Lee EnterprisesSTU:LE7 +3.47%54 Pretax Margin % is 1.43% as of Mar. 2026, which is 36% below its 10-year median of 2.25. GuruFocus rates STU:LE7 with a GF Score™ of 54/100 and a GF Value™ of €4.41 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 1,016 Media - Diversified companies, Lee Enterprises ranks worse than 62.8% on this metric.
The historical rank and industry rank for Lee Enterprises's Pretax Margin % or its related term are showing as below:
STU:LE7'
s Pretax Margin % Range Over the Past 10 Years
Min: -7.58 Med: 2.25 Max: 9.47
Current: -3.44
STU:LE7's Pretax Margin % is ranked worse than 62.8% of 1016
companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: 1.975
vs STU:LE7: -3.44
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) Pretax Margin % Explanation
The pretax margin, as know as pretax profit margin, is widely used to measure the operating efficiency of a company before deducting taxes.
The pretax margin is sometimes preferred over the net margin as tax expenditures can make profitability comparisons between companies misleading.
It is a useful tool to compare companies operating in the same sector and less effective when comparing companies from other sectors as each industry generally has different operating expenses and sales patterns.
The long term trend of the pretax margin is a good indicator of the competitiveness and health of the business.
Lee Enterprises Pretax Margin % Related Terms
Lee Enterprises Pretax Margin % Historical Data
* Premium members only.
The historical data trend for Lee Enterprises's Pretax 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: Pretax Margin % Comparison
For the Publishing subindustry, Lee Enterprises's Pretax Margin %, along with its competitors' market caps and Pretax 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 Pretax Margin % vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Lee Enterprises's Pretax Margin % distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lee Enterprises's Pretax 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 Pretax Margin % of 1.43% as of Mar. 2026. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. This is 36% below median its historical median of 2.25. According to the industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #638 out of 1016 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 62.8%.
Is Lee Enterprises' Pretax Margin % too high?
Lee Enterprises' current Pretax Margin % of 1.43% is 36% below median its 10-year median of 2.25. The Media - Diversified industry median Pretax Margin % is 1.98. Lee Enterprises' value of 1.43% is 27.6% below this industry median. Based on the distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #638 out of 1016 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is below the industry midpoint. 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' Pretax Margin % compare to EDUC and TNMG?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #638 out of 1016 companies for Pretax Margin %. This places Lee Enterprises in the lower half of its industry. The industry median Pretax Margin % is 1.98. Lee Enterprises' value of 1.43% is 27.6% below this benchmark. While the company's 10-year median is 2.25 vs. the industry median of 1.98, Lee Enterprises 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 Pretax Margin % for a Media - Diversified company?
The median Pretax Margin % among Media - Diversified companies is 1.98, based on 1,016 companies in the industry. Companies in the top quartile (top 25%) have a Pretax Margin % significantly above this median, while those in the bottom quartile fall well below. However, Pretax Margin % should not be evaluated in isolation — investors should consider it alongside profitability, growth, and financial strength metrics. Lee Enterprises's current Pretax Margin % of 1.43% is 27.6% 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 Pretax Margin % mean?
A high Pretax Margin % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Pre-Tax margin is the ratio of total pre-tax income to net sales. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. For the Media - Diversified industry, the median Pretax Margin % is 1.98 — values significantly above this may indicate overvaluation, while values below may suggest a bargain or underlying issues. Lee Enterprises's current Pretax Margin % is 1.43%, which is 36% below median its own 10-year median of 2.25. 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 Pretax Margin % is 1.43%, which is 36% below median its 10-year median of 2.25 and 27.6% below the Media - Diversified industry median of 1.98. 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 Pretax Margin % calculated?
Pretax Margin % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7), the current Pretax Margin % is 1.43% 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:
Pretax Margin %: 1.43% (36% below median its 10-year median of 2.25)
GF Value™: €4.41 vs. price of €7.45 (68.9% above fair value)
Industry Position: 27.6% below the Media - Diversified median (#638 of 1016)
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
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