Lee Enterprises Inc (LEE)
NASDAQCommunication ServicesPublishingSnapshot 2026-10-29
$6.22-2.81%
Close 2026-10-29 · 1-day change
NASDAQCommunication ServicesPublishingSnapshot 2026-10-29
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.
Management is running behind on a stated commitment.
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 highly volatile — it swings about 2% on a typical day and fell roughly 48% in its worst 12-month stretch.
View RiskLEE’s case rests on managing Hoffmann Media properties, despite unsteady management and an unfavorable sector backdrop. Recent financial performance is strong, but the desk provides no revenue-growth trajectory. Its latest recorded result lists GAAP earnings per share of 0.21 for Q3 FY2026. LEE trades at 0.3× sales versus a 1.0× peer median. The price reflects less growth than our forecast, though the peer comparison may overstate cheapness. Management running behind on a stated commitment threatens the case; the next-quarter miss probability is 28%. Peer multiples imply a price about 74% above where it trades. The thesis is on watch, and this read is provisional.
Trailing returns as of 2026-10-29. LEE is total return (includes dividends); the S&P 500 benchmark is price return (the index excludes dividends).
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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 2026-10-29. 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
Acquisition supports management's growth strategy with Hoffmann Media.
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 2026-10-29. 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.
Advances: Manage and operate Hoffmann Media Group properties
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.