Ziff Davis Management
Management criteria checks 3/4
Ziff Davis' CEO is Vivek Shah, appointed in Jan 2018, has a tenure of 8.33 years. total yearly compensation is $11.77M, comprised of 8.5% salary and 91.5% bonuses, including company stock and options. directly owns 1.68% of the company’s shares, worth $27.73M. The average tenure of the management team and the board of directors is 6 years and 5.3 years respectively.
Key information
Vivek Shah
Chief executive officer
US$11.8m
Total compensation
| CEO salary percentage | 8.50% |
| CEO tenure | 8.3yrs |
| CEO ownership | 1.7% |
| Management average tenure | 6yrs |
| Board average tenure | 5.3yrs |
Recent management updates
Recent updates
Narrative Update • Apr 20
ZD: Extended Buybacks And Stable Margins Will Support Balanced Future Upside Potential
Analysts have kept their price target for Ziff Davis effectively unchanged at about $43.43. This reflects broadly consistent views on fair value, discount rate, growth and margin assumptions despite only minor model refinements.Narrative Update • Apr 06
ZD: Extended Buybacks And Stable Margins Will Support Balanced Future Upside Potential
Analysts have kept their price target on Ziff Davis unchanged at $43.43, as small shifts in discount rate, revenue growth, profit margin and future P/E assumptions result in only a slight adjustment to the overall valuation view. What's in the News Ziff Davis has been removed from the NASDAQ Internet Index, which may affect how some index funds and ETFs hold or trade the stock (Key Developments).Narrative Update • Mar 23
ZD: Extended Buybacks And Stable Margins Will Support Balanced Future Upside Potential
Analysts have kept their price target for Ziff Davis steady at $43.43, citing largely unchanged assumptions around revenue growth, profit margins, and future P/E multiples that continue to underpin their valuation view. What's in the News From October 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, Ziff Davis repurchased 1,746,876 shares for $61.19 million, representing 4.37% of its shares under the existing buyback program (Key Developments).Narrative Update • Mar 08
ZD: Share Repurchases And Margin Outlook Will Support Balanced 2025 Upside Potential
Analysts have updated their price target on Ziff Davis to $43.43. The change reflects a combination of a slightly lower assumed discount rate, a more conservative revenue growth outlook, a higher projected profit margin, and a reduced future P/E expectation.Seeking Alpha • Feb 24
Ziff Davis Q4: Deep Value With Catalysts On The Horizon
Summary Shares of Ziff Davis, Inc. stock declined by 15% following weaker-than-expected Q4 results. The weakness was confined to the Technology and Shopping segments, driven by lower search-related traffic. ZD shares trade at just 3.6x my FCF for FY26 of $270 million. Key catalysts are the outcome from the strategic review as well as the potential to earn high-margin content licensing revenue from LLMs. Despite the risks I see to the current outlook, the risk-reward setup for ZD stock remains attractive, motivating a Buy rating. Read the full article on Seeking AlphaNarrative Update • Feb 22
ZD: Stable Margins And Revenue Assumptions Will Support 2025 Upside Potential
Analysts have reduced their price target on Ziff Davis to $43.43 per share, citing slightly higher discount rate and P/E assumptions in their models rather than any change in the company’s underlying margin or growth outlook. Valuation Changes Fair Value: Model fair value is unchanged at $43.43 per share, with no adjustment to the intrinsic value estimate.Narrative Update • Feb 08
ZD: Steady Long Term Assumptions Will Support 2025 Upside Potential
Analysts have modestly adjusted their price target framework for Ziff Davis to a fair value of $43.43, reflecting slightly updated views on the discount rate, long term revenue growth, profit margin, and future P/E assumptions. Valuation Changes Fair Value: Held steady at about $43.43 per share, with no material revision in the model output.Narrative Update • Jan 25
ZD: Buybacks And Reduced Impairment Will Support 2025 Upside Potential
Analysts have kept their fair value estimate for Ziff Davis steady at $43.43, with updated assumptions reflecting a slightly lower discount rate, more conservative revenue growth and profit margin expectations, and a higher future P/E multiple. Together, these factors shape their latest price target view.Narrative Update • Jan 09
ZD: Ongoing Buybacks And Reduced Impairment Will Support 2025 Upside Potential
Analysts have kept their fair value estimate for Ziff Davis steady at about US$43.43 per share, with only small tweaks to inputs like the discount rate and assumed future P/E. This reflects a largely unchanged view of the stock's long term outlook.Narrative Update • Dec 24
ZD: Ongoing Buybacks And Lower Impairment Will Support 2025 Upside Potential
Analysts have modestly raised their price target on Ziff Davis, citing slightly higher assumed future earnings multiples that more than offset small adjustments to growth and margin assumptions. What's in the News Ziff Davis completed a buyback tranche between July 1 and September 30, 2025, repurchasing 1,176,559 shares, or 2.86% of shares outstanding, for $43.3 million (company disclosure).Narrative Update • Dec 10
ZD: Buybacks And Lower Impairment Will Support 2025 Earnings Outlook
Analysts have modestly adjusted their price target on Ziff Davis to reflect the impact of a slightly lower discount rate and marginally reduced future P/E expectations, resulting in a refined valuation that still centers near 43.43 dollars per share. What's in the News Ziff Davis repurchased 1,176,559 shares between July 1 and September 30, 2025, bringing total buybacks under its August 10, 2020 authorization to 11,770,097 shares, or 26.13% of shares outstanding, for $691.19 million (company filing) The company recorded unaudited goodwill impairment charges of $17.58 million for the quarter ended September 30, 2025, compared with $85.27 million in the prior year period (company disclosure) Ziff Davis reaffirmed its 2025 earnings outlook and maintained revenue guidance in the range of $1.442 billion to $1.502 billion (corporate guidance) Valuation Changes Fair Value Estimate: unchanged at approximately $43.43 per share, indicating no revision to the central valuation point.Narrative Update • Nov 25
ZD: Multi-Year Buyback Completion And Lower Impairment Will Support 2025 Momentum
Analysts have modestly increased their price target for Ziff Davis from $43.14 to $43.43 per share, citing slightly improved revenue growth projections and a marginal uptick in the company’s overall fair value. What's in the News Between July and September 2025, Ziff Davis repurchased 1,176,559 shares, or 2.86 percent of shares outstanding, for $43.3 million.Analysis Article • Nov 12
Results: Ziff Davis, Inc. Delivered A Surprise Loss And Now Analysts Have New Forecasts
Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ) last week reported its latest quarterly results, which makes it a good time for...Narrative Update • Nov 11
ZD: Revenue Guidance And Impairment Reduction Will Drive Sentiment In 2025
Analysts have lowered their price target for Ziff Davis from $45.29 to $43.14. They cite concerns over reduced revenue growth and profit margins as key factors in the revision.Analysis Article • Oct 05
Is Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) A Risky Investment?
Legendary fund manager Li Lu (who Charlie Munger backed) once said, 'The biggest investment risk is not the volatility...Analysis Article • Aug 15
Ziff Davis' (NASDAQ:ZD) Conservative Accounting Might Explain Soft Earnings
Ziff Davis, Inc.'s ( NASDAQ:ZD ) recent soft profit numbers didn't appear to worry shareholders, as the stock price...Narrative Update • Aug 08
Cloud-based Solutions And Digital Advertising Will Drive Future Markets
Despite a slight reduction in revenue growth forecasts, Ziff Davis’s consensus price target has increased from $41.33 to $44.29, supported by a notably lower forward P/E ratio that enhances relative valuation appeal. What's in the News Ziff Davis reaffirmed fiscal 2025 earnings guidance, expecting revenue of $1,442 million to $1,502 million.Analysis Article • Jul 01
Is Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) A Risky Investment?
Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously...Analysis Article • May 08
Should You Think About Buying Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) Now?
Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ), might not be a large cap stock, but it received a lot of attention from a substantial...Analysis Article • Apr 17
Ziff Davis, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ZD) Stock Retreats 26% But Earnings Haven't Escaped The Attention Of Investors
Unfortunately for some shareholders, the Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ) share price has dived 26% in the last thirty...Analysis Article • Mar 18
We Think Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) Can Stay On Top Of Its Debt
Howard Marks put it nicely when he said that, rather than worrying about share price volatility, 'The possibility of...Analysis Article • Feb 28
Ziff Davis, Inc. Just Missed Earnings - But Analysts Have Updated Their Models
It's been a mediocre week for Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ) shareholders, with the stock dropping 17% to US$41.31 in...Analysis Article • Feb 25
Ziff Davis, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ZD) Price In Tune With Earnings
Ziff Davis, Inc.'s ( NASDAQ:ZD ) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 32.9x might make it look like a strong sell...Analysis Article • Dec 13
Is Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) Using Too Much Debt?
Some say volatility, rather than debt, is the best way to think about risk as an investor, but Warren Buffett famously...Analysis Article • Nov 23
Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) Stocks Shoot Up 27% But Its P/E Still Looks Reasonable
The Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ) share price has done very well over the last month, posting an excellent gain of...
New Narrative • Sep 11
Gaming And Digital Health Drive Growth, Despite Advertising And M&A Risks
Ziff Davis's growth strategy hinges on expanding in digital media, notably gaming and health, complemented by strategic acquisitions like Gamer Network and CNET.Analysis Article • Aug 27
What Does Ziff Davis, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ZD) Share Price Indicate?
While Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ) might not have the largest market cap around , it saw a decent share price growth...Analysis Article • Aug 07
With A 25% Price Drop For Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) You'll Still Get What You Pay For
Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ) shareholders that were waiting for something to happen have been dealt a blow with a 25...Analysis Article • Jul 31
Is Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) A Risky Investment?
Warren Buffett famously said, 'Volatility is far from synonymous with risk.' So it seems the smart money knows that...Analysis Article • May 23
Ziff Davis, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ZD) Intrinsic Value Is Potentially 57% Above Its Share Price
Key Insights The projected fair value for Ziff Davis is US$86.08 based on 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity Ziff Davis...Analysis Article • May 07
When Should You Buy Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD)?
Ziff Davis, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ZD ), might not be a large cap stock, but it saw a decent share price growth of 11% on the...Analysis Article • Apr 22
Investors Appear Satisfied With Ziff Davis, Inc.'s (NASDAQ:ZD) Prospects
Ziff Davis, Inc.'s ( NASDAQ:ZD ) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 57.4x might make it look like a strong sell...Analysis Article • Feb 20
A Look At The Fair Value Of Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD)
Key Insights Using the 2 Stage Free Cash Flow to Equity, Ziff Davis fair value estimate is US$71.92 Current share price...CEO Compensation Analysis
| Date | Total Compensation | Salary | Company Earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 31 2025 | US$12m | US$1m | US$47m |
| Sep 30 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$111m |
| Jun 30 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$66m |
| Mar 31 2025 | n/a | n/a | US$77m |
| Dec 31 2024 | US$13m | US$1m | US$63m |
| Sep 30 2024 | n/a | n/a | US$62m |
| Jun 30 2024 | n/a | n/a | US$80m |
| Mar 31 2024 | n/a | n/a | US$60m |
| Dec 31 2023 | US$2m | US$1m | US$42m |
| Sep 30 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$47m |
| Jun 30 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$96m |
| Mar 31 2023 | n/a | n/a | US$33m |
| Dec 31 2022 | US$1m | US$1m | US$65m |
| Sep 30 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$375m |
| Jun 30 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$363m |
| Mar 31 2022 | n/a | n/a | US$387m |
| Dec 31 2021 | US$16m | US$1m | US$401m |
| Sep 30 2021 | n/a | n/a | -US$41m |
| Jun 30 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$13m |
| Mar 31 2021 | n/a | n/a | US$74m |
| Dec 31 2020 | US$2m | US$1m | US$29m |
| Sep 30 2020 | n/a | n/a | US$213m |
| Jun 30 2020 | n/a | n/a | US$183m |
| Mar 31 2020 | n/a | n/a | US$177m |
| Dec 31 2019 | US$2m | US$1m | US$41m |
Compensation vs Market: Vivek's total compensation ($USD11.77M) is above average for companies of similar size in the US market ($USD5.50M).
Compensation vs Earnings: Vivek's compensation has been consistent with company performance over the past year.
CEO
Vivek Shah (51 yo)
8.3yrs
Tenure
US$11,767,948
Compensation
Mr. Vivek R. Shah is CEO, President & Director of Ziff Davis, Inc. from 2021. He is President & CEO of Ziff Davis, LLC from October 2025 and serves as its Board member since 2018. He served as the Chief Ex...
Leadership Team
| Name | Position | Tenure | Compensation | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO, President & Director | 8.3yrs | US$11.77m | 1.68% $ 27.7m | |
| Chief Financial Officer | 4.3yrs | US$4.80m | 0.12% $ 2.1m | |
| Chief Accounting Officer | 1.4yrs | US$1.07m | 0.0057% $ 94.7k | |
| Executive VP | 10.9yrs | US$2.61m | 0.063% $ 1.0m | |
| Senior Vice President | 1.1yrs | no data | no data | |
| Chief Technology Officer | 8.3yrs | no data | no data | |
| Director of Investor Relations | less than a year | no data | no data | |
| Chief Human Resources Officer | 7.1yrs | no data | no data | |
| President of Technology & Shopping | 5.3yrs | no data | no data | |
| President of Cybersecurity & Martech | 6.7yrs | no data | no data | |
| Chief Health & Medical Editor of Everyday Health | no data | no data | no data | |
| Executive VP & GM of Everyday Health Consumer | no data | no data | no data |
6.0yrs
Average Tenure
54.5yo
Average Age
Experienced Management: ZD's management team is seasoned and experienced (6 years average tenure).
Board Members
| Name | Position | Tenure | Compensation | Ownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEO, President & Director | 8.3yrs | US$11.77m | 1.68% $ 27.7m | |
| Independent Director | 18.8yrs | US$319.97k | 0.044% $ 724.1k | |
| Chairman & Independent Lead Director | 8.3yrs | US$399.97k | 0.062% $ 1.0m | |
| Independent Director | 5.8yrs | US$334.97k | 0.038% $ 622.7k | |
| Independent Director | 2.3yrs | US$319.97k | 0.018% $ 291.2k | |
| Independent Director | 2.5yrs | US$319.97k | 0.018% $ 290.1k | |
| Independent Director | 4.9yrs | US$334.97k | 0.034% $ 560.9k | |
| Independent Director | 2.5yrs | US$339.97k | 0.021% $ 347.6k |
5.3yrs
Average Tenure
61yo
Average Age
Experienced Board: ZD's board of directors are considered experienced (5.3 years average tenure).
Company Analysis and Financial Data Status
| Data | Last Updated (UTC time) |
|---|---|
| Company Analysis | 2026/05/07 05:04 |
| End of Day Share Price | 2026/05/07 00:00 |
| Earnings | 2025/12/31 |
| Annual Earnings | 2025/12/31 |
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.
| Package | Data | Timeframe | Example US Source * |
|---|---|---|---|
| Company Financials | 10 years |
| |
| Analyst Consensus Estimates | +3 years |
|
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| Market Prices | 30 years |
| |
| Ownership | 10 years |
| |
| Management | 10 years |
| |
| Key Developments | 10 years |
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* 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
Ziff Davis, Inc. is covered by 22 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.
| Analyst | Institution |
|---|---|
| William Power | Baird |
| Saket Kalia | Barclays |
| Ross Sandler | Barclays |