Ziff Davis, Inc.
- Open
- 55.15
- Day high
- 55.74
- Day low
- 54.87
- Prev close
- 55.15
- Volume
- 105K
- Mkt cap
- $1.9B
- P/E (TTM)
- 3.2
- EPS (TTM)
- $17.67
- P/B
- 0.9
- P/S
- 1.4
- Yield
- —
- Per share
- —
- ▼Insiders net selling -$1.7M over the last 3 months (0 open-market buys, 7 sales)
- 🏛Institutions mixed (13F)
Ziff Davis, Inc. (ZD) is a Communication Services company listed on NASDAQ. The stock is up 45% over the past year. Over the trailing 3 months, insiders filed 0 open-market buys and 7 sales (SEC Form 4).
Ziff Davis, Inc. (ZD) financials & analyst ratings
Fundamentals (TTM)
Analyst consensus · 5 analysts
Source: exchange market data + company filings. Figures are trailing-twelve-month or as most recently reported. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
ZD earnings date, history & EPS estimates
| Report date | EPS est | EPS actual | Surprise | Revenue | Rev. surprise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 7, 2026 | $0.81 | $1.03 | +27.6% | $287M | +0.2% |
| May 8, 2026 | $0.72 | $0.73 | +1.4% | $268M | +1.3% |
| Nov 6, 2025 | $1.76 | $1.76 | +0.0% | $364M | -12.7% |
| Aug 6, 2025 | $1.22 | $1.24 | +1.6% | $352M | -4.2% |
| May 8, 2025 | $1.10 | $1.14 | +3.6% | $329M | +1.8% |
| Nov 8, 2024 | $1.51 | $1.64 | +8.6% | $354M | +1.9% |
| May 8, 2024 | $1.14 | $1.27 | +11.4% | $314M | +0.4% |
| Feb 21, 2024 | $2.32 | $2.33 | +0.4% | $390M | -2.0% |
| Aug 3, 2023 | $1.27 | $1.27 | +0.0% | $326M | +0.5% |
| Feb 15, 2023 | $2.43 | $2.26 | -7.0% | $397M | -1.1% |
| Feb 14, 2022 | $2.08 | $2.17 | +4.3% | $145M | -64.3% |
| Nov 3, 2021 | $2.21 | $2.34 | +5.9% | $355M | -14.4% |
ZD insider trading activity (SEC Form 4)
| Date | Insider | Type | Shares | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 20, 2026 | KRETZMER W BRIANdirector | Sell | 2,513 | $55.31 |
| Aug 13, 2026 | TANSLEY LORI A.officer: Chief Accounting Officer | Sell | 1,400 | $54.76 |
| Aug 11, 2026 | ROSSEN JEREMYofficer: EVP/General Counsel | Sell | 3,819 | $54.93 |
| Jun 11, 2026 | RICHTER BRETofficer: Chief Financial Officer | Sell | 18,000 | $46.88 |
| Jun 8, 2026 | McDonald Kirk Pdirector | Sell | 100 | $46.66 |
| Jun 8, 2026 | McDonald Kirk Pdirector | Sell | 975 | $46.65 |
| Jun 5, 2026 | ROSSEN JEREMYofficer: EVP/General Counsel | Sell | 8,000 | $47.00 |
| Jun 3, 2026 | ROSSEN JEREMYofficer: EVP/General Counsel | Option | 1,385 | — |
| Jun 3, 2026 | ROSSEN JEREMYofficer: EVP/General Counsel | Tax | 570 | $41.48 |
| May 29, 2026 | ROSSEN JEREMYofficer: EVP/General Counsel | Sell | 4,347 | $45.75 |
| May 8, 2026 | McDonald Kirk Pdirector | Option | 7,903 | $43.31 |
| May 8, 2026 | Ray Neville Rdirector | Grant | 5,723 | — |
| May 8, 2026 | KRETZMER W BRIANdirector | Option | 7,903 | $43.31 |
| May 8, 2026 | Harris Teresa Adirector | Option | 7,903 | $43.31 |
| May 8, 2026 | Ray Neville Rdirector | Option | 7,903 | $43.31 |
Source: ZD SEC Form 4 filings, latest Aug 20, 2026. For informational purposes only — not investment advice.
See the full ZD insider & 13F page →Ziff Davis, Inc. company profile
Overview
Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) is a digital media and technology company that operates a diverse portfolio of online brands and services. Originally founded as a technology publishing company in 1927, the modern Ziff Davis was incorporated in 2014 and went public in 1999. The company underwent a significant transformation from j2 Global, Inc., changing its name to Ziff Davis in October 2021 following a strategic restructuring. Today, Ziff Davis operates as a multi-faceted digital media conglomerate with operations spanning technology content, gaming entertainment, health and wellness information, cybersecurity services, and marketing technology solutions across the United States, Canada, Ireland, and other international markets.
Business
Ziff Davis operates across five distinct business segments, each serving different markets and audiences. The company's core business revolves around digital media properties and technology services that generate revenue through advertising, subscriptions, and performance marketing. The Tech and Shopping segment represents the company's largest revenue driver, operating well-known brands like PCMag (technology reviews and news), RetailMeNot (coupon and deals platform), and Offers.com (promotional marketing). This segment focuses on technology journalism, product reviews, and e-commerce facilitation, generating revenue through advertising partnerships and affiliate commissions from retail transactions. The Gaming and Entertainment segment includes IGN (gaming news and reviews), Humble Bundle (digital game distribution), and Mashable (technology and digital culture content). These properties serve gaming enthusiasts and digital culture consumers, monetizing through advertising, subscription services, and digital product sales. The Health and Wellness segment operates MedPageToday (medical news for healthcare professionals), Everyday Health (consumer health information), BabyCenter (parenting resources), and What to Expect (pregnancy and parenting guidance). This segment serves both healthcare professionals and consumers, generating revenue primarily through pharmaceutical advertising and health-related content partnerships. The Connectivity segment includes Speedtest (internet speed testing service) and related network diagnostic tools. This segment provides both consumer-facing applications and enterprise-grade network analytics services, operating on freemium and subscription models. The Cybersecurity and Martech segment offers cloud-based security solutions, privacy tools, and marketing technology services to both consumers and businesses. This includes VPN services, email security solutions, and marketing automation platforms operating on subscription-based models. Based on recent financial reports, the Digital Media segments (Tech and Shopping, Gaming and Entertainment, Health and Wellness, and Connectivity) collectively represent approximately 80-85% of total revenue, while the Cybersecurity and Martech segment accounts for roughly 15-20% of the company's revenue base.
Revenue model
Ziff Davis operates a diversified revenue model across its business segments, generating income through multiple streams including advertising, subscription services, performance marketing, and licensing agreements. Advertising revenue constitutes the primary income source, representing approximately 60-65% of total revenue. The company sells advertising space across its digital properties to technology companies, retailers, pharmaceutical companies, and gaming publishers. This includes both direct advertising sales and programmatic advertising placements. The health and wellness segment particularly benefits from pharmaceutical advertising, while the tech and gaming segments attract technology and consumer electronics advertisers. Subscription and licensing revenue accounts for roughly 35-40% of total income, generated through premium content subscriptions, cybersecurity service subscriptions, and software licensing agreements. The cybersecurity segment operates primarily on recurring subscription models, while some digital media properties offer premium content tiers. Performance marketing revenue comes from affiliate commissions and transaction-based partnerships, particularly strong in the shopping segment where RetailMeNot and Offers.com earn commissions from retail partner transactions. Several factors influence the company's profit margins. Positive margin drivers include the scalable nature of digital content creation, strong brand recognition leading to premium advertising rates, and recurring subscription revenue providing predictable cash flows. The company's diverse portfolio also provides some protection against sector-specific downturns. Margin pressures come from increased competition for digital advertising spend, particularly from major platforms like Google and Facebook. Economic downturns significantly impact advertising budgets, especially in the technology sector. Rising content creation costs, talent acquisition expenses, and the need for continuous technology infrastructure investments also pressure margins. Additionally, changes in search engine algorithms and the emergence of AI-powered search results could potentially reduce organic traffic and advertising effectiveness.
Competitive moat
Ziff Davis possesses a moderate competitive moat built primarily on brand recognition, content expertise, and audience loyalty rather than strong structural advantages. The company's moat strength varies significantly across its business segments. The strongest moat exists in the specialized content verticals, particularly in gaming (IGN), technology reviews (PCMag), and health information (MedPageToday). These brands have established decades-long relationships with their audiences and possess deep editorial expertise that creates trust and loyalty. IGN's position in gaming journalism and PCMag's reputation for technology reviews provide some protection against new entrants due to their established credibility and extensive content archives. The health and wellness segment benefits from regulatory barriers and professional trust, as medical professionals rely on established sources like MedPageToday for continuing education and industry news. This creates switching costs and relationship stickiness that newer competitors struggle to replicate. However, the company faces significant competitive threats. Platform risk represents the most substantial challenge, as the business heavily depends on search engine traffic and social media distribution. Changes in Google's search algorithms or the rise of AI-powered search results could dramatically impact organic traffic. The company estimates approximately 35% of its revenue is traffic-dependent, with 40% of that traffic coming from search engines. Big Tech competition poses another major threat, as Google, Meta, and other platforms increasingly capture advertising dollars that previously went to independent publishers. The rise of AI-generated content also threatens the value proposition of human-created editorial content. The cybersecurity segment operates in a highly competitive market with numerous well-funded competitors and faces challenges in customer acquisition and retention. Unlike the content businesses, this segment lacks strong brand differentiation and faces direct competition from established cybersecurity companies. Overall, while Ziff Davis has built valuable brands and audiences, the moat is relatively narrow and faces ongoing pressure from technological disruption and platform dependency.
Risks & safety
Ziff Davis demonstrates a solid financial safety profile with strong liquidity and manageable debt levels, though profitability has shown some volatility. Liquidity and Solvency: • Cash and short-term investments: $431 million (Q1 2025) • Current ratio: 1.52, indicating adequate short-term liquidity • Total debt-to-equity ratio: 0.47, representing moderate leverage • Net leverage at approximately 1x EBITDA, well within safe parameters • Strong free cash flow generation: $284 million in FY 2024 Valuation Metrics: • EV/EBITDA: 5.8x (Q1 2025), indicating reasonable valuation • Price-to-earnings ratio: 16.5x, moderate for a media company • Price-to-book ratio: 0.88, suggesting potential undervaluation • Graham number suggests fair value around $23-37 per share range Other Considerations: • Consistent EBITDA generation with margins around 25-30% • Active share repurchase program demonstrates capital return commitment • Diversified revenue streams provide some stability • Platform dependency creates ongoing business risk despite strong financials
Recent development
Over the past few years, Ziff Davis has undergone significant strategic transformation and operational improvements. The company restructured its reporting segments from two to five distinct business units in 2024, providing greater transparency into Tech and Shopping, Gaming and Entertainment, Health and Wellness, Connectivity, and Cybersecurity and Martech operations. Acquisition strategy has been a key growth driver, with the company deploying $225 million in M&A during 2024, including notable acquisitions of Gamer Network and CNET. These acquisitions have strengthened the company's position in gaming content and technology journalism respectively. Management maintains an active acquisition pipeline across all five segments, focusing on assets that enhance leadership positions in core verticals. Artificial Intelligence integration has become a major strategic priority, with the company launching AI-powered features across multiple properties including Downdetector, IGN, and LUCID. The company has also initiated legal action against OpenAI to protect its intellectual property rights, while simultaneously exploring licensing opportunities for its content to be used in large language model training. Operational improvements include cost management initiatives, organizational restructuring (particularly in the Connectivity segment with new leadership), and margin expansion efforts. The company has also resumed aggressive share repurchase programs, buying back over $189 million worth of stock in 2024. ESG initiatives have gained prominence, with the company committing to science-based emissions reduction targets, improving diversity metrics, and receiving enhanced ESG ratings from MSCI and other rating agencies. The company has also strengthened its focus on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a value-creation strategy.
ZD company profile · for informational purposes only — not investment advice.
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