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Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE) fair value: what the stock is really worth

We calculate from audited financials what Lee Enterprises Incorporated is really worth. The fair value tells you whether the price is too high or too low, the quality score (0 to 100) how solid the business behind it is. 26 models, 37 quality factors, updated daily.

Valuation from Sep 21, 2026. With the latest figures (losses, negative cash flow), a fair value can no longer be calculated.

Fair value above price? No
Good quality? No
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Communication Services · US · ISIN US5237684064

Thin data Sep 21, 2026

Lee Enterprises Incorporated

LEE · US

Structural break: The valuation model sees a lasting decline in earnings power for this stock, the confidence band is broken. Treat the target with caution.

Weakest SetupStrongly overvalued and low quality.

!Fair value $0.2400 · Strongly overvalued (−96%)

!Quality 34/100

!Weak Growth (revenue 5y −1.9 %/yr)

!Loss-making · -3.0% net margin (TTM)

!Negative equity (buybacks among others) · negative free cash flow

!Trails peers (2/7)

!Narrow moat 16/100

!Evidence only low, so the estimate is less certain

!The models disagree: range $0.2300 to $0.9600

26 models, one by oneBear $0.2300 to bull $0.9600 Growth analysisrevenue history, year by year Quality 34/100 in detail37 factors, each one shown Compared with its peersrank on every measure, side by side

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What runs behind every stock

26 valuation models 8 families, DCF to NCAV 37 quality factors margins, balance sheet, cashflow, debt 6 AI factors moat, what no ratio measures 2,000+ data points verified, per stock, median

69 individual criteria per stock, every one traceable See the method →

Price vs Fair Value

White line = price, green steps = our fair value per fiscal year, dashed = 300-day average. As of Sep 21, 2026.

How to read this chart

60‑month range $3.40 – $43.21 · fair‑value band $0.2300 – $0.9600 · the $6.79 price screens above the $0.2400 fair value. Green steps = our fair value per fiscal year (point-in-time, no hindsight). 2 fiscal years are left out: there the valuation rested on only a fraction of the usual models. Dashed = 300-day average. As of Sep 21, 2026.

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Company profile

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, a digital-first subscription and marketing services company, provides local news and information, and advertising services in the United States.

Lee Enterprises, Incorporated, a digital-first subscription and marketing services company, provides local news and information, and advertising services in the United States. The company offers digital subscription platforms; daily and weekly newspapers; and niche products for national and international news are accessible across digital and print formats through websites and mobile applications. It also provides subscription services through digital and print subscriptions; and omni-channel marketing solutions, including digital, print, programmatic, video, and social media campaigns. In addition, the company offers commercial printing, distribution, and other digital services through SaaS content management solution. Lee Enterprises, Incorporated was founded in 1890 and is based in Davenport, Iowa.

Stock analysis

Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE) currently trades at $6.79, while our model-based Fair Value estimate is $0.2400, implying the stock looks roughly 2,732.9% overvalued today.

Valuation

How firm this estimate is: it rests on 7 models at a data quality of 94/100, which puts the evidence level at low.

Scenario range: $0.2300 (bear) to $0.9600 (bull), the price of $6.79 sits above it. Bear and bull are the same models on cautious and optimistic assumptions, a range, not a price target.

Quality & growth

The Quality Score stands at 34/100 (below-average quality), in the Communication Services sector.

Weak Growth: Revenue is shrinking: the last year, the last three and the last five years are all negative.

Lee Enterprises Incorporated reported revenue of $562M in FY2025 versus $795M in FY2021, a compound −8.3%/yr. Reported net income was −$37.6M in FY2025.

Key figures

Market cap $206M · P/S ratio 0.39 · EPS (TTM) $−2.10 · Net margin −6.7% · Return on equity −146% · Return on assets (EBIT) 3.9% · Operating margin 6.0% · Revenue (TTM) $532M.

What moves the price

The share trades about 42% below its 52-week high and 100% above its 52-week low, currently below its 200-day average.

For context, the median of 10 Communication Services peers we cover trades at 10% fair-value upside, at −96%, LEE screens richer than that median.

Fair Value models

Bear $0.2300 Fair Value $0.2400 Bull $0.9600

Model ⓘEach model values the company its own way (discounted cash flow, earnings, assets, dividends). The fair value above is their evidence-weighted blend, not the output of a single model. Bear ⓘBear = the cautious scenario: the same model computed with conservative anchors (lower growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bull it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target.BaseBull ⓘBull = the optimistic scenario: the same model computed with favourable anchors (higher growth, margins and valuation multiples). Together with Bear it frames a plausible valuation range, not a price target. Evidence ⓘEvidence = how well-backed THIS model's estimate is for this stock (0–100): how complete and reliable its input data are, and how well the model fits the company. The final Fair Value is an evidence-weighted blend, so better-evidenced models count more. Green ≥70, amber 50–69, grey below 50.

Highest evidence

EV/EBITDA n/a $0.8600 $6.09 62

All 1 models by family

Multiples

EV/EBITDA n/a $0.8600 $6.09 62

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Quality Score breakdown

Overall quality 34/100

Of which business quality 32 · Market factors (momentum, volatility) 43

Profitability 41

Margins and returns on capital today

Quality Growth 18

Are margins and returns improving?

Cashflow 8

Earnings quality: real cash, not paper profit

Fin. Strength 2

Balance sheet, leverage, solvency risk

Investment 100

Disciplined investing over empire-building

Low Volatility 50

Calm price path (market factor)

Momentum 37

Price trend over the last 3–12 months (market factor)

52W Momentum 47

Distance to the 52-week high (market factor)

Net Issuance 58

Share count: buybacks or dilution?

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Revenue & earnings trend

Growth Quality ⓘGrowth is valuable only when reinvestment earns attractive returns (Aswath Damodaran): sustainable growth depends on return on capital, reinvestment and efficiency. Basis: total company revenue over the periods shown on the cards (3Y/5Y/all years), not per share, so a merger can show up as a growth jump; per-share earnings growth is in the value-creation card. 0/100

Revenue is shrinking: the last year, the last three and the last five years are all negative.

Revenue growth 1 year

−8.0%

Revenue growth 3 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.

−10.4%

Revenue growth 5 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.

−1.9%

Start year 2020 (pandemic). Over 10 years: −1.4% a year

Revenue growth 40 years ⓘMeasures the company's TOTAL revenue from reported annual statements: compound average growth per year (CAGR) from the fiscal year 3, 5 or N years back to the most recent comparable fiscal year. Not per share: buybacks do not change this number, and a merger can appear as a growth jump. Per-share growth (which does include buybacks) is in the value-creation card.

+2.5%

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Profit margin (trend) ⓘOperating margin then vs now, from reported annual statements. A falling margin after a boom year is the classic peak-earnings signal: the growth rate then leans on an inflated base.

14.7% (2019) → 0.7% (2024)

What shareholders gained per year ⓘWe only publish this rate when it is defensible. Reason: fiscal 2025 is a loss year, no rate is defined from a loss

not computed

LEE screens 2,733% overvalued. Compare with The New York Times Company →

Compare Lee Enterprises Incorporated with another stock

Price, fair value, quality and upside side by side.

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Peer GroupⓘHow this stock ranks against its industry: the green marker is this stock, the band is the typical 25–75% peer range, and the tick is the median.Publishing · 108 stocks

Beats the industry median on 2/7 measures

Overall it trails its industry peers.

Valuation

Quality Score 35 · Bottom 25%

Fair Value upside −97% · Bottom 25%

Profitability

Return on equity (TTM) Negative equity ⓘThe company's equity is below zero, for example after large share buybacks. A ratio to negative equity has no meaning, so we show no number here and do not rank it against the peer group.

Return on assets 4% · Above median

Net margin (TTM) −3% · Bottom 25%

Operating margin (TTM) 6% · Above median

Growth and dividend

Revenue growth −11% · Bottom 25%

Balance sheet

Debt / equity Negative equity ⓘThe company's equity is below zero, for example after large share buybacks. A ratio to negative equity has no meaning, so we show no number here and do not rank it against the peer group.

Valuation Multiplesvs Publishing median · lower = cheaper

P/B Negative equity ⓘThe company's equity is below zero, for example after large share buybacks. A ratio to negative equity has no meaning, so we show no number here and do not rank it against the peer group.

PEG 99.04× · Priciest 25%

Context: sector, industry, market

Values & ESG

Does this company touch areas you may want to avoid? The classification is inferred from sector and industry.

None of the checked exposures detected

Similar stocks

10 more Publishing stocks, each showing price versus our Fair Value estimate.

Stock	Price	Fair Value	vs Fair Value
The New York Times Company NYT	$65.45	$41.95	−36%
Jiangsu Phoenix Publishing & Media Corporation 601928	¥8.28	¥9.14	+10%
China Science Publishing & Media Ltd 601858	¥21.36	¥10.09	−53%
People.cn CO., LTD 603000	¥17.09	¥4.23	−75%
China South Publishing & Media Group 601098	¥10.36	¥10.70	+3%
John Wiley & Sons, Inc WLY	$47.02	$61.03	+30%
Zhejiang Publishing & Media Co 601921	¥7.64	¥7.45	−2%
Xinhua Winshare Publishing and Media Co 601811	¥18.50	¥21.02	+14%
Shandong Publishing&Media Co 601019	¥6.99	¥11.60	+66%
Central China Land Media CO.,LTD, 000719	¥12.35	¥42.58	+245%

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Lee Enterprises Incorporated · Fair Value
$0.2400 −2733%Fair Value
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<a href="https://www.fairvalue-calculator.com/stock/LEE" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener" style="display:inline-flex;align-items:center;gap:12px;box-sizing:border-box;font-family:system-ui,-apple-system,Segoe UI,Roboto,sans-serif;text-decoration:none;background:#0f1814;color:#eaf2ed;border:1px solid #2a3a30;border-radius:12px;padding:12px 16px;max-width:360px"><span style="line-height:1.35"><span style="font-size:12px;color:#9fb0a8">Lee Enterprises Incorporated · Fair Value</span><br><b style="font-size:20px">$0.2400</b> <span style="color:#e0816f;font-weight:700;font-size:14px">−2733%</span></span><span style="font-size:11px;color:var(--fvc-g-mitte);font-weight:700;margin-left:auto;text-align:right;line-height:1.3">Fair&nbsp;Value<br>Calculator&nbsp;→</span></a>

Cite: Fair Value Calculator (2026). "Lee Enterprises Incorporated Fair Value". https://www.fairvalue-calculator.com/stock/LEE

Frequently asked questions

Is Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE) overvalued or undervalued?

As of Sep 21, 2026, our model estimates a fair value of $0.2400 versus a price of $6.79, about −96% upside (overvalued).

What is the fair value of LEE?

Our model-based fair value for Lee Enterprises Incorporated is $0.2400 (as of Sep 21, 2026), built from audited fundamentals. The current price: $6.79.

What is the quality score of LEE?

Lee Enterprises Incorporated has a Quality Score of 34/100. It measures business quality (profitability, growth, cash flow, balance-sheet strength, investment discipline, share issuance). Market factors such as price momentum and volatility do not enter the number; they are shown separately in the detail view.

What is the price target for Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Our model-based price target is the fair value of $0.2400 (as of Sep 21, 2026) from 1 valuation models. Cautious scenario $0.2300, optimistic scenario $0.9600. It is a calculation from audited fundamentals, not an analyst target.

What is the Lee Enterprises Incorporated stock forecast for 2026?

Our models put fair value at $0.2400, about −96% upside versus a price of $6.79 (overvalued). Cautious scenario $0.2300, optimistic scenario $0.9600. The calculation is refreshed regularly with new filings.

What is the revenue of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Lee Enterprises Incorporated reported trailing-twelve-month revenue of about $532M (latest available figure, as of Sep 21, 2026).

What is the intrinsic value of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Intrinsic value and fair value mean the same thing: what the business is worth on its numbers, independent of the share price. For Lee Enterprises Incorporated it is $0.2400 per share (as of Sep 21, 2026), against a price of $6.79. It is the blended result of 1 valuation models (cash flow, earnings, asset, dividend).

Is Lee Enterprises Incorporated stock overvalued or undervalued in 2026?

As of Sep 21, 2026, LEE trades above its calculated fair value: price $6.79, fair value $0.2400, a gap of about −96% (overvalued). The calculation is refreshed with each new quarterly report, so the verdict can change during the year.

Is fair value the same as the market price of LEE?

No. The price is what the market pays today ($6.79); the fair value is what the company's own numbers justify ($0.2400). For Lee Enterprises Incorporated the two are $6.55 per share apart. That gap is exactly why we show both numbers side by side.

How much is Lee Enterprises Incorporated worth?

The market values Lee Enterprises Incorporated at about $206M (market capitalisation, as of Sep 21, 2026). Per share that is $6.79; our models calculate a fair value of $0.2400 per share.

What do the bullish and bearish scenarios say about LEE?

Our models span a range for Lee Enterprises Incorporated: cautious scenario $0.2300, base $0.2400, optimistic $0.9600 per share (as of Sep 21, 2026, price $6.79). The range comes from different growth and margin assumptions, not from analyst opinions.

What is the PEG ratio of LEE?

The PEG ratio of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is 99.04 (P/E divided by earnings growth, as of Sep 21, 2026). That is above 1, so the growth is already paid for in the price.

How solid is the balance sheet of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Balance-sheet figures for Lee Enterprises Incorporated (as of Sep 21, 2026): negative equity, so no return on equity and no debt-to-equity ratio. They feed the Quality Score of 34/100, which measures business quality independently of the share price.

How far is LEE from its 52-week high?

Lee Enterprises Incorporated trades at $6.79, about 42% below its 52-week high of $11.76 and 100% above the low of $3.40 (as of Sep 23, 2026). Distance from the high says nothing about value: that is what the fair value of $0.2400 is for.

Which stocks are comparable to Lee Enterprises Incorporated?

From the same area (Communication Services) we also value The New York Times Company, Jiangsu Phoenix Publishing & Media Corporation, China Science Publishing & Media Ltd, People.cn CO., LTD, among others. Each of them has its own fair-value calculation on this site using the same models, so the comparison is like for like.

Is Lee Enterprises Incorporated stock attractive at the current price?

The data as of Sep 21, 2026: price $6.79, calculated fair value $0.2400 (−96%), Quality Score 34/100, from 1 models. Whether that fits your horizon and risk tolerance is your call. We provide the calculation, not investment advice.

How is the fair value of LEE calculated?

We run Lee Enterprises Incorporated through 1 models from four families: discounted cash flow, earnings models, asset and balance-sheet models, and dividend models. Every model gets the same audited fundamentals; the result is the weighted average of $0.2400, with the spread shown as a cautious and an optimistic scenario.

Is it still worth investing in stocks now?

The global stock market currently sits 13.0 % above its aggregate fair value. Lee Enterprises Incorporated itself currently trades above fair value. An expensive market is no reason to stay out and no reason to buy everything at once: keep a broad savings plan running, buy single stocks only with money you can do without, and hold part of your money liquid while the market is high. The full picture including sectors is on is it worth investing now.

What is the share price of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

The closing price on Sep 23, 2026 was $6.79. Our model-based fair value is $0.2400, about −96% upside (overvalued). We carry closing prices from our data provider, not a live tick.

What should I pay attention to with Lee Enterprises Incorporated right now?

The price sits above even our optimistic bull case ($0.9600). The favourable scenario is already priced in. Weak quality (34/100) and above fair value at the same time, the margin of safety is missing on both counts. The model range is unusually wide ($0.2300 to $0.9600). The outcome hinges heavily on assumptions, so read the point estimate with caution. The large gap to fair value rests on thin data (low evidence): fewer applicable models and a shorter history. Read it with extra caution.

Key figures of Lee Enterprises Incorporated

How large is the market capitalisation of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

The market capitalisation of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is $206M. The stock-market value of the whole company: share price times number of shares. It is what the market asks for the entire business today.

What is the P/S ratio of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

The price-to-sales ratio of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is 0.39 (last twelve months). Price to sales: market value relative to yearly revenue. Useful when profit is thin or distorted.

What are the earnings per share of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Earnings per share at Lee Enterprises Incorporated are $−2.10. Earnings per share over the last twelve months: total profit spread across every single share.

What is the net margin of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

The net margin of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is −6.7% (fiscal year 2025). How much of every unit of revenue ends up as profit. 10% means 10 cents of profit per dollar of sales.

What is the return on equity of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

The return on equity (ROE) of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is −146% (last twelve months). Profit relative to shareholders' equity, how efficiently the company works with its owners' money.

What is the EBIT return on assets of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

On an EBIT basis the return on assets of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is 3.9% (avg 5y). Operating profit (EBIT) relative to everything the company owns, as a multi-year average. It describes the business model rather than one good or bad year.

What is the operating margin of Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

The operating margin of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is 6.0% (last twelve months). Profit from the core business (before interest and taxes) relative to revenue.

How fast is revenue growing at Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Revenue at Lee Enterprises Incorporated is growing −11.2% versus a year earlier (3y avg −10.4%). How much revenue grew versus a year earlier (YoY). The 3-year average next to it puts the single year in context.

How fast are earnings growing at Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE)?

Earnings per share at Lee Enterprises Incorporated are growing −38.3% versus a year earlier. How much earnings per share grew versus a year earlier.

How much free cash flow does Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE) generate?

The free cash flow of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is −$7.1M (fiscal year 2025). The cash truly left after running and investing in the business, this is what pays dividends and buybacks.

How much net debt does Lee Enterprises Incorporated (LEE) carry?

The net debt of Lee Enterprises Incorporated is $472M (fiscal year 2025). Debt minus cash on hand. The note shows how many years of free cash flow could in theory pay it off.

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