Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 7 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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7 Undervalued Media Stocks
Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 7 undervalued stocks in the Media industry for Thursday, November 21, 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.
| Company | Ticker | Price/Sales | Price/Earnings | EV/EBITDA | Shareholder Yield | Price/Book Value | Price/Free Cash Flow | Value Grade |
| Comcast Corporation | CMCSA | 1.39 | 11.6 | 7.1 | 8.9% | 1.99 | 18.8 | B |
| Fox Corporation | FOX | 1.44 | 10.7 | 7.2 | 7.5% | 1.81 | 14.8 | A |
| Gray Television, Inc. | GTN.A | 0.20 | 4.9 | 6.7 | 2.1% | 0.27 | 3.2 | A |
| iHeartMedia, Inc. | IHRT | 0.09 | na | 11.1 | (1.5%) | na | 2.5 | A |
| Lee Enterprises, Incorporated | LEE | 0.15 | na | 6.8 | 0.2% | 3.98 | na | B |
| Scholastic Corporation | SCHL | 0.46 | 30.7 | 11.7 | 13.6% | 0.69 | 11.4 | A |
| Stagwell Inc. | STGW | 0.31 | na | 11.0 | 2.3% | 0.98 | 7.0 | A |
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.
Comcast Corporation’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | CMCSA | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 40 | 1.39 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | 24 | 11.6 | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 22 | 7.1 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 5 | 8.9% | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | 57 | 1.99 | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | 46 | 18.8 | 11.7 |
Comcast Corporation operates as a media and technology company worldwide. It operates through Residential Connectivity & Platforms, Business Services Connectivity, Media, Studios, and Theme Parks segments. The Residential Connectivity & Platforms segment provides residential broadband and wireless connectivity services, residential and business video services, sky-branded entertainment television networks, and advertising. The Business Services Connectivity segment offers connectivity services for small business locations, which include broadband, wireline voice, and wireless services, as well as solutions for medium-sized customers and larger enterprises; and small business connectivity services in the United Kingdom. The Media segment operates NBCUniversal’s television and streaming business, including national and regional cable networks; the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks and owned local broadcast television stations; and Peacock, a direct-to-consumer streaming services. It also operates international television networks comprising the Sky Sports networks, as well as other digital properties. The Studios segment operates NBCUniversal and Sky film and television studio production and distribution operations. The Theme Parks segment operates Universal theme parks in Orlando, Florida; Hollywood, California; Osaka, Japan; and Beijing, China. The company also offers a consolidated streaming platforms under the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center arena in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Xumo. Comcast Corporation was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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.
Comcast Corporation has a Value Score of 80, which is considered to be undervalued.
When you look at Comcast Corporation’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.39 compared to the industry median at 0.62, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Comcast Corporation’s stock less attractive for value investors.
Comcast Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 11.60 compared to the industry median at 13.50. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Comcast Corporation more attractive for value investors.
Now, let’s assess Comcast Corporation’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 7.1, when compared to the industry median of 9.9, 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. Comcast 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. Comcast Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.38. This could make Comcast Corporation less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.
Lastly, let’s take a look at Comcast Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Comcast Corporation’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 11.70. This could make Comcast Corporation less attractive because the higher P/FCF ratio indicates that Comcast 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.
Fox Corporation’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | FOX | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 41 | 1.44 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | 20 | 10.7 | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 22 | 7.2 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 8 | 7.5% | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | 54 | 1.81 | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | 36 | 14.8 | 11.7 |
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 83, which is considered to be undervalued.
Fox Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 10.7 compared to the industry median at 13.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Fox Corporation more attractive for value investors.
Fox Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Fox Corporation more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.
You can read more about Fox Corporation’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.
Gray Television, Inc.’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | GTN.A | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 9 | 0.20 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | 5 | 4.9 | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 20 | 6.7 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 30 | 2.1% | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | 7 | 0.27 | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | 6 | 3.2 | 11.7 |
Gray Television, Inc., a television broadcasting company, owns and/or operates television stations and digital assets in the United States. It also broadcasts secondary digital channels affiliated to ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX, as well as various other networks and program services, including CW Plus Network, MY Network, the MeTV Network, Circle, Telemundo, THE365, and Outlaw; and local news/weather channels in various markets. It owns and operates television stations and digital assets that serve television markets in the United States. The company was formerly known as Gray Communications Systems, Inc. and changed its name to Gray Television, Inc. in August 2002. Gray Television, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
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.
Gray Television, Inc. has a Value Score of 99, which is considered to be undervalued.
Gray Television, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 4.9 compared to the industry median at 13.5. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Gray Television, Inc. more attractive for value investors.
Gray Television, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Gray Television, Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.
You can read more about Gray Television, 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.
iHeartMedia, Inc.’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | IHRT | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 4 | 0.09 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | na | na | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 45 | 11.1 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 63 | (1.5%) | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | na | na | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | 5 | 2.5 | 11.7 |
iHeartMedia, Inc. operates as an audio media company in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Multiplatform Group, Digital Audio Group, and Audio & Media Services Group. The Multiplatform Group segment offers broadcast radio stations, sponsorship and events, and live and virtual events; and operates Premiere Networks, a national radio network that produces, distributes, or represents syndicated radio programs and services to radio station affiliates. It also delivers real-time traffic flow and incident information, and weather updates, sports, and news. The Digital Audio Group segment provides podcasting, digital sites, newsletters, digital services, and programs; and iHeartRadio, a mobile app and web based service for radio stations, digital only stations, custom artist stations, and podcasts. The Audio and Media Services Group segment engages in the media representation business; and provides scheduling and broadcast software and services. This segment also provides RCS, a cloud and on-premises broadcast software, such as radio and television automation, music scheduling, newsroom automation, advertising sales management, disaster recovery solutions; and real-time audio recognition technology to radio and television stations, cable channels, record labels, advertisers, and agencies, as well as media streaming and research services. The company was formerly known as CC Media Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to iHeartMedia, Inc. in September 2014. The company is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.
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.
iHeartMedia, Inc. has a Value Score of 85, which is considered to be undervalued.
You can read more about iHeartMedia, 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.
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | LEE | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 7 | 0.15 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | na | na | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 20 | 6.8 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 42 | 0.2% | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | 75 | 3.98 | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | na | na | 11.7 |
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated provides local news and information, and advertising services in the United States. The company offers digital subscription platforms; daily, weekly, and monthly newspapers and niche publications; and web hosting and content management services. It also provides advertising and marketing services, such as audience extension, search engine optimization, search engine marketing, web and mobile production, social media services, and reputation monitoring and management. In addition, the company offers integrated digital publishing and content management solutions for creating, distributing, and monetizing multimedia content for media publications, universities, television stations, and niche publications. Further, it provides commercial printing services; distributes third party products; and operates a digital marketing services agency. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated was founded in 1890 and is based in Davenport, Iowa.
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.
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated has a Value Score of 73, which is considered to be undervalued.
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Lee Enterprises, Incorporated more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.
You can read more about Lee Enterprises, Incorporated’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.
Scholastic Corporation’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | SCHL | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 17 | 0.46 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | 70 | 30.7 | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 49 | 11.7 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 2 | 13.6% | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | 20 | 0.69 | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | 27 | 11.4 | 11.7 |
Scholastic Corporation publishes and distributes children’s books worldwide. It operates in three segments: Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution, Education Solutions, and International. The Children’s Book Publishing and Distribution segment engages in publication and distribution of children’s print, digital, and audio books, as well as media and interactive products through its school reading events and trade channel; and operation of school-based book clubs and book fairs in the United States. Its original publications include The Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, The Bad Guys, The Baby-Sitters Club, The Magic School Bus, Captain Underpants, Dog Man, Wings of Fire, Cat Kid Comic Club, and Clifford The Big Red Dog, as well as I Survived, Goosebumps; licensed properties comprising the Peppa Pig and Pokemon; and publishes and creates Klutz and Make Believe Ideas titles, such as Mini Shake Shop, Pokemon Stained Glass, LEGO Miniature Photography, and the Never Touch series. The Education Solutions segment publishes and distributes classroom magazines under the Scholastic News, Scholastic Scope, Storyworks, Let's Find Out, and Junior Scholastic names; supplemental and classroom materials and programs, and related support services; and print and on-line reference, and non-fiction products, as well as consulting services. The International segment publishes and distributes English, Hindi, and French language children’s books; and operates school-based marketing channels, as well as supply original and licensed children’s books, and supplemental educational materials including professional books for teachers. It distributes its products and services directly to schools and libraries through retail stores and the Internet. The company was founded in 1920 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.
Scholastic Corporation has a Value Score of 82, which is considered to be undervalued.
Scholastic Corporation’s price-earnings ratio is 30.7 compared to the industry median at 13.5. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Scholastic Corporation less attractive for value investors.
Scholastic Corporation’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Scholastic Corporation less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.
You can read more about Scholastic Corporation’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.
Stagwell Inc.’s Value Grade
Value Grade:
| Metric | Score | STGW | Industry Median |
| Price/Sales | 13 | 0.31 | 0.62 |
| Price/Earnings | na | na | 13.5 |
| EV/EBITDA | 45 | 11.0 | 9.9 |
| Shareholder Yield | 29 | 2.3% | (0.1%) |
| Price/Book Value | 30 | 0.98 | 1.38 |
| Price/Free Cash Flow | 15 | 7.0 | 11.7 |
Stagwell Inc. provides digital transformation, performance media and data, consumer insights and strategy, and creativity and communications services. The company operates through three segments: Integrated Agencies Network, Brand Performance Network, and Communications Network. It designs and builds digital platforms and experiences that support the delivery of content, commerce, service, and sales; creates websites, mobile applications, back-end systems, content and data management systems, and other digital environments; designs and implements technology and data strategies; and develops software and related technology products, including artificial intelligence (AI)-enabled communications, research, and media technology, cookie-less data platforms for advance targeting and activation, software tools for e-commerce applications, specialty media solutions in the augmented reality space, and text messaging applications for consumer engagement. The company also provides audience analysis, and media buying and planning services; and strategic insights and guidance services that offers business content, product, communications, and media strategies. In addition, it offers strategy development, advertising creation, live events, immersive digital experiences, cross platform engagement, and social media content services; and leadership, investor and financial relations, social media, executive positioning and visibility, strategic communication, public relation, and public affair services. Further, the company provides Stagwell Marketing Cloud, a suite of software-as-a-service (SaaS) and data-as-a-service (DaaS) technology solutions, including research and insights, communications technology, advance media platform, and media studios; and technology-driven solutions for in-house marketers. Stagwell Inc. 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.
Stagwell Inc. has a Value Score of 89, which is considered to be undervalued.
Stagwell Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Stagwell Inc. less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.
You can read more about Stagwell 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.
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 7 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.
- Comcast Corporation stock has a Value Grade of B.
- Fox Corporation stock has a Value Grade of A.
- Gray Television, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
- iHeartMedia, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
- Lee Enterprises, Incorporated stock has a Value Grade of B.
- Scholastic Corporation stock has a Value Grade of A.
- Stagwell Inc. stock has a Value Grade of A.
Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 7 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.
- 7 Undervalued Media Stocks for Thursday, November 21
- 3 Undervalued Media Stocks for Wednesday, November 20
- 4 Undervalued Media Stocks for Tuesday, November 19
- 4 Undervalued Media Stocks for Monday, November 18
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.
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