Lee EnterprisesSTU:LE7 +3.47%49 Gross Margin % is 97.93% as of Mar. 2026, which is 2% above its 10-year median of 96.12. GuruFocus rates STU:LE7 with a GF Score™ of 49/100 and a GF Value™ of €4.41 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 953 Media - Diversified companies, Lee Enterprises ranks better than 96.85% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for Lee Enterprises's Gross Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
STU:LE7'
s Gross Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: 95.41 Med: 96.12 Max: 97.8
Current: 97.8
During the past 13 years, the highestGross Margin % of Lee Enterprises was 97.80%. The lowest was 95.41%. And the median was 96.12%.
STU:LE7's Gross Margin % is ranked better than 96.85% of 953
companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 38.9
vs STU:LE7: 97.80
Lee Enterprises had a gross margin of 97.93% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => Durable competitive advantage
The 5-Year average Growth Rate of Gross Margin for Lee Enterprises was 0.30% per year.
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) Gross Margin % Explanation
Warren Buffett believes that firms with excellent long term economics tend to have consistently higher margins.
Durable competitive advantage creates a high Gross Margin % because of the freedom to price in excess of cost. Companies can be categorized by their Gross Margin %
1. Greater than 40% = Durable competitive advantage
2. Less than 40% = Competition eroding margins
3. Less than 20% = no sustainable competitive advantage
Consistency of Gross Margin is key
Lee Enterprises had a gross margin of 97.93% for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 => Durable competitive advantage
Be Aware
If a company loses its competitive advantages, usually its gross margin declines well before its sales declines. Watching Gross Margin % and Operating Margin % closely helps avoid value trap situations.
Lee Enterprises Gross Margin % Related Terms
Lee Enterprises Gross Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Lee Enterprises's Gross Margin % 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, TNMG, SCHL: Gross Margin % Comparison
For the Publishing subindustry, Lee Enterprises's Gross Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Gross Margin % 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 Gross Margin % vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Lee Enterprises's Gross Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lee Enterprises's Gross Margin % 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.
A positive Gross Profit is only the first step for a company to make a net profit. The gross profit needs to be big enough to also cover related labor, equipment, rental, marketing/advertising, research and development and a lot of other costs in selling the products.
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) has a Gross Margin % of 97.93% as of Mar. 2026. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. This is near median its historical median of 96.12. Over the past decade, Lee Enterprises' Gross Margin % has ranged from 95.41 to 97.80. According to the industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #30 out of 953 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 3.1%.
Is Lee Enterprises' Gross Margin % too high?
Lee Enterprises' current Gross Margin % of 97.93% is near median its 10-year median of 96.12. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 95.41 to a high of 97.80. The Media - Diversified industry median Gross Margin % is 38.90. Lee Enterprises' value of 97.93% is 151.7% above this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #30 out of 953 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is in the top quartile — a strong position relative to peers. Overall, Lee Enterprises has a GF Score™ of 49/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lee Enterprises' Gross Margin % compare to EDUC and TNMG?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #30 out of 953 companies for Gross Margin %. This places Lee Enterprises in the top 3% of its industry — outperforming the majority of peers. The industry median Gross Margin % is 38.90. Lee Enterprises' value of 97.93% is 151.7% above this benchmark. Historically, Lee Enterprises' own Gross Margin % has ranged from 95.41 to 97.80 over the past decade. While the company's 10-year median is 96.12 vs. the industry median of 38.90, 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 Gross Margin % for a Media - Diversified company?
The median Gross Margin % among Media - Diversified companies is 38.90, based on 953 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Gross Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Gross Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Lee Enterprises's current Gross Margin % of 97.93% is 151.7% 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 Gross Margin % mean?
A high Gross Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Gross margin is the ratio of total gross profit to net sales. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median Gross Margin % is 38.90 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Lee Enterprises's current Gross Margin % is 97.93%, which is near median its own 10-year median of 96.12. 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 €4.41, compared to a current price of €7.45 — trading 68.9% above its estimated fair value. The current Gross Margin % is 97.93%, which is near median its 10-year median of 96.12 and 151.7% above the Media - Diversified industry median of 38.90. Lee Enterprises' overall GF Score™ is 49/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Gross Margin % calculated?
Gross Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7), the current Gross Margin % is 97.93% 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 €7.45 is trading 68.9% above its estimated GF Value™ of €4.41.
GuruFocus considers Lee Enterprises to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for STU:LE7:
Gross Margin %: 97.93% (near median its 10-year median of 96.12)
GF Value™: €4.41 vs. price of €7.45 (68.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 151.7% above the Media - Diversified median (#30 of 953)
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.
49GF Score
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