Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE)
NASDAQCommunication ServicesPublishingSnapshot 2026-09-04
$8.13+1.75%
Close 2026-09-04 · 1-day change
NASDAQCommunication ServicesPublishingSnapshot 2026-09-04
Research Workspace
Put LEE beside peers and holdings, graph the same metric, and keep your notes with the evidence.
Daily closes. Earnings/event dots are placed inline.
Industries move in repeating boom-and-bust cycles. This shows where this stock’s industry sits in that cycle, stage by stage (recovery → expansion → supercycle → steady → deceleration → contraction), from its fundamentals (orders, revenue, capital spending), not the stock’s price.
A booming industry is a tailwind for the names in it; a contracting one is a headwind. Companies in the same industry tend to rise and fall together with the cycle, the way a tide lifts and lowers every boat in the harbor at once, so a large part of a stock’s swing can come from where its industry sits rather than from the company itself. It’s context for reading the company’s results, not a buy/sell call. Full explanation →
Communication Services is in steady. Describes the industry's cycle state, not a call on this stock.
The stage band shows the industry’s cycle over the chart’s timeline (each color a stage); a ▼ marks a quarter its growth inflected down — amber is an unconfirmed watch, red is confirmed the next quarter. Use “Overlay cycle on chart” to tint the price chart by stage. The industry’s fundamentals, not a signal on this stock.
The reason to own it still holds.
View ThesisRevenue is contracting — down about 11% over the past year.
View GrowthManagement screens weak on capital allocation, earnings delivery, the balance sheet.
View ManagementExpectations look reasonable — what the market is pricing in sits in line with or below what analysts forecast.
View ValuationThis stock is volatile — it swings about 2% on a typical day and fell roughly 42% in its worst 12-month stretch.
View RiskLEE's growth outlook depends on its ability to sustain adjusted EBITDA growth of 22% to 28%. Recent earnings showed a profit beat, supporting this growth trajectory. LEE trades at 0.4× price-to-sales, below the 1.2× peer median, indicating that the price reflects less growth than forecasted. If LEE cuts guidance after recently raising it, that would damage credibility. Peer multiples imply a price about 70% above where it trades. Our read is provisional.
Trailing returns as of 2026-09-04. LEE is total return (includes dividends); the S&P 500 benchmark is price return (the index excludes dividends).
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Compare LEE with peers and holdings, graph the same reported metric, keep your questions beside the evidence, and return when the facts change.
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| Compare | Company | Living FV | P/E | Revenue % | Quality |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEE Selected company | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review | |
| Peer Add a competitor | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review | |
| Holding Compare a holding | Graph | Compare | Trend | Review |
Selected metric trend
Quarterly · checked companies · value or % of revenue
A consensus fair price across 1 valuation methods, at three horizons. As of 2026-09-06. Estimates are diagnostics, not price targets. Short-horizon estimates are close to coin-flips, so confidence is a method-agreement read, not a prediction.
Today's peer multiple on trailing earnings, with no growth credited. This is the headline read.
Adds projected growth, so it leans optimistic by design. Read it as upside context, not a base case.
A price-focused, side-by-side fair-value read versus Publishing — fair value, gap to price, and forward P/E.
Compare the value case
Put LEE next to peers and holdings, compare Living FV and multiples, then graph the driver behind the difference.
Advances: Manage and operate Hoffmann Media Group properties
Not investment advice. Scores describe historical and current data; they are not forecasts of future returns. Consult a licensed advisor before making investment decisions.
End-of-day figures as of 2026-09-04. EPS is implied from price ÷ P/E. Not investment advice.
A long-thesis check that carries the widest uncertainty of the three horizons.
Bottom 25% on quality vs scored peers
Direction of the business behind the multiple. Bands are backend reads; trailing-12-month basis.
TTM earnings are negative. P/E-based methods drop out and the estimate leans on sales- and cash-flow-based methods. A data condition, not a forward call.
Positive EBITDA growth outlook supports Hoffmann Media Group management.
Advances: Capex guidance up to $8M for FY26
Profit beat supports capital allocation objectives.
Lower interest costs improve financial outlook and profitability.
Alden's interest in acquisitions poses competitive threats.
Specific targeting of Lee's assets by Alden raises concerns.
Positive analyst sentiment can enhance market perception.
Buffett's interest can significantly boost investor confidence.