director, 10 percent owner: | Grant | 49,575 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | Jablin Burton Fdirector | Option | 90,673 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | HAYDEN JOHN Wdirector | Option | 90,673 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | Williams Kimdirector | Grant | 49,575 | — |
| May 6, 2026 | Ward Tracy Tunneydirector | Grant | 49,575 | — |
Source: SSP SEC Form 4 filings, latest May 22, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full SSP insider & 13F page →The E.W. Scripps Company company profile
Overview
The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP) is a Cincinnati-based media enterprise founded in 1878 that has evolved from its newspaper origins into a diversified television broadcasting and content company. Originally established by Edward Willis Scripps as a newspaper chain, the company has transformed over nearly 150 years into one of America's largest local television station operators. Today, Scripps operates 61 television stations across the United States and manages several national television networks, serving both local communities and national audiences through traditional broadcast, cable, satellite, and digital streaming platforms.
Business
Scripps operates in the television broadcasting industry, which involves creating, acquiring, and distributing video content to audiences through various transmission methods. The company's business is organized into two primary segments that generate distinct revenue streams. The Local Media Division represents approximately 60-65% of total revenue and operates 61 broadcast television stations across major U.S. markets. These stations are affiliated with major broadcast networks like NBC, CBS, ABC, and Fox, meaning they carry the programming from these networks while also producing their own local news, weather, and community programming. Local television stations make money primarily through advertising - businesses pay to have their commercials aired during programs, with rates determined by viewership numbers and demographic targeting. Additionally, these stations receive retransmission fees from cable and satellite providers who pay for the right to carry the station's signal to their subscribers. The Scripps Networks Division accounts for roughly 35-40% of revenue and operates national television networks that are distributed across the country. The flagship network is ION Television, which focuses on crime and justice procedural programming like reruns of popular shows such as "Criminal Minds" and "Blue Bloods." Other networks include Bounce TV (targeting African American audiences), Court TV (legal programming), and Newsy (national news content). These networks generate revenue through national advertising sales and distribution fees paid by cable, satellite, and streaming services. Both divisions are increasingly focused on Connected TV distribution, which refers to streaming content over internet-connected devices like smart TVs, Roku boxes, and mobile apps. This represents the fastest-growing segment of their business as viewing habits shift from traditional linear television to on-demand streaming platforms.
Revenue model
Scripps generates revenue through multiple complementary streams within the television advertising ecosystem. The primary revenue source is advertising sales, where businesses pay to have their commercials aired during programming. Local stations sell advertising time to local and regional businesses, while national networks sell time to national advertisers and advertising agencies. The company also earns significant revenue from retransmission fees, which are monthly payments from cable and satellite providers for the right to carry Scripps' local television signals. These fees have grown substantially over the past decade as cord-cutting has made live television content more valuable to pay-TV operators seeking to retain subscribers. A cyclical but substantial revenue source comes from political advertising, where candidates, political parties, and advocacy groups purchase airtime during election cycles. This can represent $200-350 million in revenue during presidential election years, with 2024 generating a record $343 million for Scripps. Several factors significantly impact Scripps' profit margins. Economic conditions directly affect advertising demand, as businesses reduce marketing spend during recessions. Automotive and retail advertising, two major categories for local television, are particularly sensitive to economic cycles. The ongoing shift from traditional television viewing to streaming platforms creates both opportunities and challenges - while Connected TV advertising is growing rapidly, traditional linear TV advertising continues to decline. Programming costs represent a major expense, particularly for sports content which commands premium prices but also attracts valuable audiences. The company has strategically focused on women's sports partnerships with leagues like the WNBA and NWSL, which offer lower acquisition costs than major men's sports while still delivering engaged audiences that advertisers value. Regulatory changes could significantly impact margins, particularly potential FCC deregulation of broadcast ownership rules that could allow for market consolidation and operational efficiencies.
Competitive moat
Scripps possesses a moderate regulatory moat through its ownership of valuable broadcast spectrum licenses, which are government-granted monopolies to transmit over specific frequencies in designated markets. These licenses are difficult to obtain due to limited spectrum availability and regulatory barriers, providing some protection from new competitors entering local markets. The company benefits from local market dominance in many of its 61 television markets, where established news operations and community relationships create switching costs for both viewers and advertisers. Local news programming, in particular, generates strong viewer loyalty and commands premium advertising rates due to its relevance to community audiences. However, Scripps' moat faces significant erosion from secular industry decline. Traditional television viewership continues to fall as audiences migrate to streaming platforms, social media, and other digital entertainment options. Younger demographics increasingly consume news and entertainment through smartphones and social platforms rather than broadcast television, threatening the long-term viability of the traditional broadcasting model. The company's national networks face intense competition from both traditional cable networks and streaming services with substantially larger content budgets. Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, and other streaming platforms are investing billions in original programming, making it difficult for smaller networks like ION to compete for premium content or audience attention. Digital advertising platforms like Google and Facebook capture an increasing share of advertising dollars due to their superior targeting capabilities and measurement tools compared to traditional television advertising. This trend particularly impacts local advertising, which has historically been television's strength. The company's Connected TV strategy represents an attempt to adapt to changing viewing habits, but this space is becoming increasingly crowded with both traditional media companies and technology giants competing for the same streaming audiences and advertising revenue.
Risks & safety
Scripps presents moderate financial risk with concerning leverage levels but improving cash generation capabilities. • High debt burden: Debt-to-equity ratio of 2.05x with total liabilities of $3.8 billion against $1.3 billion in equity • Leverage improving: Management reduced leverage ratio from 6.0x to 4.8x EBITDA during 2024 through debt paydowns • Low cash position: Only $24 million in cash against $3.8 billion in total debt creates liquidity concerns • Positive free cash flow: Generated $300 million in free cash flow for 2024, providing debt service capacity • Refinancing completed: Extended debt maturities in 2024, reducing near-term refinancing risk • Valuation metrics mixed: Trading at 0.14x book value and 1.3x earnings suggests deep value, but EV/EBITDA of 5.0x is reasonable for a declining industry • Political advertising volatility: Heavy dependence on cyclical political advertising creates earnings volatility in non-election years • Industry headwinds: Secular decline in traditional television viewership threatens long-term cash generation ability • Interest coverage adequate: EBITDA of $576 million provides reasonable coverage of interest expenses on debt load
Recent development
Over the past three years, Scripps has executed a strategic transformation focused on debt reduction, sports content expansion, and Connected TV growth. The company has aggressively paid down debt, reducing its leverage ratio from over 6.0x to 4.8x EBITDA by applying nearly $300 million in debt paydowns during 2024 alone. Management completed significant refinancing transactions to extend debt maturities and reduce near-term refinancing risk. The company has pivoted toward sports programming as a key growth driver, particularly women's sports content. Scripps secured partnerships with the WNBA, NWSL (National Women's Soccer League), and various local sports teams including the Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers. This strategy targets undervalued sports content that attracts younger, more diverse audiences while commanding lower rights fees than major men's sports leagues. Connected TV expansion has become a central focus, with Connected TV revenue growing 16-42% quarterly as the company adapts to changing viewing habits. Scripps has launched its networks on major streaming platforms and developed direct-to-consumer capabilities to reach cord-cutting audiences. The company has undertaken significant cost reduction initiatives, including a major restructuring of Scripps News that will save $35 million annually and broader expense optimization across all divisions. Management has also explored asset sales, including the potential divestiture of the Bounce TV network and non-strategic real estate holdings to further reduce debt. Scripps has positioned itself for potential industry consolidation opportunities by advocating for FCC deregulation of broadcast ownership rules, which could enable market consolidation and operational synergies through station acquisitions or market swaps.
SSP company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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