John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLYB
$488M
$533M
$516M
$546M
$488M
$515M
$491M
$526M
$451M
$493M
$461M
$468M
$404M
$427M
$405M
$443M
$397M
$422M
$410M
$448M
20-quarter listed-company comparison
Publishing Stocks
Publishing: The New York Times Company owns the largest revenue base AND the fastest current growth.
01 · the industry itself · before any single company
How has Publishing moved against S&P 500?
The line below covers up to 5.2 years and opens on the 5Y view; the buttons cut it shorter. Over the most recent two of them this industry is 18% 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 26 weeks running.
LEADER · ahead 26w✓Price and the fundamentals both up3 of 5 companies ahead of S&P 500 by 5% or more over three months
RS ↑26w · 5/5 >200d (+0) · 3/5 lead (+0) · EPS 4/5↑
Publishing, equal-weighted, based at 200
S&P 500, same base, same start
trailing 12-month earnings per share rising
falling
Publishing, equal-weighted, based at 200
S&P 500, same base, same start
trailing 12-month earnings per share rising
falling
Publishing, equal-weighted, based at 200
S&P 500, same base, same start
trailing 12-month earnings per share rising
falling
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.
02 · sector relative strength, before individual stocks
Is Publishing outperforming S&P 500?
Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 43.8% over the last 52 weeks. Over 13 weeks the gap is a lead of 7.4%. 4 of 5 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 +13%.
+7.4%Sector vs S&P 500 · 13 weeks
+43.8%Sector vs S&P 500 · 52 weeks
4/5Stocks leading S&P 500
1/5Stocks 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 43.8% over 52 weeks and 7.4% over 13 weeks. 4 of 5 covered companies beat the S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength, while 1 of 5 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.
Companies
6
complete canonical membership
Combined market value
$27.3B
The New York Times Company
Revenue growing
1/3
positive TTM year-on-year growth
Beating S&P 500
4/5
positive Mansfield relative strength
Comparing 3 of 6
03 · 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 55.3% evidence confidence.
How this score is built, and what the marks mean
Missing observations are not scored as bad. Their missing weight lowers confidence and pulls the final score toward neutral. PEG is not shown when the ratio cannot mean anything: the company must be making a profit, its price-to-earnings must be positive, and its three-year earnings growth must fall between 5% and 60%. Dividing a price multiple by a loss, or by growth measured off a tiny base, produces a number that looks precise and tells you nothing. Under relative strength, one mark per week shows the last 12 weeks: a mark is filled where the company led S&P 500 by 5% or more over the 13 weeks ending that week, which is the same test used everywhere on this site. Price stage places the company on the same six-step curve the sector itself is placed on — basing, turning, breaking out, leader, fading, asleep — read from how many weeks running it has led S&P 500 and whether that lead is widening or shrinking. It describes where the PRICE stands, not the earnings trajectory and not a recommendation, and it is left blank for a company whose weekly history is too short or too stale to read.
| Company | Score | Price stage | Growth & earnings/35 | Capital efficiency/25 | Valuation/20 | Relative strength/20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1John Wiley & Sons, Inc.WLYB | 59.4/100Thin evidence · provisional55% evidence | TURNING | 21.8/35 Revenue -0.1% · PAT 100% · OPM change 7.3 pp 95% evidence | 16.1/25 ROCE 6% · OPM 24.6% 76% evidence | 11.5/20 P/E 9.8× · PEG — 15% evidence | 10.0/20 RS sector — · RS bench — · 1Y 44.4%11 of 11 weeks ahead 0% evidence |
| Exact sum: 21.8 + 16.1 + 11.5 + 10 = 59.4 · Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral. | ||||||
| 2The New York Times CompanyNYT | 45.9/100Mixed-negative evidence81% evidence | ASLEEP | 21.3/35 Revenue 10.4% · PAT 26% · OPM change 3.5 pp 83% evidence | 13.5/25 ROCE 4.1% · OPM 12.7% 76% evidence | 10.8/20 P/E 35.9× · PEG 1.35 65% evidence | 0.3/20 RS sector -19.3% · RS bench -3.2% · 1Y 31.5%0 of 12 weeks ahead 100% evidence |
| Exact sum: 21.3 + 13.5 + 10.8 + 0.3 = 45.9 · Decision use: Balanced evidence: keep at normal research priority and require another comparable period before raising conviction. | ||||||
| 3Lee Enterprises, IncorporatedLEE | 44.4/100Thin evidence · provisional58% evidence | ASLEEP | 18.4/35 Revenue -10.1% · PAT — · OPM change 10.3 pp 62% evidence | 3.8/25 ROCE 1.7% · OPM 7% 76% evidence | 10.9/20 P/E 11.7× · PEG — 15% evidence | 11.3/20 RS sector -3.4% · RS bench 12.2% · 1Y 86.9%1 of 12 weeks ahead 70% evidence |
| Exact sum: 18.4 + 3.8 + 10.9 + 11.3 = 44.4 · Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral. | ||||||
| 4Scholastic CorporationSCHL | 42.4/100Thin evidence · provisional52% evidence | TURNING | 11.8/35 Revenue — · PAT — · OPM change -1.1 pp 45% evidence | 10.0/25 ROCE 4.2% · OPM -8.2% 76% evidence | 10.3/20 P/E 17.3× · PEG — 15% evidence | 10.3/20 RS sector -4.5% · RS bench 13.3% · 1Y 77.4%5 of 12 weeks ahead 70% evidence |
| Exact sum: 11.8 + 10 + 10.3 + 10.3 = 42.4 · Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral. | ||||||
| 5USA TODAY Co., Inc.TDAY | 53.8/100Thin evidence · provisional50% evidence | LEADER | 20.3/35 Revenue — · PAT — · OPM change 6.5 pp 39% evidence | 8.0/25 ROCE 3.3% · OPM 8.2% 76% evidence | 8.5/20 P/E 117.5× · PEG — 15% evidence | 17.0/20 RS sector 13% · RS bench 32.9% · 1Y 132.1%12 of 12 weeks ahead 70% evidence |
| Exact sum: 20.3 + 8 + 8.5 + 17 = 53.8 · Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral. | ||||||
| 6Pearson plcPSO | 46.8/100Thin evidence · provisional43% evidence | BREAKING OUT | 17.3/35 Revenue — · PAT — · OPM change — 12% evidence | 9.9/25 ROCE 2.4% · OPM — 61% evidence | 9.7/20 P/E 22.7× · PEG — 15% evidence | 9.9/20 RS sector -13.9% · RS bench 4.5% · 1Y 14.5%10 of 12 weeks ahead 100% evidence |
| Exact sum: 17.3 + 9.9 + 9.7 + 9.9 = 46.8 · Decision use: Fill the missing evidence before acting; the ranking is deliberately pulled toward neutral. | ||||||
04 · what price has already done
Market action
USA TODAY Co., Inc. has the strongest one-year price move in Publishing at +132.1%. It also leads on Mansfield relative strength against the S&P 500 at +32.9%. 4 of 5 covered companies are above zero on that measure. Every line covers 314 weekly closes through 2026-08-04.
Price and relative strength
Every company, the sector's own index and S&P 500 all start level on the left edge of the window, so only the distance between the lines counts — the highest line has risen the most since then, and the chart at the top of this page is drawn the same way. It opens on one year; the buttons beside it stretch that to three or five.
How far ahead of or behind S&P 500 each company has been running, measured against its own recent average of that comparison, so the flat line at zero IS S&P 500: above it the company is beating the market, below it the market is beating the company. It opens on one year.
The same measure taken against Publishing itself instead of the whole market, so the flat line at zero is the sector: above it the company is beating its own peers, which is the sharper test of the two. It opens on one year.
05 · 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
Revenue growthfastest growers
Revenue · company comparison
3/6 level · 3/6 change
On every company-comparison chart on this page: solid lines show level, dotted lines show change when “Both” is selected, and a missing report breaks the line rather than being invented.
All-company data · latest reported quarter
In every all-company table on this page, each figure is the company’s latest single reported quarter. The rankings above them use trailing-twelve-month or current-market values, so a company can legitimately show a different number in each.
| Company | Revenue | Revenue growth | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson plc PSO | $1.9B | 3.2% | Jun 2026 |
| The New York Times Company NYT | $712M | 12% | Mar 2026 |
| USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY | $548M | -4.2% | Mar 2026 |
| John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYB | $448M | 1.1% | 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
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. · WLYB
—
—
—
—
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%
—
06 · 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
Margin changefastest expanders
Operating margin · company comparison
5/6 level · 5/6 change
All-company data · latest reported quarter
| Company | OPM | Margin change | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYB | 25% | +7.3 pp | Jun 2026 |
| The New York Times Company NYT | 13% | +3.5 pp | Mar 2026 |
| USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY | 8.2% | +6.5 pp | Mar 2026 |
| Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE | 7.0% | +10.3 pp | Mar 2026 |
| Scholastic Corporation SCHL | -8.2% | −1.1 pp | Jun 2026 |
Full 20-quarter history · every available company
OPM · reported quarter history
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLYB
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. · WLYB
—
—
—
—
−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
—
07 · 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
Net profit · company comparison
3/6 level · 2/6 change
All-company data · latest reported quarter
| Company | Net profit | Profit growth | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pearson plc PSO | $170M | -39% | Jun 2026 |
| John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYB | $135M | 99% | Jun 2026 |
| The New York Times Company NYT | $88M | 76% | Mar 2026 |
| Scholastic Corporation SCHL | $63M | 14% | Jun 2026 |
| USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY | $20M | 457% | 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. · WLYB
$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. · WLYB
—
—
—
—
-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%
—
—
—
—
08 · compare level, then change
Return On Capital Employed
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. has the highest ROCE among the 6 Publishing companies compared here, at 6%. Scholastic Corporation is next at 4.2%. USA TODAY Co., Inc. has the highest ROCE change at +2.6 percentage points, 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 ROCE at 6%, 1.8 percentage points above Scholastic Corporation. USA TODAY Co., Inc. has the strongest latest improvement at +2.6 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.
LeaderJohn Wiley & Sons, Inc. · 6%
Gap42.9% versus #2 · Scholastic Corporation
Persistence8/8 recent comparable periods
Coverage6/6 companies · 116 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 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
ROCE changefastest improvers
Return on capital · company comparison
6/6 level · 6/6 change
All-company data · latest reported quarter
| Company | ROCE | ROCE change | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYB | 6.0% | +1.9 pp | Jun 2026 |
| Scholastic Corporation SCHL | 4.2% | −0.1 pp | Jun 2026 |
| The New York Times Company NYT | 4.1% | +1.3 pp | Mar 2026 |
| USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY | 3.3% | +2.6 pp | Mar 2026 |
| Pearson plc PSO | 2.4% | +0.1 pp | Jun 2026 |
| Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE | 1.7% | +2.5 pp | Mar 2026 |
Full 20-quarter history · every available company
ROCE · reported quarter history
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLYB
—
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%
2.4%
2.4%
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%
4.2%
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. · WLYB
—
—
—
—
—
−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
+0.1 pp
+0.1 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
−0.1 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
—
—
—
—
−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
—
09 · compare level, then change
Valuation Against Growth & Quality
The New York Times Company has the lowest 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 PEG at 1.35×. Only 1 of 6 companies have earnings and growth steady enough for the ratio to mean anything, 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 feeds agreed. Where any of that fails the ratio is left out rather than printed: a P/E divided by a loss, or by growth measured off a tiny base, is a number that looks precise and means nothing.
PEGlowest PEG
P/Elowest P/E
Valuation · company comparison
1/6 level · 6/6 change
All-company data · latest reported quarter
| Company | PEG | P/E | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scholastic Corporation SCHL | 1.5 | 17.3 | Jun 2026 |
| The New York Times Company NYT | 1.4 | 35.9 | Mar 2026 |
| Pearson plc PSO | — | 22.7 | Jun 2026 |
| John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WLYB | — | 9.8 | Jun 2026 |
| USA TODAY Co., Inc. TDAY | — | 117.5 | Mar 2026 |
| Lee Enterprises, Incorporated LEE | — | 11.7 | Mar 2026 |
Full 20-quarter history · every available company
PEG · reported quarter history
Scholastic Corporation · SCHL
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1.5
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
The New York Times Company · NYT
—
—
—
—
—
—
5.2
—
2.8
1.1
1.0
0.6
0.7
1.1
1.2
1.5
1.3
1.9
1.4
—
P/E · reported quarter history
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. · WLYB
—
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
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
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
19.7
22.7
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
—
USA TODAY Co., Inc. · TDAY
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
515.0
117.5
—
10 · before the conclusion, check the blind spots
What can make this comparison misleading?
This Publishing comparison names 5 specific ways its own evidence can mislead, all listed below. All 6 companies here report on comparable dates, so no rank carries a stale marker. 1 of the 5 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.
- Thin comparisons: Valuation have fewer than three usable current readings.
11 · 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 2026-08-04. 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 2026-08-04 · weekly price and relative-strength history
Derived metricsGrowth, changes and PEG 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.
12 · questions investors ask, short speakable answers
Publishing company comparison FAQs
These 22 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 2026-08-04. Nothing here is estimated, and none of it is a recommendation.
Is the Publishing sector outperforming S&P 500?
Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 43.8% over 52 weeks and 7.4% over 13 weeks. 4 of 5 covered companies beat the S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength, while 1 of 5 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 59.4/100 with 55.3% evidence confidence. The score prioritizes research; it is not a buy recommendation.
Which Publishing company has the lowest comparable PEG?
The New York Times Company has the lowest comparable PEG at 1.35, among 1 of 6 companies whose earnings and growth are steady enough for the ratio to mean anything.
How much history does this Publishing comparison include?
The page compares up to 20 reported quarters per company for fundamentals, returns 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.
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 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?
John Wiley & Sons, Inc. leads on return on capital employed at 6%, 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 PEG — where a LOWER number is cheaper — The New York Times Company screens cheapest at 1.35×. Only 1 of 6 companies have earnings and growth steady enough for the ratio to mean anything, 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.
Is the Publishing sector beating the market?
Publishing has outperformed S&P 500 by 43.8% over the last 52 weeks and 7.4% over 13 weeks, measured on an equal-weight index of its current members. Inside the sector, 4 of 5 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 59.4 out of 100 with 55.3% evidence confidence, from 21.8 points on growth and earnings, 16.1 on capital efficiency, 11.5 on valuation and 10 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, 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 $27,253 million of combined market value. The New York Times Company is the largest at $12,238 million, about 45% of the sector's total on its own. Market value moves with price, so this reading is dated 2026-08-04.
What is the Publishing sector's P/E ratio?
The median price-to-earnings ratio across the 6 Publishing companies on this page is 22.7×, 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 2026-08-04.
How is the Publishing sector performing?
4 of the 5 covered Publishing companies are beating S&P 500 on Mansfield relative strength. The sector itself is 43.8% ahead of S&P 500 over 52 weeks on an equal-weight index of its current members. Readings are as of 2026-08-04.
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.