Media, broadcasting, and digital services company E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ:SSP) met Wall Streets revenue expectations in Q3 CY2025, but sales fell by 18.6% year on year to $525.9 million. Its GAAP loss of $0.55 per share was 70.8% below analysts’ consensus estimates.

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Revenue: $525.9 million vs analyst estimates of $523.9 million (18.6% year-on-year decline, in line)

EPS (GAAP): -$0.55 vs analyst expectations of -$0.32 (70.8% miss)

Adjusted EBITDA: $80.43 million vs analyst estimates of $68.75 million (15.3% margin, 17% beat)

Operating Margin: 7.2%, down from 18.8% in the same quarter last year

Free Cash Flow was -$15.07 million, down from $127.4 million in the same quarter last year

Market Capitalization: $185.1 million

Local Media division core advertising revenue was up 2% in the third quarter, driven by the services category and overall growth in national advertising due to strong sales execution and Scripps’ sports strategy. During the fourth quarter, the company expects strong core revenue growth, buoyed by its new agreement with the National Hockey League’s Tampa Bay Lightning, continued growth across live sports markets and the comparison to last year’s political advertising displacement of core advertising. The Scripps Networks division continues to capitalize on the networks’ broad distribution on streaming platforms to grow connected TV revenue, up 41% in the quarter and helping to offset softness due to economic uncertainty. Networks revenue came in better than peers at about flat for Q3 and, combined with a 7% reduction in expenses, the division delivered a 27% margin. The WNBA season on ION wrapped successfully, with linear and connected TV revenue growing 92% over the 2024 season despite Caitlin Clark’s absence due to injury. Demand for the WNBA and other women’s sports on ION in this year’s upfront cycle was strong, with sports volume up 30% and commanding premium ad rates. Scripps recently announced the sale of two network-affiliated stations: WFTX in Fort Myers, Florida, to Sun Broadcasting, and WRTV in Indianapolis to Circle City Broadcasting, with total proceeds of $123 million. These transactions follow plans announced in July to swap stations across five markets in four states with Gray Media. This optimization of the Scripps portfolio supports the company’s strategy to improve the operating performance of its local stations and pay down debt. On Aug. 6, Scripps closed on the placement of $750 million in new senior secured second-lien notes at a rate of 9.875%. Proceeds were used to pay off the company’s 2027 senior notes; pay down $205 million of its 2028 term loan B-2; and pay off a portion of its revolving credit facilities. The company has since paid off the remaining balance on its revolving credit facilities. Net leverage at the end of the third quarter was 4.6x, down from 4.9x at the end of the first quarter and in line with the company’s projected year-end leverage. Scripps’ local television stations led an employee- and on-air campaign to raise money for the Scripps Howard Fund’s ninth annual “If You Give a Child a Book …” campaign, and proceeds will allow the Fund to invest a record-breaking $1.8 million during the 2025-2026 academic year to provide more than 300,000 books to children at low-income schools across the United States.