Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) 3-Year RORE % : 2.25% (As of Mar. 2026)


STU:LE7 Lee Enterprises Inc STU:LE7
43 GF Score
Price €7.40
GF Value €4.12
Valuation Significantly Overvalued
! 6 Warning Signs
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What is Lee Enterprises 3-Year RORE %?

Lee Enterprises STU:LE7 -5.13% 43 3-Year RORE % is 2.25 as of Mar. 2026. GuruFocus rates STU:LE7 with a GF Score™ of 43/100 and a GF Value™ of €4.12 (Significantly Overvalued). The stock has 6 warning signs investors should review. Among 962 Media - Diversified companies, Lee Enterprises ranks better than 55.61% on this metric.

Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is an indicator of a company's growth potential, it shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings, i.e. profits after dividend payments. Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 was 2.25%.

The industry rank for Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE % or its related term are showing as below:

STU:LE7's 3-Year RORE % is ranked better than
55.61% of 962 companies
in the Media - Diversified industry
Industry Median: -3.025 vs STU:LE7: 2.25

Lee Enterprises  (STU:LE7) 3-Year RORE % Explanation

Return on Retained Earnings (RORE) is important to investors because it reveals a company's efficiency and growth potential. A higher RORE indicates a higher return. A high RORE indicates that the company should reinvest profits into the business. A lower RORE suggests that the company should distribute profits to shareholders by paying out dividends, since those dollars aren't generating much additional growth for the company.

There are a several different ways to arrive at the Return on Retained Earnings. The simplest way to calculate it is by using published information on Earnings per Share (EPS) and Dividend per Share (DPS) over a selected period. Here, 3-year period is chosen.

Be Aware

Please keep in mind that the RORE is relative to the nature of the business and its competitors. If another company in the same sector is producing a lower return on retained earnings, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad investment. It may just suggest the company is older and no longer in a high growth stage. At such a stage in the business cycle, it would be expected to see a lower RORE and higher dividend payout.


Lee Enterprises 3-Year RORE % Related Terms


Lee Enterprises 3-Year RORE % Historical Data

* Premium members only.

The historical data trend for Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE % 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.

Lee Enterprises 3-Year RORE % Chart

Lee Enterprises Annual Data
Trend Sep16 Sep17 Sep18 Sep19 Sep20 Sep21 Sep22 Sep23 Sep24 Sep25
3-Year RORE %
Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 22.64 5.90 -201.95 69.62 46.58

Lee Enterprises Quarterly Data
Jun21 Sep21 Dec21 Mar22 Jun22 Sep22 Dec22 Mar23 Jun23 Sep23 Dec23 Mar24 Jun24 Sep24 Dec24 Mar25 Jun25 Sep25 Dec25 Mar26
3-Year RORE % Get a 7-Day Free Trial Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only Premium Member Only 46.21 44.04 46.58 25.73 2.25

STU:LE7 vs EDUC, IDWM, TNMG: 3-Year RORE % Comparison

For the Publishing subindustry, Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE %, along with its competitors' market caps and 3-Year RORE % 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 3-Year RORE % vs Media - Diversified Industry

For the Media - Diversified industry and Communication Services sector, Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE % distribution charts can be found below:

* The bar in red indicates where Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE % falls into.


STU:LE7
43GF Score
Lee Enterprises Inc STU:LE7
3-Year RORE % is just one metric. See GF Score™, valuation, warning signs, and more.
View Full Analysis

Lee Enterprises 3-Year RORE % Calculation

Lee Enterprises's 3-Year RORE % for the quarter that ended in Mar. 2026 is calculated as:

3-Year RORE %=( Most Recent EPS (Diluted)- First Period EPS (Diluted) )/( Cumulative EPS (Diluted) for 3-year -Cumulative Dividends per Share for 3-year )
=( -2.096--1.854 )/( -10.74-0 )
=-0.242/-10.74
=2.25 %

* 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.

In the calculation of 3-Year RORE %, the most recent and first period EPS (Diluted) is the trailing twelve months (TTM) data ended in Mar. 2026 and 3-year before.

Frequently Asked Questions Learn more about 3-Year RORE % →
What does a 3-Year RORE % of 2.25 mean?
Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7) has a 3-Year RORE % of 2.25 as of Mar. 2026. 3-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 3-year. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. According to the industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #427 out of 962 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, placing it in the top 44.4%.
Is Lee Enterprises' 3-Year RORE % too high?
Lee Enterprises' current 3-Year RORE % is 2.25. Based on the distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #427 out of 962 companies in the Media - Diversified industry, which is above the industry midpoint. 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' 3-Year RORE % compare to EDUC and IDWM?
According to the Media - Diversified industry distribution chart, Lee Enterprises ranks #427 out of 962 companies for 3-Year RORE %. This puts Lee Enterprises in the upper half of its industry. See the competitive comparison table and distribution chart on this page for a detailed peer-by-peer breakdown.
What is a good 3-Year RORE % for a Media - Diversified company?
A good 3-Year RORE % depends on the Media - Diversified industry context. However, 3-Year RORE % 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 3-Year RORE % mean?
A high 3-Year RORE % can signal that a stock is expensive relative to its fundamentals. 3-Year RORE % shows how much a company earns by reinvesting its retained earnings in 3-year. View historical data on Lee Enterprises and its competitors. Lee Enterprises's current 3-Year RORE % is 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 €4.12, compared to a current price of €7.40 — trading 79.6% above its estimated fair value. The current 3-Year RORE % is 2.25. 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 3-Year RORE % calculated?
3-Year RORE % is calculated from a company's financial statements. For Lee Enterprises (STU:LE7), the current 3-Year RORE % is 2.25 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 €7.40 is trading 79.6% above its estimated GF Value™ of €4.12. GuruFocus considers Lee Enterprises to be Significantly Overvalued.

Key valuation signals for STU:LE7:

  • 3-Year RORE %: 2.25
  • GF Value™: €4.12 vs. price of €7.40 (79.6% above fair value)
  • GF Score™: 43/100 with 6 warning signs

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 Business Description

Other Exchanges LEE:USA
Address 4600 E 53rd Street, Davenport, IA, USA, 52807
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

Get the complete analysis for STU:LE7

3-Year RORE % is just one metric. See GF Value™, 30-year financials, guru trades, warning signs, and more.

€7.40
Price
€4.12
GF Value