Sector Alpha Week of 2026-07-28
20-quarter listed-company comparison

Publishing Stocks

Publishing: The New York Times Company owns the largest revenue base AND the fastest current growth.

The industry itself · before any single company

How has Publishing moved against S&P 500?

The line below covers 5.2 years. Over the most recent two of them this industry is 16% ahead of S&P 500. Earnings across its companies grew 45% on average over the last four reported quarters. It has been ahead of S&P 500 on a rolling three-month view for 25 weeks running.

LEADER · ahead 25w✓Price and the fundamentals both up3 of 5 companies ahead of S&P 500 by 5% or more over three months

RS ↑25w · 4/5 >200d (−1) · 3/5 lead (+0) · EPS 4/5↑

200300202620252024202320222021 339348 TRAILING 12-MONTH EPS · 100 AT THE START0100197Sep 22Mar 23Sep 23Mar 24Sep 24Mar 25Sep 25Mar 26Jun 2022 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 100, against 100 at the start · down 1.0% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2022 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 87, against 100 at the start · no comparable year yet · 3 reportingDec 2022 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 88, against 100 at the start · up 39.9% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 97, against 100 at the start · up 38.1% on a year ago · 3 reportingJun 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 99, against 100 at the start · down 1.6% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 98, against 100 at the start · down 8.7% on a year ago · 3 reportingDec 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 129, against 100 at the start · up 15.6% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 127, against 100 at the start · up 8.4% on a year ago · 3 reportingJun 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 86, against 100 at the start · down 30.1% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 52, against 100 at the start · down 61.6% on a year ago · 3 reportingDec 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 75, against 100 at the start · up 20.5% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 55, against 100 at the start · down 18.0% on a year ago · 3 reportingJun 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 109, against 100 at the start · up 19.8% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 62, against 100 at the start · down 39.3% on a year ago · 3 reportingDec 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 100, against 100 at the start · down 1.4% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2026 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 197, against 100 at the start · up 200.0% on a year ago · 3 reportingMar 2022 · too few reporting — 2 of the Publishing filed a comparable quarter, and three is the floor for a readingNot reported yet — earnings trail price by a quarter or two197 · Mar 26No earnings on file this far back — the price series reaches further than the filings doNO EARNINGS ON FILE
200300202620252024202320222021 339348 TRAILING 12-MONTH EPS · 100 AT THE START0100197Mar 23Mar 24Mar 25Mar 26Jun 2022 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 100, against 100 at the start · down 1.0% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2022 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 87, against 100 at the start · no comparable year yet · 3 reportingDec 2022 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 88, against 100 at the start · up 39.9% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 97, against 100 at the start · up 38.1% on a year ago · 3 reportingJun 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 99, against 100 at the start · down 1.6% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 98, against 100 at the start · down 8.7% on a year ago · 3 reportingDec 2023 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 129, against 100 at the start · up 15.6% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 127, against 100 at the start · up 8.4% on a year ago · 3 reportingJun 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 86, against 100 at the start · down 30.1% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 52, against 100 at the start · down 61.6% on a year ago · 3 reportingDec 2024 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 75, against 100 at the start · up 20.5% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 55, against 100 at the start · down 18.0% on a year ago · 3 reportingJun 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 109, against 100 at the start · up 19.8% on a year ago · 4 reportingSep 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 62, against 100 at the start · down 39.3% on a year ago · 3 reportingDec 2025 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 100, against 100 at the start · down 1.4% on a year ago · 4 reportingMar 2026 · trailing 12-month earnings per share at 197, against 100 at the start · up 200.0% on a year ago · 3 reportingMar 2022 · too few reporting — 2 of the Publishing filed a comparable quarter, and three is the floor for a readingNot reported yet — earnings trail price by a quarter or two197No earnings on file this far back — the price series reaches further than the filings do
Publishing, equal-weighted, based at 200 S&P 500, same base, same start trailing 12-month earnings per share rising falling
Strength anatomy Broad but lateHow much of the industry is participating, how recently, and whether the movers score well.
Together3 of 5 stocks moving
Fresh0 crossed in the last 4 weeks
Backed by scoresmovers score +0 vs the industry average
Down the cap ladder — bar is now, tick is four weeks ago
Large 0/10
Mid 2/20
Small 1/20

Participation is not spreading downward this month; the larger companies are still carrying most of it.

Both lines start at 200 in the same week, so the distance between them is the whole story: the industry line is an equal-weighted index of its 5 companies. The bars underneath are trailing 12-month earnings per share, one bar per reported quarter, each member rebased to 100 at the start and the industry taking the median — so a price line pulling away from flat bars is a re-rating, not earnings. A bar turns red when that figure is lower than the quarter before. Rules are fixed and applied identically everywhere on this site: ahead by 5% or more over three months, or behind by 20% or more over a year while earnings grew 20% or more. Hover any point to read both values and the gap. This is a description of what the numbers did, not advice.

Sector relative strength · before individual stocks

Is Publishing outperforming S&P 500?

Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 40.2% over the last 52 weeks. Over 13 weeks the gap is a lead of 6.7%. 6 of 6 covered companies currently beat the S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength, so leadership inside the sector is selective. USA TODAY Co., Inc. is the strongest against the sector itself at +11.4%.

+6.7%Sector vs S&P 500 · 13 weeks
+40.2%Sector vs S&P 500 · 52 weeks
6/6Stocks leading S&P 500
2/6Stocks leading sector

Sector metric: — as of latest available · unclassified · direction unavailable.

The central tension: current leadership is concentrated, so durability matters more than rank.

Start with scale. Then earnings trajectory. Then business quality. Only after those three agree should price leadership carry much weight.

Bottom line

Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 40.2% over 52 weeks and 6.7% over 13 weeks. 6 of 6 covered companies beat the S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength, while 2 of 6 beat the sector itself. The New York Times Company leads with revenue of $2,901 million, based on 3 of 6 comparable companies through Mar 2026.

Is the Publishing sector outperforming S&P 500?

Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 40.2% over 52 weeks and 6.7% over 13 weeks. 6 of 6 covered companies beat the S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength, while 2 of 6 beat the sector itself.

Which Publishing company is largest by revenue?

The New York Times Company leads with revenue of $2,901 million, based on 3 of 6 comparable companies through Mar 2026.

Which Publishing company is growing fastest?

The New York Times Company has the fastest current revenue growth at 10.4%, across 3 of 6 comparable companies.

Which Publishing company has the strongest 4-Factor Sector Score?

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. ranks first at 64.6/100 with 76.2% evidence confidence. The score prioritizes research; it is not a buy recommendation.

Which Publishing company reports the most CAPEX?

Pearson plc reports the largest latest CAPEX at $15 million, with 6 of 6 companies comparable.

Which Publishing company has the least gross debt?

The New York Times Company has the lowest comparable gross debt at $0 million. USA TODAY Co., Inc. has the highest at $1,132 million.

Which Publishing company has the lowest comparable PEG?

The New York Times Company has the lowest comparable Guarded PEG at 1.35, among 1 of 6 companies that pass the metric’s comparability rules.

How much history does this Publishing comparison include?

The page compares up to 20 reported quarters per company for fundamentals, CAPEX, debt and valuation, ending Jun 2026. Missing observations remain blank rather than being estimated.

How is the 4-Factor Sector Score calculated?

The four visible contributions add directly: growth and earnings up to 35 points, capital efficiency up to 25, valuation up to 20, and relative strength up to 20. Missing or stale evidence moves only the affected contribution toward neutral.

Companies
6
complete canonical membership
Combined market value
$27.6B
The New York Times Company
Revenue growing
1/3
positive TTM year-on-year growth
Beating S&P 500
6/6
positive Mansfield relative strength
Global company selection
00 · research priority, made explicit

4-Factor Sector Score

An additive sector-relative research score. The four displayed point contributions always equal the total: Growth & earnings (35), Capital efficiency (25), Valuation (20), and Relative strength (20). Missing or stale evidence is absorbed inside the affected factor, never applied as a hidden adjustment.

Growth & earnings · 35%Capital efficiency · 25%Valuation · 20%Relative strength · 20%
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the strongest current balance of earnings trajectory, business quality, valuation and price confirmation, with 76.2% evidence confidence.

Missing observations are not scored as bad. Their missing weight lowers confidence and pulls the final score toward neutral. PEG is guarded: positive earnings, positive 5–60% three-year EPS growth, and a positive P/E are required.

1. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

64.6/100 · Mixed-positive evidence · 76% evidence

Exact sum: 20.7 + 14.2 + 11.5 + 18.2 = 64.6

Decision use: Balanced evidence: keep at normal research priority and require another comparable period before raising conviction.

20.7/35Growth & earnings

Revenue -0.1% · PAT 100% · OPM change 7.3 pp

95% evidence

14.2/25Capital efficiency

ROCE 6% · debt/equity 0.91×

80% evidence

11.5/20Valuation

P/E 9.8× · PEG —

15% evidence

18.2/20Relative strength

RS sector 6.9% · RS bench 31.4% · 1Y 42.1%

100% evidence

2. USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

52.2/100 · Thin evidence · provisional · 51% evidence

Exact sum: 19.5 + 7.2 + 8.5 + 17 = 52.2

Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral.

19.5/35Growth & earnings

Revenue — · PAT — · OPM change 6.5 pp

39% evidence

7.2/25Capital efficiency

ROCE 3.3% · debt/equity 8.03×

80% evidence

8.5/20Valuation

P/E 117.5× · PEG —

15% evidence

17.0/20Relative strength

RS sector 11.4% · RS bench 33.8% · 1Y 114.7%

70% evidence

3. Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

48.2/100 · Thin evidence · provisional · 53% evidence

Exact sum: 18 + 13.3 + 10.3 + 6.6 = 48.2

Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral.

18.0/35Growth & earnings

Revenue — · PAT — · OPM change -1.1 pp

45% evidence

13.3/25Capital efficiency

ROCE 7.8% · debt/equity 0.33×

80% evidence

10.3/20Valuation

P/E 17.3× · PEG —

15% evidence

6.6/20Relative strength

RS sector -8.5% · RS bench 10.9% · 1Y 62.8%

70% evidence

4. The New York Times Company · NYT

48.1/100 · Mixed-negative evidence · 82% evidence

Exact sum: 20.3 + 16.1 + 10.8 + 0.9 = 48.1

Decision use: Balanced evidence: keep at normal research priority and require another comparable period before raising conviction.

20.3/35Growth & earnings

Revenue 10.4% · PAT 26% · OPM change 3.5 pp

83% evidence

16.1/25Capital efficiency

ROCE 4.1% · debt/equity 0×

80% evidence

10.8/20Valuation

P/E 35.9× · PEG 1.35

65% evidence

0.9/20Relative strength

RS sector -18.1% · RS bench 0.3% · 1Y 43.8%

100% evidence

5. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

42.2/100 · Thin evidence · provisional · 59% evidence

Exact sum: 17.5 + 3.1 + 10.9 + 10.7 = 42.2

Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral.

17.5/35Growth & earnings

Revenue -10.1% · PAT — · OPM change 10.3 pp

62% evidence

3.1/25Capital efficiency

ROCE 1.7% · debt/equity 82×

80% evidence

10.9/20Valuation

P/E 11.7× · PEG —

15% evidence

10.7/20Relative strength

RS sector -3.3% · RS bench 14.6% · 1Y 71.1%

70% evidence

6. Pearson plc · PSO

49.1/100 · Thin evidence · provisional · 35% evidence

Exact sum: 16.9 + 11.1 + 9.7 + 11.4 = 49.1

Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral.

16.9/35Growth & earnings

Revenue — · PAT — · OPM change —

9% evidence

11.1/25Capital efficiency

ROCE 2.5% · debt/equity —

34% evidence

9.7/20Valuation

P/E 20.6× · PEG —

15% evidence

11.4/20Relative strength

RS sector -7.7% · RS bench 14.4% · 1Y 16.5%

100% evidence

01 · compare level, then change

Revenue Scale & Growth Durability

The New York Times Company has the highest Revenue among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at $2,901 million. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is next at $1,677 million. The same company also holds the highest Revenue growth, at 10.4%. 3 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Mar 2026.

What the numbers say: The New York Times Company is the scale leader at $2,901 million, 73% ahead of John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. The New York Times Company's growth is 10.4% from a $2,901 million base, with 19 reported observations in the 20-quarter window. Treat the growth leader as an acceleration candidate, not as equally proven scale.

LeaderThe New York Times Company · $2,901 million
Gap73% versus #2 · John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Persistence8/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage3/6 companies · 104 observations

Investor read: The New York Times Company is the scale benchmark; The New York Times Company is the acceleration watch. Promote the challenger only if growth persists and converts into margin and returns.

This conclusion weakens if: The New York Times Company's growth falls below The New York Times Company's for two consecutive comparable reports while operating margin also compresses.

Revenue is compared on a common reported-currency basis. Growth is year-on-year, so seasonality does not masquerade as progress.
Revenuelargest
1The New York Times Company NYT$2.9B
2John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$1.7B
3Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$532M
Revenue growthfastest growers
1The New York Times Company NYT10%
2John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY-0.1%
3Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE-10%
Revenue · company comparison
3/6 level · 3/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyRevenueRevenue growthReported
Pearson plc PSO$1.9B3.2%Dec 2025
The New York Times Company NYT$712M12%Mar 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$548M-4.2%Mar 2026
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$448M1.1%Jun 2026
Scholastic Corporation SCHL$329M-1.8%Jun 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$122M-11%Mar 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

Revenue · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

$488M
$533M
$516M
$546M
$488M
$515M
$491M
$526M
$451M
$493M
$461M
$468M
$404M
$427M
$405M
$443M
$397M
$422M
$410M
$448M

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

$194M
$202M
$190M
$195M
$194M
$185M
$171M
$171M
$164M
$156M
$147M
$151M
$159M
$145M
$137M
$141M
$139M
$130M
$122M
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$1.8B
—
$1.8B
—
$2.1B
—
$1.9B
—
$1.8B
—
$1.8B
—
$1.8B
—
$1.7B
—
$1.9B
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

$260M
$524M
$345M
$514M
$263M
$588M
$325M
$528M
$229M
$563M
$324M
$475M
$237M
$545M
$335M
$508M
$226M
$551M
$329M
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

$509M
$594M
$537M
$556M
$548M
$668M
$561M
$591M
$598M
$676M
$594M
$625M
$640M
$727M
$636M
$686M
$701M
$802M
$712M
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

$800M
$827M
$748M
$749M
$718M
$731M
$669M
$672M
$653M
$669M
$636M
$640M
$612M
$621M
$572M
$585M
$561M
—
$548M
—

Revenue growth · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

—
—
—
—
0.0%
-3.4%
-4.8%
-3.7%
-7.6%
-4.3%
-6.1%
-11%
-10%
-13%
-12%
-5.3%
-1.7%
-1.2%
1.2%
1.1%

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

—
—
—
-0.5%
0.0%
-8.4%
-10%
-12%
-15%
-16%
-14%
-12%
-3.1%
-7.1%
-6.8%
-6.6%
-13%
-10%
-11%
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
-3.9%
—
12%
—
12%
—
5.1%
—
-13%
—
-6.7%
—
0.2%
—
-1.8%
—
3.2%
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

—
—
—
28%
1.2%
12%
-5.8%
2.7%
-13%
-4.3%
-0.3%
-10%
3.5%
-3.2%
3.4%
7.0%
-4.6%
1.1%
-1.8%
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

—
—
—
12%
7.7%
12%
4.5%
6.3%
9.1%
1.2%
5.9%
5.8%
7.0%
7.5%
7.1%
9.8%
9.5%
10%
12%
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
—
-3.7%
-6.8%
-10%
-12%
-11%
-10%
-9.1%
-8.5%
-4.9%
-4.8%
-6.3%
-7.2%
-10%
-8.6%
-8.3%
—
-4.2%
—
02 · compare level, then change

Operating Economics & Margin Trend

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the highest OPM among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at 24.6%. The New York Times Company is next at 12.7%. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated has the highest Margin change at +10.3 percentage points, so level and change sit with different companies. 5 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Jun 2026.

What the numbers say: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. leads opm at 24.6%; Lee Enterprises, Incorporated leads margin change at +10.3 percentage points.

LeaderJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. · 24.6%
Gap93.7% versus #2 · The New York Times Company
Persistence8/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage5/6 companies · 95 observations

Investor read: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. sets the level benchmark; use the change leader as an inflection watch only after another comparable report confirms it.

This conclusion weakens if: The next two comparable reports reverse the current margin change signal.

Operating margin compares operating profit with revenue. Improvement is measured in percentage points, not percentage growth.
OPMhighest
1John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY25%
2The New York Times Company NYT13%
3USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY8.2%
4Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE7.0%
5Scholastic Corporation SCHL-8.2%
Margin changefastest expanders
1Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE+10.3 pp
2John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY+7.3 pp
3USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY+6.5 pp
4The New York Times Company NYT+3.5 pp
5Scholastic Corporation SCHL−1.1 pp
Operating margin · company comparison
5/6 level · 5/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyOPMMargin changeReported
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY25%+7.3 ppJun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT13%+3.5 ppMar 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY8.2%+6.5 ppMar 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE7.0%+10.3 ppMar 2026
Scholastic Corporation SCHL-8.2%−1.1 ppJun 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

OPM · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

8.4%
14%
8.9%
11%
-3.5%
11%
-14%
16%
-3.6%
9.4%
-10%
15%
7.2%
15%
13%
17%
7.8%
17%
15%
25%

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

7.0%
12%
-1.7%
3.3%
-1.8%
6.0%
1.7%
7.1%
6.7%
5.0%
-3.1%
3.3%
-2.3%
-2.3%
-3.3%
3.3%
-1.0%
4.0%
7.0%
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

-12%
16%
-5.7%
13%
-22%
17%
-8.5%
17%
-43%
18%
-11%
9.9%
-37%
14%
-7.1%
11%
-41%
15%
-8.2%
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

9.6%
16%
1.2%
9.3%
9.3%
14%
5.0%
9.4%
11%
19%
8.1%
13%
12%
20%
9.2%
16%
15%
20%
13%
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

3.9%
3.0%
-0.3%
-2.8%
-3.5%
2.0%
3.0%
2.0%
5.4%
5.5%
-7.8%
1.9%
-1.0%
4.4%
1.7%
1.3%
-0.7%
—
8.2%
—

Margin change · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

—
—
—
—
−11.9 pp
−2.7 pp
−22.5 pp
+5.0 pp
−0.1 pp
−1.8 pp
+3.5 pp
−1.0 pp
+10.8 pp
+5.6 pp
+22.9 pp
+2.6 pp
+0.6 pp
+2.3 pp
+2.5 pp
+7.3 pp

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

—
—
—
−3.7 pp
−8.8 pp
−6.4 pp
+3.4 pp
+3.8 pp
+8.5 pp
−1.0 pp
−4.8 pp
−3.8 pp
−9.0 pp
−7.3 pp
−0.2 pp
0.0 pp
+1.3 pp
+6.3 pp
+10.3 pp
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

—
—
—
+10.3 pp
−9.8 pp
+1.1 pp
−2.8 pp
+4.7 pp
−21.3 pp
+1.0 pp
−2.3 pp
−7.5 pp
+6.1 pp
−4.3 pp
+3.7 pp
+0.6 pp
−3.6 pp
+1.3 pp
−1.1 pp
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

—
—
—
−5.4 pp
−0.3 pp
−1.9 pp
+3.8 pp
+0.1 pp
+1.3 pp
+5.2 pp
+3.1 pp
+3.3 pp
+1.4 pp
+1.1 pp
+1.1 pp
+2.8 pp
+3.0 pp
−0.1 pp
+3.5 pp
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
—
−1.3 pp
−8.5 pp
−7.4 pp
−1.0 pp
+3.3 pp
+4.8 pp
+8.9 pp
+3.5 pp
−10.8 pp
−0.1 pp
−6.4 pp
−1.1 pp
+9.5 pp
−0.6 pp
+0.3 pp
—
+6.5 pp
—
03 · compare level, then change

Profit Scale & Acceleration

The New York Times Company has the highest Net profit among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at $383 million. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is next at $222 million. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the highest Profit growth at the 100% top of the scoring scale, so level and change sit with different companies.

What the numbers say: The New York Times Company leads with $383 million of TTM profit, 72.5% above John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. shows ≥100% on the scoring scale (164.3% uncapped) growth from a $222 million profit base. Compare the size of the base and persistence before ranking acceleration above profit scale.

LeaderThe New York Times Company · $383 million
Gap72.5% versus #2 · John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Persistence8/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage3/6 companies · 104 observations

Investor read: The New York Times Company sets the level benchmark; use the change leader as an inflection watch only after another comparable report confirms it.

This conclusion weakens if: The next two comparable reports reverse the current profit growth signal.

Net profit is the residual after operating costs, interest and tax. Growth off a loss or near-zero base is excluded from the fastest-grower rank.
Net profitlargest
1The New York Times Company NYT$383M
2John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$222M
3Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$-15M
Profit growthfastest growers
1John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY100%
2The New York Times Company NYT26%
Net profit · company comparison
3/6 level · 2/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyNet profitProfit growthReported
Pearson plc PSO$170M-39%Dec 2025
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$135M99%Jun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT$88M76%Mar 2026
Scholastic Corporation SCHL$63M14%Jun 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$20M457%Mar 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$-2M-1,700%Mar 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

Net profit · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

$14M
$56M
$35M
$43M
$-18M
$38M
$-71M
$68M
$-92M
$-19M
$-114M
$25M
$-1M
$40M
$-23M
$68M
$12M
$45M
$30M
$135M

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

$5M
$13M
$-7M
$0M
$-7M
$2M
$-5M
$2M
$-1M
$1M
$-12M
$-4M
$-9M
$-16M
$-12M
$-2M
$-6M
$-5M
$-2M
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$142M
—
$136M
—
$108M
—
$187M
—
$193M
—
$158M
—
$277M
—
$166M
—
$170M
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

$-24M
$68M
$-15M
$52M
$-45M
$75M
$-19M
$76M
$-74M
$77M
$-27M
$36M
$-63M
$49M
$-4M
$15M
$-71M
$56M
$63M
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

$55M
$70M
$5M
$62M
$37M
$71M
$22M
$47M
$54M
$110M
$40M
$66M
$64M
$124M
$50M
$83M
$82M
$130M
$88M
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

$15M
$-23M
$-3M
$-54M
$-54M
$33M
$10M
$-13M
$-3M
$-23M
$-85M
$14M
$-20M
$64M
$-7M
$78M
$-39M
—
$20M
—

Profit growth · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

—
—
—
—
-229%
-32%
-303%
58%
—
-150%
—
-63%
—
—
—
172%
—
13%
—
99%

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

—
—
—
-100%
-240%
-85%
—
—
—
-50%
—
-300%
—
-1,700%
—
—
—
—
—
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
-46%
—
656%
—
-24%
—
38%
—
79%
—
-16%
—
44%
—
5.1%
—
-39%
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

—
—
—
550%
—
10%
—
46%
—
2.7%
—
-53%
—
-36%
—
-58%
—
14%
—
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

—
—
—
15%
-33%
1.4%
340%
-24%
46%
55%
82%
40%
19%
13%
25%
26%
28%
4.8%
76%
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
—
—
-460%
-460%
—
—
—
—
-170%
-950%
—
—
—
—
457%
—
—
—
—
04 · compare level, then change

Capacity Spending & Returns On It

Pearson plc has the highest CAPEX among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at $15 million. Scholastic Corporation is next at $13 million. Scholastic Corporation has the highest CAPEX intensity at 4%, so level and change sit with different companies. 6 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Dec 2025.

What the numbers say: Pearson plc reports $15 million of CAPEX; Scholastic Corporation has the highest covered intensity at 4%. Coverage is only 6 of 6 companies and 105 reported observations, so this is partial evidence—not a complete sector rank.

LeaderPearson plc · $15 million
Gap15.4% versus #2 · Scholastic Corporation
Persistence8/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage6/6 companies · 105 observations

Investor read: Use the CAPEX rank as a diligence queue. Verify commissioning, utilization, cash conversion and post-investment ROCE before treating spend as value creation.

This conclusion weakens if: CAPEX rises without higher utilization, operating cash flow or incremental returns.

CAPEX is cash spent on property, plant, equipment and other reported capital assets. CAPEX intensity divides that spend by revenue; high intensity is a reinvestment signal, not proof that the reinvestment will earn attractive returns.
CAPEXlargest spenders
1Pearson plc PSO · older report$15M
2Scholastic Corporation SCHL$13M
3USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$13M
4John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$13M
5The New York Times Company NYT$11M
CAPEX intensityhighest reinvestment intensity
1Scholastic Corporation SCHL4.0%
2John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY2.9%
3USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY2.4%
4The New York Times Company NYT1.5%
5Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE0.8%
Capital expenditure · company comparison
6/6 level · 6/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyCAPEXCAPEX intensityReported
Pearson plc PSO$15M0.8%Dec 2025
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$13M2.9%Jun 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$13M2.4%Mar 2026
Scholastic Corporation SCHL$13M4.0%Jun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT$11M1.5%Mar 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$1M0.8%Mar 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

CAPEX · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

$18M
$20M
$23M
$28M
$18M
$21M
$19M
$24M
$20M
$20M
$17M
$19M
$15M
$15M
$13M
$19M
$12M
$13M
$13M
$13M

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

$2M
$2M
$3M
$1M
$2M
$1M
$1M
$2M
$1M
$1M
$2M
$4M
$3M
$2M
$1M
$1M
$2M
$1M
$1M
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$33M
—
$21M
—
$36M
—
$16M
—
$14M
—
$18M
—
$15M
—
$14M
—
$15M
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

$10M
$9M
$9M
$14M
$11M
$13M
$13M
$25M
$14M
$15M
$15M
$15M
$20M
$11M
$9M
$12M
$10M
$10M
$13M
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

$9M
$11M
$9M
$10M
$9M
$9M
$6M
$5M
$6M
$6M
$6M
$8M
$7M
$8M
$9M
$10M
$8M
$7M
$11M
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

$11M
$12M
$11M
$13M
$13M
$9M
$9M
$8M
$13M
$8M
$13M
$10M
$14M
$13M
$14M
$15M
$10M
$13M
$13M
—

CAPEX intensity · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

3.7%
3.8%
4.5%
5.1%
3.7%
4.1%
3.9%
4.6%
4.4%
4.1%
3.7%
4.1%
3.7%
3.5%
3.2%
4.3%
3.0%
3.1%
3.2%
2.9%

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

1.0%
1.0%
1.6%
0.5%
1.0%
0.5%
0.6%
1.2%
0.6%
0.6%
1.4%
2.6%
1.9%
1.4%
0.7%
0.7%
1.4%
0.8%
0.8%
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
1.8%
—
1.2%
—
1.8%
—
0.9%
—
0.8%
—
1.0%
—
0.8%
—
0.8%
—
0.8%
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

3.8%
1.7%
2.6%
2.7%
4.2%
2.2%
4.0%
4.7%
6.1%
2.7%
4.6%
3.2%
8.4%
2.0%
2.7%
2.4%
4.4%
1.8%
4.0%
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

1.8%
1.9%
1.7%
1.8%
1.6%
1.3%
1.1%
0.8%
1.0%
0.9%
1.0%
1.3%
1.1%
1.1%
1.4%
1.5%
1.1%
0.9%
1.5%
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

1.4%
1.5%
1.5%
1.7%
1.8%
1.2%
1.3%
1.2%
2.0%
1.2%
2.0%
1.6%
2.3%
2.1%
2.4%
2.6%
1.8%
—
2.4%
—
Annual capital allocation · 6-year view
6/6 capacity base · 6/6 OCF · 6/6 CAPEX · 6/6 FCF

Capacity base is net fixed assets plus capital work in progress, straight off the reported balance sheet. It is not cash spent, so it answers a narrower question than CAPEX — but it is reported for companies whose cash-flow CAPEX is not published, which is why it leads here. Missing years remain blank; annual values are never relabelled as quarters.

Full annual capacity base, operating cash flow, CAPEX and free cash flow history

Capacity base · net fixed assets + CWIP · fiscal-year history

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$366M
$310M
$296M
$293M
$301M

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
$687M
$539M
$461M
$385M
$301M

Operating cash flow · fiscal-year history

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$326M
$361M
$525M
$627M
$656M

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
$127M
$41M
$95M
$100M
$114M

CAPEX · reported cash flow · fiscal-year history

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$64M
$57M
$30M
$33M
$29M

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
$40M
$45M
$38M
$50M
$51M

Free cash flow · fiscal-year history

Pearson plc · PSO

—
$262M
$304M
$495M
$594M
$627M

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
$88M
$-5M
$56M
$51M
$63M
05 · compare level, then change

Debt Load & Balance-Sheet Headroom

The New York Times Company has the lowest Gross debt among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at $0 million. Scholastic Corporation is next at $285 million. The same company also holds the lowest Net debt, at $595 million net cash. 5 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Mar 2026.

What the numbers say: The New York Times Company has the clearest covered balance-sheet capacity with $595 million net cash and gross debt of $0 million. Absolute debt alone does not identify the strongest balance sheet because company scale differs; net debt and debt-to-equity carry more information.

LeaderThe New York Times Company · $0 million
Gap100% versus #2 · Scholastic Corporation
Persistence8/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage5/6 companies · 96 observations

Investor read: Prioritize net-cash capacity and leverage relative to operating scale, not the smallest absolute rupee debt.

This conclusion weakens if: Net debt rises faster than revenue and profit for two consecutive reported periods.

Gross debt shows contractual borrowings. Net debt subtracts reported cash; a negative value means net cash. Lower debt can create capacity, but should be read against the scale and capital intensity of the business.
Gross debtlowest gross debt
1The New York Times Company NYT$0M
2Scholastic Corporation SCHL$285M
3Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$477M
4John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$769M
5USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$1.1B
Net debtlowest net debt
1The New York Times Company NYT$-595M
2Scholastic Corporation SCHL$180M
3Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$424M
4John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$693M
5USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$1.0B
Debt and balance-sheet capacity · company comparison
5/6 level · 5/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyGross debtNet debtReported
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY$1.1B$1.0BMar 2026
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY$769M$693MJun 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$477M$424MMar 2026
Scholastic Corporation SCHL$285M$180MJun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT$0M$-595MMar 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

Gross debt · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

$1.1B
$1.2B
$1.1B
$940M
$1.1B
$1.1B
$1.1B
$884M
$1.0B
$1.1B
$1.0B
$887M
$1.0B
$1.1B
$989M
$899M
$924M
$965M
$897M
$769M

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

$549M
$526M
$523M
$520M
$516M
$514M
$511M
$507M
$500M
$496M
$494M
$492M
$484M
$481M
$486M
$486M
$482M
$480M
$477M
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

$227M
$93M
$132M
$97M
$93M
$90M
$90M
$101M
$112M
$114M
$134M
$118M
$347M
$368M
$391M
$375M
$443M
$386M
$285M
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
$0M
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

$1.5B
$1.5B
$1.5B
$1.5B
$1.4B
$1.4B
$1.4B
$1.4B
$1.3B
$1.3B
$1.3B
$1.2B
$1.2B
$1.3B
$1.2B
$1.2B
$1.2B
$1.1B
$1.1B
—

Net debt · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

$1.0B
$1.1B
$970M
$840M
$982M
$1.0B
$959M
$777M
$945M
$979M
$930M
$804M
$945M
$991M
$884M
$813M
$842M
$898M
$802M
$693M

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

$523M
$507M
$508M
$504M
$500M
$496M
$492M
$490M
$485M
$481M
$478M
$479M
$474M
$475M
$481M
$472M
$472M
$467M
$424M
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

$-82M
$-208M
$-177M
$-220M
$-147M
$-171M
$-109M
$-124M
$-14M
$-36M
$24M
$4M
$263M
$228M
$296M
$251M
$349M
$287M
$180M
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

$-682M
$-661M
$-222M
$-223M
$-293M
$-347M
$-375M
$-417M
$-398M
$-452M
$-379M
$-411M
$-493M
$-566M
$-522M
$-540M
$-617M
$-642M
$-595M
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

$1.4B
$1.4B
$1.3B
$1.4B
$1.3B
$1.3B
$1.3B
$1.3B
$1.2B
$1.2B
$1.2B
$1.1B
$1.1B
$1.2B
$1.1B
$1.1B
$1.1B
$1.0B
$1.0B
—
06 · compare level, then change

Return On Capital Employed

Scholastic Corporation has the highest ROCE among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at 7.8%. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. is next at 6%. The same company also holds the highest ROCE change, at +3.5 percentage points. 6 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Jun 2026.

What the numbers say: Scholastic Corporation leads ROCE at 7.8%, 1.8 percentage points above John Wiley & Sons, Inc.. Scholastic Corporation has the strongest latest improvement at +3.5 percentage points. Read the leader beside the density of its reported history: a sparse high return is a candidate; a repeated high return is evidence of durability.

LeaderScholastic Corporation · 7.8%
Gap30% versus #2 · John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Persistence6/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage6/6 companies · 114 observations

Investor read: Scholastic Corporation sets the level benchmark; use the change leader as an inflection watch only after another comparable report confirms it.

This conclusion weakens if: The next two comparable reports reverse the current roce change signal.

ROCE asks how much operating return the business earns on the capital employed. Direction matters, but a single exceptional year should not be mistaken for durability.
ROCEhighest
1Scholastic Corporation SCHL7.8%
2John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY6.0%
3The New York Times Company NYT4.1%
4USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY3.3%
5Pearson plc PSO · older report2.5%
ROCE changefastest improvers
1Scholastic Corporation SCHL+3.5 pp
2USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY+2.6 pp
3Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE+2.5 pp
4John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY+1.9 pp
5The New York Times Company NYT+1.3 pp
Return on capital · company comparison
6/6 level · 6/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyROCEROCE changeReported
Scholastic Corporation SCHL7.8%+3.5 ppJun 2026
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY6.0%+1.9 ppJun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT4.1%+1.3 ppMar 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY3.3%+2.6 ppMar 2026
Pearson plc PSO2.5%−0.5 ppDec 2025
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE1.7%+2.5 ppMar 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

ROCE · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

—
2.9%
1.8%
2.4%
-0.7%
2.2%
-2.7%
3.6%
-0.7%
2.0%
-2.1%
3.4%
1.4%
3.0%
2.7%
4.1%
1.6%
3.7%
3.3%
6.0%

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

1.9%
3.6%
-0.5%
1.0%
-0.5%
1.7%
0.5%
2.0%
1.8%
1.3%
-0.8%
0.8%
-0.6%
-0.6%
-0.8%
0.9%
-0.3%
1.0%
1.7%
—

Pearson plc · PSO

1.5%
1.5%
1.3%
1.3%
1.1%
1.1%
1.9%
1.9%
2.5%
2.5%
2.0%
2.0%
3.0%
3.0%
2.3%
2.3%
2.5%
2.5%
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

-2.3%
5.9%
-1.5%
5.0%
-4.6%
7.6%
-2.2%
7.1%
-8.1%
8.1%
-3.0%
3.9%
-7.1%
5.8%
-1.9%
4.3%
-6.9%
6.2%
-2.1%
7.8%

The New York Times Company · NYT

2.7%
4.9%
0.3%
2.7%
2.6%
4.7%
1.4%
2.8%
3.2%
6.3%
2.4%
3.9%
3.7%
6.8%
2.8%
4.9%
4.7%
7.1%
4.1%
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

1.3%
1.1%
-0.1%
-1.0%
-1.2%
0.7%
1.0%
0.7%
2.0%
2.2%
-3.0%
0.7%
-0.4%
1.7%
0.7%
0.5%
2.0%
2.0%
3.3%
—

ROCE change · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

—
—
—
—
—
−0.7 pp
−4.5 pp
+1.2 pp
0.0 pp
−0.2 pp
+0.6 pp
−0.2 pp
+2.1 pp
+1.0 pp
+4.8 pp
+0.7 pp
+0.2 pp
+0.7 pp
+0.6 pp
+1.9 pp

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

—
—
—
—
−2.4 pp
−1.9 pp
+1.0 pp
+1.0 pp
+2.3 pp
−0.4 pp
−1.3 pp
−1.2 pp
−2.4 pp
−1.9 pp
0.0 pp
+0.1 pp
+0.3 pp
+1.6 pp
+2.5 pp
—

Pearson plc · PSO

—
—
—
—
−0.4 pp
−0.4 pp
+0.6 pp
+0.6 pp
+1.4 pp
+1.4 pp
+0.1 pp
+0.1 pp
+0.5 pp
+0.5 pp
+0.3 pp
+0.3 pp
−0.5 pp
−0.5 pp
—
—

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

—
—
—
—
−2.3 pp
+1.7 pp
−0.7 pp
+2.1 pp
−3.5 pp
+0.5 pp
−0.8 pp
−3.2 pp
+1.0 pp
−2.3 pp
+1.1 pp
+0.4 pp
+0.2 pp
+0.4 pp
−0.2 pp
+3.5 pp

The New York Times Company · NYT

—
—
—
—
−0.1 pp
−0.2 pp
+1.1 pp
+0.1 pp
+0.6 pp
+1.6 pp
+1.0 pp
+1.1 pp
+0.5 pp
+0.5 pp
+0.4 pp
+1.0 pp
+1.0 pp
+0.3 pp
+1.3 pp
—

USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

—
—
—
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−2.5 pp
−0.4 pp
+1.1 pp
+1.7 pp
+3.2 pp
+1.5 pp
−4.0 pp
0.0 pp
−2.4 pp
−0.5 pp
+3.7 pp
−0.2 pp
+2.4 pp
+0.3 pp
+2.6 pp
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07 · compare level, then change

Valuation Against Growth & Quality

The New York Times Company has the lowest Guarded PEG among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at 1.35×. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the lowest P/E at 9.84×, so level and change sit with different companies. 1 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Mar 2026.

What the numbers say: The New York Times Company has the lowest comparable Guarded PEG at 1.35×. Only 1 of 6 companies pass the guard, so no broad “cheapest stock” conclusion is defensible unless the current multiple, own-history position and growth durability agree.

LeaderThe New York Times Company · 1.35×
GapNot enough peers
Persistence0/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage1/6 companies · 13 observations

Investor read: Treat valuation as permission to investigate, never as a standalone reason to buy.

This conclusion weakens if: The next two comparable reports reverse the current p/e signal.

PEG is shown only when earnings are positive and three-year EPS growth is between 5% and 60%. It is recomputed consistently as the trailing P/E divided by that growth rate — reported earnings, never an expected-earnings multiple. On Indian companies it is shown only where the two data sources reconciled. A missing PEG is more honest than a low-base fiction.
Guarded PEGlowest PEG
1The New York Times Company NYT1.4
P/Elowest P/E
1John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY9.8
2Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE11.7
3Scholastic Corporation SCHL17.3
4Pearson plc PSO · older report20.6
5The New York Times Company NYT35.9
Valuation · company comparison
1/6 level · 6/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyGuarded PEGP/EReported
Scholastic Corporation SCHL1.517.3Jun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT1.435.9Mar 2026
Pearson plc PSO—20.6Dec 2025
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY—9.8Jun 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY—117.5Mar 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE—11.7Mar 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

Guarded PEG · reported quarter history

Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

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1.5
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—
—
—
—
—
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—
—

The New York Times Company · NYT

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—
—
—
—
—
5.2
—
2.8
1.1
1.0
0.6
0.7
1.1
1.2
1.5
1.3
1.9
1.4
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P/E · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

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23.1
19.6
19.4
25.4
24.1
—
124.4
—
—
—
—
—
—
55.3
28.5
21.7
19.6
10.9
9.8

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

6.1
11.9
12.0
11.7
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—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
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Pearson plc · PSO

22.8
26.7
24.3
19.3
23.9
28.6
23.2
20.5
18.6
18.3
20.4
19.9
17.9
20.2
19.3
16.7
18.2
20.6
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Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

255.7
36.9
42.5
16.5
28.7
22.7
27.2
17.1
29.8
21.2
27.2
90.7
56.9
—
36.5
—
—
—
14.0
17.3

The New York Times Company · NYT

54.6
36.2
43.6
26.3
27.2
31.2
33.8
37.2
35.5
35.0
28.8
31.6
32.9
29.4
27.0
28.9
28.0
33.2
35.9
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USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

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515.0
117.5
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08 · compare level, then change

Enterprise Value & Book Value

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the lowest EV/EBITDA among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at 6.56×. Pearson plc is next at 7.23×. Scholastic Corporation has the lowest P/BV at 0.87×, so level and change sit with different companies. 6 of 6 companies report a comparable reading, the latest through Jun 2026.

What the numbers say: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. leads ev/ebitda at 6.56×; Scholastic Corporation leads p/bv at 0.87×.

LeaderJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. · 6.56×
Gap9.3% versus #2 · Pearson plc
Persistence0/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage6/6 companies · 97 observations

Investor read: Treat valuation as permission to investigate, never as a standalone reason to buy.

This conclusion weakens if: The next two comparable reports reverse the current p/bv signal.

EV/EBITDA includes debt in enterprise value and is useful across different capital structures. P/BV prices the company against its own book. Both are market multiples on reported figures, not intrinsic-value estimates and not forecasts.
EV/EBITDAlowest EV/EBITDA
1John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY6.6
2Pearson plc PSO · older report7.2
3USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY7.5
4Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE20.5
5The New York Times Company NYT23.2
P/BVlowest P/BV
1Scholastic Corporation SCHL0.9
2Pearson plc PSO · older report1.8
3John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY5.1
4The New York Times Company NYT6.8
5USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY7.3
Enterprise and book valuation · company comparison
6/6 level · 5/6 change

Solid lines show level; dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected. Missing reports break the line rather than being invented.

All-company data · latest reported quarter

Each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.

CompanyEV/EBITDAP/BVReported
Scholastic Corporation SCHL57.80.9Jun 2026
The New York Times Company NYT23.26.8Mar 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE20.5-34.5Mar 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY7.57.3Mar 2026
Pearson plc PSO7.21.8Dec 2025
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLY6.65.1Jun 2026
Full 20-quarter history · every available company

EV/EBITDA · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

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10.0
8.9
8.5
10.2
9.3
14.1
10.8
11.1
11.4
11.3
12.4
13.2
12.9
8.3
8.5
7.8
7.5
6.2
6.6

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

6.7
7.2
7.6
7.9
9.8
13.2
12.0
10.5
5.3
10.1
10.8
14.0
18.6
29.0
31.4
68.2
54.1
26.5
20.5
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Pearson plc · PSO

23.8
5.9
7.4
6.9
7.6
8.3
7.7
7.3
7.1
7.3
8.1
7.6
7.3
8.9
8.8
7.7
7.4
7.2
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Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

11.5
8.6
9.6
5.7
8.9
6.9
8.3
6.3
8.6
7.0
7.6
9.5
9.7
10.1
8.1
5.4
8.0
8.0
7.5
57.8

The New York Times Company · NYT

24.6
21.8
25.8
17.0
15.1
17.0
19.1
18.8
19.0
20.5
17.1
19.4
20.3
18.0
16.7
17.8
17.0
20.1
23.2
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USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

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10.3
7.5
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P/BV · reported quarter history

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLY

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2.7
2.5
4.5
2.7
2.2
2.5
4.1
2.0
1.9
2.5
9.7
3.6
3.5
3.2
8.5
2.8
2.6
2.2
5.1

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated · LEE

3.4
3.8
3.0
2.2
6.8
6.7
7.3
6.7
3.1
2.6
11.0
19.1
-5.5
-3.4
-1.7
-1.0
-0.8
-0.5
-34.5
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Pearson plc · PSO

1.3
1.1
1.3
1.3
1.4
1.5
1.5
1.4
1.6
1.7
1.9
1.7
1.7
2.1
2.3
2.0
1.9
1.8
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Scholastic Corporation · SCHL

1.0
1.1
1.2
1.1
1.4
1.2
1.3
1.2
1.3
1.1
1.1
1.0
0.9
0.8
0.6
0.5
0.7
0.8
0.9
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The New York Times Company · NYT

5.9
5.2
5.3
3.2
3.0
3.4
4.1
4.0
4.1
4.6
4.1
4.7
4.9
4.4
4.3
4.7
4.7
5.5
6.8
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USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY

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4.9
7.3
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09 · let price answer last

Market action

USA TODAY Co., Inc. has the strongest one-year price move in Publishing at +114.7%. It also leads on Mansfield relative strength against the S&P 500 at +33.8%. 6 of 6 covered companies are above zero on that measure. Every line covers 314 weekly closes through 2026-07-28.

Every price line is indexed to 100 over the chosen window. Mansfield relative strength compares a price ratio with its own 52-week average; zero separates leadership from lagging.
Price and relative strength

Price is rebased to 100 inside the selected window. Pair ratio rebases each selected company against one chosen denominator.

Before the conclusion · check the blind spots

What can make this comparison misleading?

This Publishing comparison names 6 specific ways its own evidence can mislead, all listed below. 1 of the 6 companies reports on an older date than the sector's freshest reporters, so its rank is marked stale. 1 of the 8 ranked sections has fewer than three usable current readings. A high growth rate can still be a low-base artefact.

Keep these limits visible

  • A high growth rate can be a low-base artefact. The page keeps level and change separate for that reason.
  • A high ROCE can be temporary or flattered by a small capital base. Read it beside margin, cash conversion and reinvestment.
  • The 4-Factor Sector Score ranks research priority, not portfolio action. Management quality, catalysts and risks need equally fresh evidence before capital is deployed.
  • An “all companies” line chart preserves completeness, but rank changes should be checked against reporting dates before drawing a conclusion.
  • 1 company has an older fundamental reporting date than the sector’s freshest reporters; its rank carries a stale marker.
  • Thin comparisons: Valuation have fewer than three usable current readings.
10 · the complete set

Which companies are included?

All 6 companies in the canonical Publishing membership are listed below, largest market value first — nothing is silently dropped, even where a company reports too little to rank. The charts above default to a selective view; this register is the complete set, with each company's own latest reporting date beside it.

AHEAD means the company is beating the index by 5% or more over three months. LAGGING, FUNDAMENTALS UP means it is 20% or more behind over a year while its trailing twelve-month earnings grew 20% or more. Both rules are fixed and applied the same way in every sector.

CompanyMarket valuePricePriced toLatest fundamentals
The New York Times Company NYT$12.2B$75.22026-07-28Mar 2026
Pearson plc PSOAHEAD18/26 WEEKS$10.5B$17.42026-07-28Dec 2025
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYAHEAD22/26 WEEKS$2.8B$54.32026-07-28Jun 2026
USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAYAHEAD26/26 WEEKS$1.3B$8.62026-07-28Mar 2026
Scholastic Corporation SCHL24/26 WEEKS$766M$40.62026-07-28Jun 2026
Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE$177M$7.92026-07-28Mar 2026
Evidence and freshness

How was this comparison built?

This comparison is built from the reported filings of 6 Publishing companies, normalized to a common $ scale and a shared quarter axis of up to 20 quarters each. Fundamentals run through Jun 2026 and market data through 2026-07-28. A second data feed fills gaps only after identity and scale reconciliation, and missing observations are never interpolated.

FundamentalsThrough Jun 2026 · up to 20 quarters per company
Market dataThrough 2026-07-28 · weekly price and relative-strength history
Derived metricsGrowth, changes, CAPEX intensity, net debt, guarded PEG and P/BV÷ROE are calculated only when their inputs are comparable.
Score confidenceMissing and stale evidence reduces confidence and pulls the 0–100 research-priority score toward neutral.
Questions investors ask · short, speakable answers

Publishing company comparison FAQs

These 18 answers restate the Publishing comparison above in question form. Every one is computed from the same 6 companies and the same reported filings as the rankings and charts, current through Jun 2026. Price and relative-strength answers run through 2026-07-28. Nothing here is estimated, and none of it is a recommendation.

Which Publishing company is the biggest?

The New York Times Company is the largest, with trailing-twelve-month revenue of $2,901 million, ahead of John Wiley & Sons, Inc. at $1,677 million. That covers 3 of 6 companies with comparable reporting through Mar 2026.

Which Publishing company is growing fastest?

The New York Times Company has the fastest revenue growth at 10.4% year on year, across 3 of 6 comparable companies. Fast growth off a small base is not the same as proven scale — check whether the rate holds across several quarters on the chart above before treating it as a trend.

Which Publishing company has the best profit margins?

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the highest operating margin at 24.6%, from 5 of 6 comparable companies. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated shows the biggest recent improvement, at +10.3 percentage points. A high margin matters most when it is holding or rising, not when it is peaking.

Which Publishing company makes the most profit?

The New York Times Company earns the most, at $383 million of trailing-twelve-month net profit, from 3 of 6 comparable companies. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the fastest profit growth at 100%, though growth off a small or recovering profit base overstates how much has actually changed.

Which Publishing company earns the highest return on capital?

Scholastic Corporation leads on return on capital employed at 7.8%, across 6 of 6 companies. Read it beside the length of its reported history: a high return that repeats for years is evidence of a durable business, while a single high reading can be a small capital base or one good year.

Which Publishing stock is the cheapest?

On guarded PEG — where a LOWER number is cheaper — The New York Times Company screens cheapest at 1.35×. Only 1 of 6 companies pass the comparability guard, so this is not a sector-wide "cheapest stock" verdict. Cheap on a multiple is a reason to investigate, never a reason to buy on its own.

Which Publishing company has the strongest balance sheet?

The New York Times Company carries the lowest comparable gross debt at $0 million, from 5 of 6 companies. Absolute rupee debt alone does not settle it, because company scale differs — net debt and debt-to-equity in the chart above carry more information, and a very low-debt balance sheet can also mean under-investment.

Which Publishing company is investing most in new capacity?

Pearson plc reports the largest capital spending at $15 million, across 6 of 6 companies. Spending consumes cash before it earns anything, so treat the ranking as a diligence queue: check commissioning, utilisation and the return earned on the completed assets before reading spend as value creation.

Is the Publishing sector beating the market?

Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 40.2% over the last 52 weeks and 6.7% over 13 weeks, measured on an equal-weight index of its current members. Inside the sector, 6 of 6 covered companies are beating the market on their own. Sector strength does not transfer evenly to every stock in it.

Which Publishing stock has the strongest price momentum?

USA TODAY Co., Inc. has the strongest relative strength against S&P 500. Relative strength answers last, after growth, quality and valuation: price can move well before the fundamentals confirm it, and sometimes without them confirming at all.

Which Publishing company scores highest for research priority?

John Wiley & Sons, Inc. scores 64.6 out of 100 with 76.2% evidence confidence, from 20.7 points on growth and earnings, 14.2 on capital efficiency, 11.5 on valuation and 18.2 on relative strength. This ranks what deserves work next. It is not a buy recommendation, and management quality, catalysts and risk still need separate research.

How many Publishing companies does this comparison cover, and over what period?

It compares 6 listed companies over up to 20 reported quarters of fundamentals and 6 fiscal years of capital allocation, ending Jun 2026, plus weekly price and relative-strength history. Membership is the full sector list — nothing is dropped for having thin data.

What is the total market cap of the Publishing sector?

The 6 Publishing companies on this page carry $27,601 million of combined market value. The New York Times Company is the largest at $12,169 million, about 44% of the sector's total on its own. Market value moves with price, so this reading is dated 2026-07-28.

What is the Publishing sector's P/E ratio?

The median price-to-earnings ratio across the 6 Publishing companies on this page is 20.6×, measured on the 6 that report a comparable figure. A sector-level history for this multiple is not held here, so this is a cross-section of today, not a comparison with the sector’s own past. Figures are as of 2026-07-28.

How is the Publishing sector performing?

6 of the 6 covered Publishing companies are beating S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength. The sector itself is 40.2% ahead of S&P 500 over 52 weeks on an equal-weight index of its current members. Readings are as of 2026-07-28.

How many Publishing stocks are listed in the US?

This comparison covers 6 listed Publishing companies in the US, each above the size floor the site applies. The full ranked list is on this page, with reported fundamentals through Jun 2026. Membership is the full industry list — nothing is dropped for having thin data.

Why are some values on this page blank?

A blank means that company did not report a comparable figure for that period, so nothing is shown. Missing observations are never interpolated, carried forward, or replaced with a similar-looking accounting line, and a company with missing evidence has its research score pulled toward neutral rather than being scored as bad.

Is this investment advice?

No. Every figure here is a deterministic calculation from reported company filings and market data, published for research. It contains no recommendation to buy or sell any security, does not account for your circumstances, and is not a substitute for advice from a licensed adviser.

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