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Cumulus MediaCMLSQ Operating Margin % is 1.34% as of Jun. 2026, which is 76% below its 10-year median of 5.62. The stock has 2 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,009 Media - Diversified companies, Cumulus Media ranks worse than 71.06% on this metric.
Operating Margin % is calculated as Operating Income divided by its Revenue. Cumulus Media's Operating Income for the
three
months ended in Jun. 2026 was $2.2 Mil. Cumulus Media's Revenue for the
three
months ended in Jun. 2026 was $167.9 Mil. Therefore, Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % for the quarter that ended in Jun. 2026 was 1.34%.
The historical rank and industry rank for Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
CMLSQ'
s Operating Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -6.35 Med: 5.62 Max: 11.9
Current: -6.35
CMLSQ's Operating Margin % is ranked worse than 71.06% of 1009
companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 2.78
vs CMLSQ: -6.35
Cumulus Media's 5-Year Average Operating Margin % Growth Rate was 0.00% per year.
Cumulus Media (OTCPK:CMLSQ) Operating Margin % Explanation
Just like Gross Margin %, it is important to see a company maintains its operating margin over time. Among the same industry, a company with higher operating margin is more efficient in its operation. It is also more stable during industry slowdown or recessions. Peter Lynch prefers those with higher margins than those with lower margins.
Be Aware
Operating Margin % can be manipulated by adjusting the rate of depreciation, depletion and amortization (DDA).
If a company is facing competition, its Operating Margin % may decline. Often the Operating Margin % declines well before the company's Revenue or even profit decline. Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important indicator of whether the company is facing problems.
For instance, by 2012, Nokia (NOK)'s problems were well known and its stock had lost more than 90% of its market value since 2007. But Nokias Operating Margin % had already been in decline since 2002, although its Earnings per Share (Diluted) were still rising. Investors who paid attention to Operating Margin % would have avoided this huge loss. The same can be said for Research-in-Motion (RIMM).
Therefore, Operating Margin % is a very important screening filter for GuruFocus. GuruFocus's Buffett-Munger screener requires that the profit margin is either consistent or expanding. The Model Portfolio of the Buffett-Munger screener has outperformed the market every year since inception in 2009.
Cumulus Media Operating Margin % Related Terms
Cumulus Media Operating Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Cumulus Media's Operating 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.
CMLSQ vs MDEX, NXST: Operating Margin % Comparison
For the Broadcasting subindustry, Cumulus Media's Operating Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Operating 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.
Cumulus Media Operating Margin % vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % falls into.
Operating Margin % - also known as operating income margin, operating profit margin and return on sales (ROS) - is the ratio of Operating Income divided by net sales or Revenue, usually presented in percent.
Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % for the fiscal year that ended in Dec. 2025 is calculated as
* 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.
Cumulus Media (CMLSQ) has a Operating Margin % of 1.34% as of Jun. 2026. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Cumulus Media and its competitors. This is 76% below median its historical median of 5.62. According to the industry distribution chart, Cumulus Media ranks #717 out of 1009 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 71.1%.
Is Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % too high?
Cumulus Media's current Operating Margin % of 1.34% is 76% below median its 10-year median of 5.62. The Media - Diversified industry median Operating Margin % is 2.78. Cumulus Media's value of 1.34% is 51.8% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Cumulus Media ranks #717 out of 1009 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is below the industry midpoint.
How does Cumulus Media's Operating Margin % compare to MDEX and NXST?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Cumulus Media ranks #717 out of 1009 companies for Operating Margin %. This places Cumulus Media in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Operating Margin % is 2.78. Cumulus Media's value of 1.34% is 51.8% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 5.62 vs. the industry median of 2.78, Cumulus Media has consistently been below 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 Operating Margin % for a Media - Diversified company?
The median Operating Margin % among Media - Diversified companies is 2.78, based on 1,009 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Operating Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Operating Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Cumulus Media's current Operating Margin % of 1.34% is 51.8% below 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 Operating Margin % mean?
A high Operating Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Operating margin is the ratio of total operating income to net sales. View historical data on Cumulus Media and its competitors. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median Operating Margin % is 2.78 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Cumulus Media's current Operating Margin % is 1.34%, which is 76% below median its own 10-year median of 5.62. However, context matters — high-growth companies often justify higher valuations. Always evaluate alongside other metrics like GF Score™ and GF Value™.
Is Cumulus Media stock overvalued right now?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Cumulus Media (CMLSQ) is currently considered Possible Value Trap. The stock's GF Value™ is $0.59, compared to a current price of $0.00 — trading 99.2% below its estimated fair value. The current Operating Margin % is 1.34%, which is 76% below median its 10-year median of 5.62 and 51.8% below the Media - Diversified industry median of 2.78. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Operating Margin % calculated?
Operating Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Cumulus Media (CMLSQ), the current Operating Margin % is 1.34% as of Jun. 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.
Cumulus Media Inc is an audio-first media company delivering content to over a quarter billion people monthly whenever required. It is a radio broadcasting company combining high-quality local programming with iconic, nationally syndicated media, sports, and entertainment brands to deliver premium content choices to its customers and radio stations affiliated with the Westwood One network and numerous digital channels. The company's revenue is derived from Broadcast radio revenue, Digital revenue, and Other revenue.
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