Gannett calls off big acquisition

Article Excerpt

GANNETT CO., INC. $9.68 (New York symbol GCI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector: Shares outstanding: 116.6 million; Market cap: $1.1 billion; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.4; Dividend yield: 6.6%; TSINetwork Rating: Average; www.gannett.com) publishes over 100 U.S. daily newspapers and their associated websites. That includes the company’s flagship daily USAToday. Gannett also has papers in the U.K., and over 200 magazines and other publications. The company has dropped its takeover bid for tronc Inc. (Nasdaq symbol TRNC). That’s the new name for the Tribune Publishing Co., owner of the Chicago Tribune, the Los Angeles Times and other papers. Gannett’s last offer of $15.00 a share is 15.6% more than tronc’s current share price of $12.98. However, tronc rejected that offer. Gannett will now focus on acquisitions of smaller newspaper chains and their websites. A new plan to cut 2% of its workforce will also help the company cope with shrinking advertising revenue. Gannett is still a buy for long-term gains. gains…