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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.
GuruFocus Profitability Rank ranks how profitable a company is and how likely the company's business will stay that way. It is rated on a scale of 1 to 10 and is based on these factors:
1. Operating Margin %
2. Piotroski F-Score
3. Trend of the Operating Margin % (5-year average). The company with an uptrend profit margin has a higher rank.
4. Consistency of the profitability
5. Predictability Rank
A higher score indicates superior profitability, with companies rated 7 or above considered to have more robust and sustainable profit generation. Conversely, a score of 3 or lower suggests challenges in generating consistent profits.
LEE vs EDUC, IDWM, TNMG: Profitability Rank Comparison
For the Publishing subindustry, Lee Enterprises's Profitability Rank, along with its competitors' market caps and Profitability Rank 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 Profitability Rank vs Media - Diversified Industry
For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Lee Enterprises's Profitability Rank distribution charts can be found below:
* The bar in red indicates where Lee Enterprises's Profitability Rank falls into.
GuruFocus Profitability Rank ranks how profitable a company is and how likely the company's business will stay that way.
The rank is rated on a scale of 1 to 10. A higher score indicates superior profitability, with companies rated 7 or above considered to have more robust and sustainable profit generation. Conversely, a score of 3 or lower suggests challenges in generating consistent profits.
Lee Enterprises has the Profitability Rank of 5.
Profitability Rank is not directly related to the Financial Strength. But if a company is consistently profitable, its financial strength will be stronger.
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.
* 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 (LEE) has a Profitability Rank of 5 as of Mar. 2026. Profitability and Growth ranks a company based on its profit margins and earnings growth. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. This is 17% below median its historical median of 6.00. Over the past decade, Lee Enterprises' Profitability Rank has ranged from 5.00 to 7.00.
Is Lee Enterprises' Profitability Rank too high?
Lee Enterprises' current Profitability Rank of 5 is 17% below median its 10-year median of 6.00. Over the past 10 years, this metric has ranged from a low of 5.00 to a high of 7.00. Overall, Lee Enterprises has a GF Score™ of 43/100 and is considered Significantly Overvalued, reflecting its overall financial health beyond just this single metric.
How does Lee Enterprises' Profitability Rank compare to EDUC and IDWM?
Lee Enterprises' Profitability Rank of 5 can be compared against companies in the Media - Diversified industry. Historically, Lee Enterprises' own Profitability Rank has ranged from 5.00 to 7.00 over the past decade. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good Profitability Rank for a Media - Diversified company?
A good Profitability Rank depends on the Media - Diversified industry context. However, Profitability Rank 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 Profitability Rank mean?
A high Profitability Rank can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. Profitability and Growth ranks a company based on its profit margins and earnings growth. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. Lee Enterprises's current Profitability Rank is 5, which is 17% below median its own 10-year median of 6.00. 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 (LEE) is currently considered Significantly Overvalued. The stock's GF Value™ is $4.70, compared to a current price of $8.13 — trading 73% above its estimated fair value. The current Profitability Rank is 5, which is 17% below median its 10-year median of 6.00. Lee Enterprises' overall GF Score™ is 43/100 with 6 warning signs to review. Investors should evaluate multiple metrics — including profitability, growth, and financial strength — before making a decision.
How is Profitability Rank calculated?
Profitability Rank is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lee Enterprises (LEE), the current Profitability Rank is 5 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 (LEE) Overvalued in 2026?
Based on GuruFocus' analysis, Lee Enterprises stock appears to be overvalued.
The current stock price of $8.13 is trading 73% above its estimated GF Value™ of $4.70.
GuruFocus considers Lee Enterprises to be Significantly Overvalued.
Key valuation signals for LEE:
Profitability Rank: 5 (17% below median its 10-year median of 6.00)
GF Value™: $4.70 vs. price of $8.13 (73% above fair value)
No single metric tells the full story. See the LEE 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.
43GF Score
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Profitability Rank is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.
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