High debt load remains a concern

Article Excerpt

GANNETT CO. INC. $2.18 is a hold. The company (New York symbol GCI; Conservative Growth Portfolio, Consumer sector: Shares outstanding: 148.8 million; Market cap: $324.4 million; Price-to-sales ratio: 0.1; Dividend suspended in 2020; TSINetwork Rating: Speculative; www.gannett.com) publishes daily and weekly newspapers in 220 local markets in 43 states. Those include its flagship newspaper, USAToday. It also publishes 150 daily and weekly newspapers in the U.K. Gannett continues to expand its digital operations in response to slowing advertising and circulation revenue at its print business. However, its high debt load remains a major risk factor. In 2023, the company sold $85.30 million worth of real estate and other assets to pay down its debt, which stood at $980.9 million as of December 31, 2023. However, that’s still a very high 3.0 times its market cap. It expects to repay another $110 million of that debt in 2024. Gannett is a hold. hold. …