Stock fact sheet · data as of
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (LEE): fair value, margin of safety and Wheel Score
Communication Services · Publishing · United States · Speculative / Distressed
Is LEE undervalued?
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated (LEE) closed at 6.73 on 16 Oct 2026. The GLS average fair value - the simple average of the 1 valuation models that produced a positive number - is 190.02, which puts the price 96% below it. 1 of the 1 models value the shares above the current price. A gap this wide is rare in our universe of ~7,400 US stocks and is exactly what the Value part of the Wheel Score rewards; it is also where the question "why is it this cheap?" matters most.
Only 1 of the nine models produced a value (DCF); the others need a dividend, positive free cash flow or positive book value the company does not have yet, so the average rests on a narrow base.
The nightly engine files LEE under Speculative / Distressed - negative earnings or a Piotroski score of 3 or less - which caps its Wheel Score at 45 and keeps it out of the Sunday Scan.
Nine valuation models for LEE
Each model turns the latest filed numbers into a value per share; the GLS fair value is the simple average of the ones that produce a positive number. The last two rows are shown for reference and never enter the average. The Quote page lets you switch any model off and add your own margin of safety.
| Model | Value | vs price | What it measures |
|---|---|---|---|
| DCF | 190.02 | +2724% | Present value of the projected free cash flows, discounted at the cost of capital |
| Graham Number | - | - | The most a defensive investor pays for the earnings and book value per share; no value tonight |
| Graham Growth | - | - | Graham's growth formula: EPS × (8.5 + 2 × growth), adjusted for bond yields; no value tonight |
| Lynch | - | - | EPS × the earnings growth rate (PEG of 1), growth capped at 25%; no value tonight |
| GLS Growth | - | - | EPS compounded ten years at the blended growth rate, discounted back at 15% a year; no value tonight |
| 10 Cap | - | - | Owner's earnings (operating cash flow less maintenance capex) capitalised at 10%; no value tonight |
| Payback Time | - | - | Eight years of compounded free cash flow: the price at which the business pays for itself; no value tonight |
| DDM | - | - | Dividend discount model: next year's dividend ÷ (10% − 3% growth); needs a dividend; no value tonight |
| EPV | - | - | Earnings power value: current EPS capitalised at 9% with no growth; no value tonight |
| Zombie (liquidation) | -24.82 | -469% | Current assets less all liabilities, per share: the balance-sheet floor. Not in the average |
| Wall St target | 0.0000 | -100% | Analysts' average 12-month price target. Not in the average |
Quality and financial health
Financial health is average - LEE passes 5 of the nine Piotroski tests, which falls one point short of the Sunday Scan's "6 or more" rule. The Financials tab on the Quote page shows which tests fail. The GLS Moat score is low at 1.4 out of 10, which says the ten-year record of revenue, earnings, margins and returns on capital has been inconsistent - growth and shocks rather than steady compounding.
Returns on capital are thin or negative - ROIC -8.6%, ROE 86.8%, ROA -6.2% - with debt at -11.12 times equity and negative free cash flow.
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated pays no dividend, so the DDM model does not apply and a covered-call holder earns only the premium and any price gain. Revenue comes mainly from Advertising and Marketing Services 47%, Subscription and Circulation 44%, Product and Service, Other 9% (quarter Q3 FY2026).
Institutional ownership scores 8/10, insider activity 10/10 and Congressional trading 5/10 on the GLS smart-money scales.
| Piotroski F-score | 5 / 9 | ROIC | -8.6% |
|---|---|---|---|
| GLS Moat | 1.4 / 10 | ROE | 86.8% |
| Debt / equity | -11.12 | ROA | -6.2% |
| Free-cash-flow yield | -0.4% | Payout ratio | 0% |
| Institutions | 8 / 10 | Insiders · Congress | 10 · 5 / 10 |
Wheel Score 39: No options
LEE has no listed options in the nightly snapshot, so there is nothing to sell and the stock cannot be wheeled however good the business; the Wheel Score is capped at 39 and shown as "No options" (39 here). The valuation and quality numbers still apply to owning the shares outright.
Volume runs at 12k shares a day on a market cap of $150M, with a beta of 0.38 - a low beta, so day-to-day moves are smaller than the market's; the Stability part of the Wheel Score gives that 6 of 20.
| Part | Points | From | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Value | 25 / 25 | 96% margin of safety | |
| Health | 11 / 20 | Piotroski 5/9 | |
| Moat | 2 / 15 | moat 1.4/10 | |
| Premium | 0 / 20 | no option data | |
| Stability | 6 / 20 | 12k shares/day, $150M cap, beta 0.38 |
The Wheel Score ranks ~7,400 US stocks for selling cash-secured puts and covered calls; it is updated nightly and is not a recommendation. The walkthrough lesson shows how the score fits into a trade, start to finish.
Upcoming events
The next earnings report is due on 3 Dec 2026, 48 days away - outside the window of a 30-45-day put sold today.
Earnings, dividend, IPO, split and economic calendars for the whole market, filterable to your watchlists.
Similar stocks in Publishing
The 12 companies below are the closest to Lee Enterprises, Incorporated by market cap within the Publishing industry, each with its own fact sheet; the Compare page puts up to eight of them side by side.
| Stock | Close | Fair value | MoS | Wheel | Mkt cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GWOX The Goodheart-Willcox Company, Inc. | 360.00 | 346.52 | -4% | 34No options | $168M |
| CMTX COMTEX News Network, Inc. | 5.25 | 131.86 | +96% | 37No options | $83M |
| SCHL Scholastic Corporation | 38.94 | 61.77 | +37% | 78Good | $735M |
| TDAY USA TODAY Co. Inc. | 7.15 | 23.62 | +70% | 45Weak | $1.0B |
| DTRL The Detroit Legal News Company | 312.00 | 1,251.41 | +75% | 39No options | $12M |
| IDWM IDW Media Holdings, Inc. | 39.05 | 51.03 | +23% | 39No options | $11M |
| EDUC Educational Development Corporation | 1.09 | 5.62 | +81% | 39No options | $9M |
| WLY John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | 51.49 | 100.65 | +49% | 81Prime | $2.6B |
| WLYB John Wiley & Sons, Inc. | 51.23 | 94.15 | +46% | 39No options | $2.7B |
| TNMG TNL Mediagene | 3.25 | - | - | 30No options | $2M |
| PSO Pearson plc | 17.31 | 20.66 | +16% | 79Good | $10.4B |
| NYT The New York Times Company | 68.94 | 66.66 | -3% | 82Prime | $11.1B |
⚖ Compare LEE with 7 of them All Communication Services stocks →
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Start free See the Sunday ScanQuestions about LEE
Is LEE undervalued right now?
By the GLS models, yes: at 6.73 the stock is 96% below the average fair value of 190.02 (data as of 16 Oct 2026). Whether the discount is deserved is the question to research next.
What is the Wheel Score of LEE and what does it mean?
LEE has no listed options in our nightly snapshot, so it cannot be wheeled; its Wheel Score is capped at 39 and shown as "No options".
What is the GLS fair value for LEE?
190.02 per share as of 16 Oct 2026 - the simple average of the 1 valuation models (out of nine: DCF, Graham Number, Graham Growth, Lynch, GLS Growth, 10 Cap, Payback Time, DDM and EPV) that produced a positive value. The models run every night on the latest filings; the Quote page lets you switch any of them off and add a margin of safety of your own.
When does Lee Enterprises, Incorporated report earnings next?
The next earnings report is due on 3 Dec 2026 (before the open), 48 days from the data date of 16 Oct 2026. The Calendars page lists every upcoming report with its time of day.
Does LEE have listed options, and how liquid are they?
No. The nightly options snapshot found no listed contracts on LEE, so the wheel strategy cannot be run on it and the Wheel Score is capped at 39.