What Happened?
Shares of media, broadcasting, and digital services company E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ: SSP) fell 4.2% in the afternoon session after UBS downgraded the stock to 'sell' from 'neutral', citing concerns over upcoming headwinds.
The investment bank expressed concerns that the mid-term consensus for the company appears stretched in light of upcoming headwinds. UBS specifically pointed to weak volumes and lower near-term capacity, which it believes put current market consensus estimates at risk. This negative assessment from a major financial institution is the clear catalyst for the negative investor sentiment surrounding the stock.
The shares closed the day at $3.20, down 3.5% from previous close.
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What Is The Market Telling Us
E.W. Scripps’s shares are extremely volatile and have had 91 moves greater than 5% over the last year. In that context, today’s move indicates the market considers this news meaningful but not something that would fundamentally change its perception of the business.
The previous big move we wrote about was 4 days ago when the stock gained 4.3% on the news that the company announced an expansion of its digital distribution with the launch of six of its national channels on Peacock's streaming platform. The channels involved in the deal are ION, ION Mystery, Bounce, Court TV, Court TV Legendary Trials, and Scripps News. This partnership significantly expands Scripps' digital distribution, positioning the company to reach audiences who are moving away from traditional cable television to streaming services. As the trend of "cord-cutting" continues to accelerate, this strategic move allows Scripps to tap into Peacock's large user base, potentially boosting its viewership and relevance in an evolving media landscape. The deal also enhances Peacock's own 24/7 channel offerings, which already include content from major players in sports, news, and entertainment.
E.W. Scripps is up 27% since the beginning of the year, but at $3.20 per share, it is still trading 22.9% below its 52-week high of $4.15 from July 2025. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of E.W. Scripps’s shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $268.91.
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