Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 5 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Media industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Why Focus on Undervalued Media Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

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5 Undervalued Media Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 5 undervalued stocks in the Media industry for Tuesday, October 22, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Media industry median.

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Fox Corporation’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Fox Corporation operates as a news, sports, and entertainment company in the United States (U.S.). The company operates through four segments: Cable Network Programming, Television, Credible, and The FOX Studio Lot. The Cable Network Programming segment produces and licenses news and sports content for distribution through traditional cable television systems, direct broadcast satellite operators and telecommunication companies, virtual multi-channel video programming distributors, and other digital platforms primarily in the U.S. Television segment produces, acquires, markets, and distributes programming through the FOX broadcast network, advertising supported video-on-demand service Tubi, and operates power broadcast television stations including duopolies and other digital platform; and produces content for third parties. The Credible segment engages in the consumer finance marketplace. The FOX Studio Lot segment provides television and film production services along with office space, studio operation services and includes all operations of the facility. The company was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Fox Corporation has a Value Score of 81, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Fox Corporation’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.34 compared to the industry median at 0.72, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Fox Corporation’s stock less attractive for value investors.

Fox Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 12.30 compared to the industry median at 14.00. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Fox Corporation more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Fox Corporation’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 7.8, when compared to the industry median of 9.4, the company may be considered undervalued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Fox Corporation’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of (0.10%). Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Fox Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.42. This could make Fox Corporation less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Fox Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Fox Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 12.90. This could make Fox Corporation less attractive because the higher P/FCF ratio indicates that Fox Corporation is undervalued. The P/FCF ratio metric can also be viewed over a long-term time frame to see if the company's cash flow to share price value is generally improving or worsening.

Gannett Co., Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Gannett Co., Inc. operates as a media and marketing solutions company in the United States. It operates through three segments: Domestic Gannett Media, Newsquest, and Digital Marketing Solutions. The company’s print offerings includes home delivery on a subscription basis; single copy; non-daily publications, such as shoppers and niche publications. It also provides digital-only subscription, including local media brands, USA TODAY NETWORK community events platform, magazines, sports, and games; and E-newspapers; and digital advertising and marketing services. In addition, the company offers digital news and media brands; daily and weekly newspapers; digital marketing solutions, such as online presence solutions, online advertising products, conversion software, and cloud-based software solutions; commercial printing and distribution services; and prints commercial materials, including flyers, business cards, and invitations. The company was formerly known as New Media Investment Group Inc. and changed its name to Gannett Co., Inc. in November 2019. Gannett Co., Inc. was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Pittsford, New York.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Gannett Co., Inc. has a Value Score of 65, which is considered to be undervalued.

Gannett Co., Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Gannett Co., Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.42.

You can read more about Gannett Co., Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Harte Hanks, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Harte Hanks, Inc. operates as a customer experience company in the United States and internationally. The company offers data and analytics, including audience identification, profiling, segmentation and prioritization, predictive modeling and data strategy; Research, an understanding of customers, category, competitors, and capabilities; strategy, plans and executes omnichannel marketing, demand generation and customer experience programs; creative and content, including creative concepts, messaging and content assets for print, broadcast, direct mail, website, app, display, social, mobile, search engine marketing, and voice; marketing technology, a website and app development, e-commerce development and enablement, database building and management, platform architecture creation, and marketing automation; digital and multi-channel marketing execution, programs and campaigns across multiple channels, territories, and audiences; demand generation and account based marketing; and managed marketing services. It also provides product, print-on-demand, and mail fulfillment services, including as printing on demand, managing product recalls, and distributing literature and promotional products; custom solutions to engage audiences, target customers, support conferences, and appreciate employees; and third-party logistics and freight optimization services. In addition, the company offers inside sales outsourcing, provides B2B enterprises, and small to midsized businesses with an outsourced sales service; lead generation services; and sales play development, as well as self-service solution through interactive voice response, help centers, online, and via apps and channel technology. It serves B2B, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, health insurance, consumer, travel, hospitality, streaming, entertainment, quick service restaurants, financial, fintech, automotive, and retail markets. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Chelmsford, Massachusetts.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Harte Hanks, Inc. has a Value Score of 69, which is considered to be undervalued.

Harte Hanks, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Harte Hanks, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.42.

You can read more about Harte Hanks, Inc.’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

The E.W. Scripps Company’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

The E.W. Scripps Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a media enterprise through a portfolio of local television stations, national news, and entertainment networks in the United States. It operates through Local Media, Scripps Networks, and Other segments. The Local Media segment operates broadcast television stations, which produce news, information, sports, and entertainment content, as well as its related digital operations; runs network, syndicated, and original programming, and local sporting events; and provides core and political advertising services. The Scripps Networks segment offers national television networks through free over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, connected TV, and digital distribution. This segment also provides Scripp News, a national news network, which provides politics, entertainment, science, and technology news; Court TV, which showcases live trials; entertainment brands, such as Bounce, Defy TV, Grit, ION Mystery, and Laff; and ION, a national network of broadcast stations and broadcast television spectrum, which distributes programming through Federal Communications Commission-licensed television stations, as well as affiliated TV stations through over-the-air broadcast and pay TV platforms. In addition, it provides content and services through digital platforms, including the Internet, smartphones, and tablets; Nuvyyo, which offers consumers DVR product solutions to watch and record free over-the-air HDTV on connected devices; and Scripps National Spelling Bee, which shows educational programs. The company serves audiences and businesses through cable and satellite service providers. The E.W. Scripps Company was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

The E.W. Scripps Company has a Value Score of 92, which is considered to be undervalued.

The E.W. Scripps Company’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make The E.W. Scripps Company less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.42.

You can read more about The E.W. Scripps Company’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

TuanChe Limited’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

TuanChe Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as an omni-channel automotive marketplace in the People’s Republic of China. The company organizes auto shows and special promotion events; and provides integrated marketing solutions to industry customers, including automakers, franchised dealerships, secondary dealers, and automotive service providers, as well as enable interactions between participants on both sides of a potential transaction. It also offers business and technical support, and consulting services; subscription and support services; online marketing services through various online platforms, including tuanche.com website, WeChat account, WeChat mini-program, mobile applications, and Cheshangtong, a software as a service product; and referral services for commercial bank to enhance its auto loan business. It has a strategic partnership with Alibaba Group’s Tmall. TuanChe Limited was founded in 2010 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

TuanChe Limited has a Value Score of 90, which is considered to be undervalued.

TuanChe Limited’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make TuanChe Limited less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.42.

You can read more about TuanChe Limited’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Other Media Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Media stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 5 Best Media Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

• Fox Corporation stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Gannett Co., Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Harte Hanks, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• The E.W. Scripps Company stock has a Value Grade of A.
• TuanChe Limited stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 5 undervalued stocks in the Media industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Additional Resources About Media Stocks

Want to learn more about Media stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

• 4 Undervalued Media Stocks for Tuesday, October 22
• 5 Undervalued Media Stocks for Monday, October 21
• 7 Undervalued Media Stocks for Friday, October 18
• 3 Undervalued Media Stocks for Thursday, October 17

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.