The E.W. Scripps Company

NasdaqGS:SSP Stock Report

Market Cap: US$310.3m

E.W. Scripps Balance Sheet Health

Financial Health criteria checks 4/6

E.W. Scripps has a total shareholder equity of $1.2B and total debt of $2.5B, which brings its debt-to-equity ratio to 204.7%. Its total assets and total liabilities are $4.9B and $3.7B respectively. E.W. Scripps's EBIT is $153.9M making its interest coverage ratio 0.7. It has cash and short-term investments of $83.7M.

Key information

204.67%

Debt to equity ratio

US$2.55b

Debt

Interest coverage ratio0.7x
CashUS$83.73m
EquityUS$1.25b
Total liabilitiesUS$3.67b
Total assetsUS$4.92b

Recent financial health updates

Recent updates

Narrative Update May 12

SSP: Expanding Women’s Sports Programming On ION Will Support Future Upside

Analysts have trimmed their price target for E.W. Scripps by $0.50 to $6.43, citing updated assumptions that combine a slightly higher discount rate with more modest revenue growth expectations and a lower future P/E, partially offset by a stronger projected profit margin. What's in the News Scripps Sports agreed a multi-year broadcast partnership with Professional Bull Riders to air Premier Women’s Rodeo on ION and Grit starting in May, including the 2026 PWR Championship from Fort Worth, Texas.
Narrative Update Apr 26

SSP: Expanded Women’s Sports Focus On ION Will Support Future Upside

Analysts have kept their fair value and key assumptions for E.W. Scripps broadly unchanged. The updated price target in dollar terms reflects a steady view on discount rate, revenue growth and profit margin expectations rather than a shift in the underlying outlook.
Narrative Update Apr 12

SSP: Future Returns Will Depend On Overvalued Earnings Power Despite Sports Exposure

Analysts have adjusted their price target for E.W. Scripps, citing slightly updated expectations for revenue growth of 3.27%, a profit margin of 7.58%, and a future P/E of 2.20x. Together, these figures refine their view of the company’s earnings power and valuation in dollar terms.
Narrative Update Mar 28

SSP: Future Returns Will Depend On Slower Revenue And Lower Earnings Multiple

Analysts have trimmed their price target on E.W. Scripps by roughly one quarter, reflecting updated expectations for slower revenue growth, a higher profit margin and a lower future P/E multiple. What's in the News Ally Financial and Scripps Sports partnered with the Professional Women's Hockey League to air the league’s first game on national linear television in the US.
Narrative Update Mar 13

SSP: Expanded Women’s Sports Coverage On ION Will Strengthen Long-Term Position

Analysts slightly trimmed their fair value estimate for E.W. Scripps from $7.00 to $6.93, citing updated assumptions around revenue growth, profit margins, and a higher forward P/E multiple. What's in the News Ally Financial and Scripps Sports partnered with the Professional Women's Hockey League to air the league’s first national linear TV game in the U.S., with the PWHL Takeover Tour matchup between the New York Sirens and Montréal Victoire scheduled on ION Television on March 28 at 1 p.m. ET from Little Caesars Arena in Detroit (Key Developments).
Narrative Update Feb 27

SSP: Future Outlook Will Balance Rejected Bid Against Revised Profit Expectations

Analysts have raised their price target for E.W. Scripps, citing a higher fair value estimate, a change from an anticipated roughly 5% revenue decline to an expectation of about 4.5% growth, and a higher future P/E multiple, partially offset by a lower projected profit margin. What's in the News Sinclair, Inc.
Seeking Alpha Nov 18

E.W. Scripps: Family Control Limits Sinclair's Options

Summary E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) surged after Sinclair (SBGI) took an 8% stake, signaling M&A interest and pressuring for a potential sale. SSP's family-controlled voting structure and SBGI's high debt load create major hurdles for a deal, despite ongoing negotiations. SSP's recent financials are mixed, with aggressive cost-cutting and strategic asset sales, but long-term growth remains challenged. Given deal uncertainty and symmetrical risk/reward, I rate SSP a 'hold'—the family’s willingness to sell is a key unknown. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
Analysis Article Nov 12

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP) Stock Catapults 32% Though Its Price And Business Still Lag The Industry

Those holding The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 32...
Analysis Article Nov 11

E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ:SSP) Has A Somewhat Strained Balance Sheet

David Iben put it well when he said, 'Volatility is not a risk we care about. What we care about is avoiding the...
Narrative Update Nov 08

SSP: Expanding Live Sports Partnerships Will Improve Long-Term Market Position

Narrative Update on E.W. Scripps Price Target Analysts have increased their price target for E.W. Scripps from $5.63 to $7.00. This change is attributed to improved revenue growth expectations and a modest adjustment to the company’s discount rate outlook.
Analysis Article Aug 13

Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP) After Its Second-Quarter Results

It's been a good week for The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shareholders, because the company has just released...
Narrative Update Aug 08

CTV And Live Sports Will Boost Future Prospects Despite Challenges

Driven by a sharp improvement in net profit margin and a dramatic reduction in forward P/E, E.W. Scripps' valuation outlook has strengthened, though the consensus price target remains steady at $7.33. What's in the News E.W. Scripps Company renewed a multi-year broadcasting agreement with the WNBA, continuing ION as the league's Friday night national network home and expanding coverage to 50 regular season games, plus a dedicated studio show, after viewership grew 133% year over year.
Analysis Article Jul 10

What Is The E.W. Scripps Company's (NASDAQ:SSP) Share Price Doing?

The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ), might not be a large cap stock, but it led the NASDAQGS gainers with a...
Analysis Article Jun 19

There's No Escaping The E.W. Scripps Company's (NASDAQ:SSP) Muted Revenues Despite A 25% Share Price Rise

The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shareholders are no doubt pleased to see that the share price has bounced 25...
Analysis Article May 14

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP) First-Quarter Results: Here's What Analysts Are Forecasting For This Year

It's been a good week for The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shareholders, because the company has just released...
User avatar
New Narrative Apr 02

FCC Rollback And WNBA Move Will Yield Mixed Media Outcomes

Easing of FCC restrictions and strategic refinancing may enhance operational efficiency, reduce debt, and boost earnings through consolidated growth and improved net margins.
Analysis Article Mar 19

The E.W. Scripps Company's (NASDAQ:SSP) Price Is Right But Growth Is Lacking After Shares Rocket 47%

The The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent...
Seeking Alpha Mar 16

E.W. Scripps: Debt Restructuring Buys Time, But Challenges Remain

Summary Shares of The E.W. Scripps Company have delivered a total return of -61% since my initial Sell recommendation on November 8, 2023. Q4 2024 results were strong with the company reporting EPS of $0.92 driven by record political revenue, but 2025 is likely to prove more challenges. E.W. Scripps recently announced a debt restructuring to push out near-term debt maturities. I continue to believe that the company's capital structure is unsustainable, and that equity dilution is likely. I rate SSP stock a Sell. Read the full article on Seeking Alpha
Analysis Article Mar 13

These 4 Measures Indicate That E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ:SSP) Is Using Debt Extensively

Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it seems the smart money knows that...
Analysis Article Oct 12

The E.W. Scripps Company's (NASDAQ:SSP) Shares Leap 55% Yet They're Still Not Telling The Full Story

Those holding The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shares would be relieved that the share price has rebounded 55...
Analysis Article Oct 04

Does E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ:SSP) Have A Healthy Balance Sheet?

Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility...
Analysis Article Aug 05

Take Care Before Diving Into The Deep End On The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP)

With a price-to-sales (or "P/S") ratio of 0.1x The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) may be sending bullish signals...
Analysis Article May 13

US$10.13: That's What Analysts Think The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP) Is Worth After Its Latest Results

It's been a mediocre week for The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shareholders, with the stock dropping 19% to...
Analysis Article Apr 30

Here's Why It's Unlikely That The E.W. Scripps Company's (NASDAQ:SSP) CEO Will See A Pay Rise This Year

Key Insights E.W. Scripps to hold its Annual General Meeting on 6th of May Total pay for CEO Adam Symson includes...
Analysis Article Apr 04

The E.W. Scripps Company (NASDAQ:SSP) Stock's 25% Dive Might Signal An Opportunity But It Requires Some Scrutiny

To the annoyance of some shareholders, The E.W. Scripps Company ( NASDAQ:SSP ) shares are down a considerable 25% in...

Financial Position Analysis

Short Term Liabilities: SSP's short term assets ($665.3M) exceed its short term liabilities ($422.3M).

Long Term Liabilities: SSP's short term assets ($665.3M) do not cover its long term liabilities ($3.2B).


Debt to Equity History and Analysis

Debt Level: SSP's net debt to equity ratio (197.9%) is considered high.

Reducing Debt: SSP's debt to equity ratio has reduced from 236.4% to 204.7% over the past 5 years.


Balance Sheet


Cash Runway Analysis

For companies that have on average been loss-making in the past, we assess whether they have at least 1 year of cash runway.

Stable Cash Runway: Whilst unprofitable SSP has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years if it maintains its current positive free cash flow level.

Forecast Cash Runway: SSP is unprofitable but has sufficient cash runway for more than 3 years, due to free cash flow being positive and growing by 1.7% per year.


Discover healthy companies

Company Analysis and Financial Data Status

DataLast Updated (UTC time)
Company Analysis2026/05/31 18:01
End of Day Share Price 2026/05/29 00:00
Earnings2026/03/31
Annual Earnings2025/12/31

Data Sources

The data used in our company analysis is from S&P Global Market Intelligence LLC. The following data is used in our analysis model to generate this report. Data is normalised which can introduce a delay from the source being available.

PackageDataTimeframeExample US Source *
Company Financials10 years
  • Income statement
  • Cash flow statement
  • Balance sheet
Analyst Consensus Estimates+3 years
  • Forecast financials
  • Analyst price targets
Market Prices30 years
  • Stock prices
  • Dividends, Splits and Actions
Ownership10 years
  • Top shareholders
  • Insider trading
Management10 years
  • Leadership team
  • Board of directors
Key Developments10 years
  • Company announcements

* Example for US securities, for non-US equivalent regulatory forms and sources are used.

Unless specified all financial data is based on a yearly period but updated quarterly. This is known as Trailing Twelve Month (TTM) or Last Twelve Month (LTM) Data. Learn more.

Analysis Model and Snowflake

Details of the analysis model used to generate this report is available on our Github page, we also have guides on how to use our reports and tutorials on Youtube.

Learn about the world class team who designed and built the Simply Wall St analysis model.

Industry and Sector Metrics

Our industry and section metrics are calculated every 6 hours by Simply Wall St, details of our process are available on Github.

Analyst Sources

The E.W. Scripps Company is covered by 14 analysts. 5 of those analysts submitted the estimates of revenue or earnings used as inputs to our report. Analysts submissions are updated throughout the day.

AnalystInstitution
Edward AtorinoBenchmark Company
Daniel KurnosBenchmark Company
Karl ChoiBofA Global Research