Focused on building reliable datasets, financial models, and research tools for value-minded investors. Committed to turning complex data into practical guidance for value-investing and long-term wealth.
Dr. Charlie Tian is the founder and CEO of GuruFocus.com, a leading global investment research platform established in 2004. With a Ph.D. in physics, Dr. Tian transitioned from science to finance, applying a data-driven, disciplined approach to value investing.
Lee EnterprisesSTU:LE7 +4.03%54 Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.27 as of Mar. 2026, which is 67% above its 10-year median of 5.56. GuruFocus rates STU:LE7 with a GF Score™ of 54/100 and a GF Value™ of €3.88 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 678 Media - Diversified companies, Lee Enterprises ranks worse than 93.22% on this metric.
Debt-to-EBITDA measures a company's ability to pay off its debt.
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt. According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
The historical rank and industry rank for Lee Enterprises's Debt-to-EBITDA or its related term are showing as below:
STU:LE7'
s Debt-to-EBITDA Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 3.56 Med: 5.56 Max: 28.84
Current: 13.91
During the past 13 years, the highest Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio of Lee Enterprises was 28.84. The lowest was 3.56. And the median was 5.56.
STU:LE7's Debt-to-EBITDA is ranked worse than 93.22% of 678
companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 1.655
vs STU:LE7: 13.91
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) Debt-to-EBITDA Explanation
A high Debt-to-EBITDA ratio generally means that a company may spend more time to paying off its debt.
According to Joel Tillinghast's BIG MONEY THINKS SMALL: Biases, Blind Spots, and Smarter Investing, a ratio of Debt-to-EBITDA exceeding four is usually considered scary unless tangible assets cover the debt.
Lee Enterprises Debt-to-EBITDA Related Terms
Lee Enterprises Debt-to-EBITDA Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Lee Enterprises's Debt-to-EBITDA can be seen below:
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
STU:LE7 vs EDUC, IDWM, TNMG: Debt-to-EBITDA Comparison
For the Publishing subindustry, Lee Enterprises's Debt-to-EBITDA, along with its competitors' market caps and Debt-to-EBITDA data, can be viewed below:
* Competitive companies are chosen from companies within the same industry, with headquarter located in same country, with closest market capitalization; x-axis shows the market cap, and y-axis shows the term value; the bigger the dot, the larger the market cap. Note that "N/A" values will not show up in the chart.
Lee Enterprises Debt-to-EBITDA vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Lee Enterprises's Debt-to-EBITDA distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lee Enterprises's Debt-to-EBITDA falls into.
* For Operating Data section: All numbers are indicated by the unit behind each term and all currency related amount are in USD. * For other sections: All numbers are in millions except for per share data, ratio, and percentage. All currency related amount are indicated in the company's associated stock exchange currency.
In the calculation of annual Debt-to-EBITDA, the EBITDA of the last fiscal year is used. In calculating the annualized quarterly data,
the EBITDA data used here is four times the quarterly (Mar. 2026) EBITDA data.
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) has a Debt-to-EBITDA of 9.27 as of Mar. 2026. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Lee Enterprises. This is 67% above median its historical median of 5.56. Over the past decade, Lee Enterprises' Debt-to-EBITDA has ranged from 3.56 to 28.84. According to the industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #632 out of 678 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 93.2%.
Is Lee Enterprises' Debt-to-EBITDA too high?
Lee Enterprises' current Debt-to-EBITDA of 9.27 is 67% above median its 10-year median of 5.56. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 3.56 to a high of 28.84. The Media - Diversified industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.66. Lee Enterprises' value of 9.27 is 460.1% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #632 out of 678 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is in the bottom quartile relative to peers. Overall, Lee Enterprises has a GF Score™ of 54/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lee Enterprises' Debt-to-EBITDA compare to EDUC and IDWM?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #632 out of 678 companies for Debt-to-EBITDA. This places Lee Enterprises in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.66. Lee Enterprises' value of 9.27 is 460.1% above this benchmark. Historically, Lee Enterprises' own Debt-to-EBITDA has ranged from 3.56 to 28.84 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 5.56 vs. the industry median of 1.66, Lee Enterprises has consistently been above the industry average. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Debt-to-EBITDA for a Media - Diversified company?
The median Debt-to-EBITDA among Media - Diversified companies is 1.66, based on 678 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Debt-to-EBITDA significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Debt-to-EBITDA should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Lee Enterprises's current Debt-to-EBITDA of 9.27 is 460.1% above the industry median. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Debt-to-EBITDA mean?
A high Debt-to-EBITDA can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Debt-to-EBITDA ratio represents the ratio of total debt to total earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. View historical data on Lee Enterprises. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median Debt-to-EBITDA is 1.66 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Lee Enterprises's current Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.27, which is 67% above median its own 10-year median of 5.56. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Lee Enterprises stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is €3.88, compared to a current price of €6.45 — trading 66.2% above its estimated fair value. The current Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.27, which is 67% above median its 10-year median of 5.56 and 460.1% above the Media - Diversified industry median of 1.66. Lee Enterprises' overall GF Score™ is 54/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Debt-to-EBITDA calculated?
Debt-to-EBITDA is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7), the current Debt-to-EBITDA is 9.27 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus calculates this using data sourced from SEC filings and annual reports. See the calculation section and 30-year financial data on this page for the full breakdown.
Is Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lee Enterprises stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of €6.45 is trading 66.2% above its estimated GF Value™ of €3.88.
GuruFocus considers Lee Enterprises to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for STU:LE7:
Debt-to-EBITDA: 9.27 (67% above median its 10-year median of 5.56)
GF Value™: €3.88 vs. price of €6.45 (66.2% above fair value)
Industry Position: 460.1% above the Media - Diversified median (#632 of 678)
No single metric tells the full story. See the STU:LE7 stock analysis page for a complete view including 30-year financials, guru trades, and insider activity.
Lee Enterprises Inc is a local news publication company in the United States. It is a digital-first subscription business providing local markets with valuable, high-quality, trusted, intensely local news, information, advertising, and marketing services. The product portfolio of the company includes digital subscription platforms, daily, weekly, and monthly newspapers, and niche products, all delivering original local news and information as well as national and international news. The products offer digital and print editions, and content and advertising are available in real-time through the websites and mobile apps.
54GF Score
Get the complete analysis for STU:LE7
Debt-to-EBITDA is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
Quick Browse
Personalize
Premium Gurus 
Create New Portfolio
STU:LE7 has been successfully added to your 
