Net margin is calculated as Net Income divided by its Revenue. Lee Enterprises's Net Income for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was €-1.9 Mil. Lee Enterprises's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Mar. 2026 was €105.5 Mil. Therefore, Lee Enterprises's net margin for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was -1.76%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Lee Enterprises's Net Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
STU:LE7'
s Net Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -6.69 Med: 1.27 Max: 8.41
Current: -3.02
STU:LE7's Net Margin % is ranked worse than 61.33% of 1024
companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 1.225
vs STU:LE7: -3.02
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) Net Margin % Explanation
Although Net Income and Earnings-per-Share (EPS) are the most widely used parameter in measuring a company's profitability and valuation, it is the least reliable. The reason is that reported earnings can be manipulated easily by adjusting any numbers such as Depreciation, Depletion and Amotorization and non-recurring items.
But the long term trend of the net margin is a good indicator of the competitiveness and health of the business.
Lee Enterprises Net Margin % Related Terms
Lee Enterprises Net Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Lee Enterprises's Net 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: Net Margin % Comparison
For the Publishing subindustry, Lee Enterprises's Net Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Net 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 Net Margin % vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Lee Enterprises's Net Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lee Enterprises's Net 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.
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) has a Net Margin % of -1.76% as of Mar. 2026. Net margin is the ratio of total net income to net sales. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #628 out of 1024 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 61.3%.
Is Lee Enterprises' Net Margin % too high?
Lee Enterprises' current Net Margin % is -1.76%. Based on the distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #628 out of 1024 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is below the industry midpoint. Overall, Lee Enterprises has a GF Score™ of 50/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lee Enterprises' Net Margin % compare to EDUC and TNMG?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #628 out of 1024 companies for Net Margin %. This places Lee Enterprises in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Net Margin % is 1.23. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Net Margin % for a Media - Diversified company?
The median Net Margin % among Media - Diversified companies is 1.23, based on 1,024 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Net Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Net Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Use the industry distribution chart on this page to see where any company falls relative to its peers.
What does a high Net Margin % mean?
A high Net Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Net margin is the ratio of total net income to net sales. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median Net Margin % is 1.23 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Lee Enterprises's current Net Margin % is -1.76%. 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 €4.26, compared to a current price of €7.20 — trading 69% above its estimated fair value. The current Net Margin % is -1.76%. Lee Enterprises' overall GF Score™ is 50/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Net Margin % calculated?
Net Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7), the current Net Margin % is -1.76% 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 €7.20 is trading 69% above its estimated GF Value™ of €4.26.
GuruFocus considers Lee Enterprises to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for STU:LE7:
Net Margin %: -1.76%
GF Value™: €4.26 vs. price of €7.20 (69% above fair value)
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.
50GF Score
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