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The Arena Group Holdings Inc. (AREN)
:AREN
US Market

The Arena Group (AREN) AI Stock Analysis

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AREN

The Arena Group

(NYSE MKT:AREN)

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Neutral 50 (OpenAI - 4o)
Rating:50Neutral
Price Target:
$4.00
▼(-7.83% Downside)
The Arena Group's overall stock score reflects significant financial challenges, including high leverage and weak cash flow. However, strategic initiatives and positive earnings call sentiment provide some optimism. The stock's undervaluation offers potential upside, but technical indicators suggest caution.
Positive Factors
Profitability and Strong Margins
The Arena Group's ability to maintain strong margins and increase profitability despite revenue declines indicates effective cost management and operational efficiency, which are crucial for long-term sustainability.
Debt Reduction and Cash Generation
Reducing debt and generating cash from operations strengthens the balance sheet, enhancing financial flexibility and reducing risk, which supports long-term growth and stability.
Strategic Acquisitions
Strategic acquisitions expand The Arena Group's market presence and diversify revenue streams, positioning the company for future growth and profitability in new segments.
Negative Factors
Revenue Decline
The decline in revenue highlights challenges in maintaining top-line growth, which could impact the company's ability to invest in growth initiatives and sustain long-term profitability.
High Leverage
High leverage indicates heavy reliance on debt, which can strain financial resources and limit the company's ability to respond to market changes or invest in growth opportunities.
Cash Flow Challenges
Negative free cash flow growth suggests difficulties in generating sufficient cash, which may hinder the company's ability to fund operations, pay down debt, or invest in strategic initiatives.

The Arena Group (AREN) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

The Arena Group Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionThe Arena Group (AREN) is a media company that operates in the digital publishing sector, focusing on creating and distributing premium content across various platforms. It encompasses a diverse portfolio of brands and properties that engage audiences in areas such as sports, entertainment, and lifestyle. The company is dedicated to leveraging technology and innovation to enhance user experiences and drive audience engagement.
How the Company Makes MoneyThe Arena Group generates revenue through multiple streams, primarily through digital advertising, subscription services, and partnerships with brands. Their advertising revenue comes from displaying ads on their digital platforms, leveraging their extensive audience reach to attract advertisers. Additionally, they offer premium content subscriptions, allowing users to access exclusive articles, videos, and other materials, which provides a steady income. Significant partnerships with brands for sponsored content and events also contribute to their earnings, allowing them to monetize their audience through branded experiences and collaborations.

The Arena Group Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 13, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 30, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlighted The Arena Group's resilience and strategic growth initiatives in the face of industry-wide challenges. Despite a decline in revenue, the company achieved profitability and strong margins, reduced debt, and strengthened its balance sheet. Strategic acquisitions and an innovative business model were emphasized as key growth drivers. The overall sentiment is positive, with notable achievements outweighing challenges.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Profitability and Strong Margins
The Arena Group reported a net income of $6.9 million, up from $4.0 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $11.9 million from $11.2 million last year. The company maintained gross margins above 50% despite traffic volatility.
Debt Reduction and Cash Generation
The company generated $12.1 million of cash from operations during the third quarter, fully repaid its revolving credit facility, and reduced total debt by more than $10 million year-to-date. The cash balance increased to $12.5 million.
Strategic Acquisitions
Acquired digital assets and IP of ShopHQ and Lindy's Sports for $2 million, expanding e-commerce and sports portfolios. ShopHQ is generating revenue and Lindy's is expected to launch soon, both anticipated to be profitable in 2026.
Innovative Business Model
The entrepreneurial publisher model and focus on data, AI, and e-commerce are driving efficient content creation and higher-margin revenue streams, registering over 40,000 new users daily.
Negative Updates
Revenue Decline
Third quarter revenue was $29.8 million compared to $33.6 million last year, reflecting a decrease in top-line performance.
Traffic Volatility
Faced significant headwinds and traffic volatility due to algorithmic changes in the industry, impacting organic traffic in lifestyle and sports categories.
Company Guidance
During The Arena Group's Third Quarter 2025 Earnings Conference Call, the company reported several key financial metrics and provided guidance on future performance. Revenue for the third quarter was $29.8 million, down from $33.6 million the previous year, but net income rose to $6.9 million compared to $4.0 million a year ago. Adjusted EBITDA increased to $11.9 million from $11.2 million year-over-year, maintaining gross margins above 50% despite industry traffic volatility. The company achieved a net margin of 23.2% and an EBITDA margin of 39.9%, both higher than industry averages. The Arena Group generated $12.1 million in cash from operations during the quarter and reduced total debt by more than $10 million year-to-date. With a cash balance of $12.5 million and net debt below $100 million, the company is actively pursuing refinancing options for its outstanding debt. Looking forward, the company plans to expand its entrepreneurial publishing model into video and social commerce, leveraging data and AI to build higher-margin revenue streams. Additionally, recent acquisitions, such as ShopHQ and Lindy's Sports, are expected to contribute to profitability in 2026.

The Arena Group Financial Statement Overview

Summary
The Arena Group faces significant financial challenges. Despite improvements in operational efficiency, the company struggles with declining revenue and high leverage. The balance sheet is weak, with negative equity and high debt levels. Cash flow metrics indicate poor cash generation and conversion, raising concerns about liquidity and financial sustainability.
Income Statement
45
Neutral
The Arena Group's income statement shows a mixed performance. The TTM gross profit margin is strong at 52.64%, indicating efficient cost management. However, the net profit margin is exceptionally high at 84.23% due to a one-time gain, which is not sustainable. Revenue has declined by 2.59% in the TTM, suggesting challenges in maintaining growth. EBIT and EBITDA margins have improved significantly, reflecting better operational efficiency.
Balance Sheet
30
Negative
The balance sheet reveals significant financial instability. The debt-to-equity ratio is extremely high at -6.67, indicating heavy reliance on debt financing. Return on equity is negative, reflecting poor profitability relative to equity. The equity ratio is also negative, highlighting a precarious financial position with liabilities exceeding assets.
Cash Flow
25
Negative
Cash flow analysis shows concerning trends. Free cash flow growth is negative, indicating declining cash generation. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is low at 0.11, suggesting weak cash conversion. The free cash flow to net income ratio is negative, pointing to insufficient cash flow to cover net income.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue142.81M125.91M143.63M220.94M189.14M128.03M
Gross Profit75.11M55.72M55.27M88.01M78.61M24.97M
EBITDA49.66M16.94M-12.67M-33.86M-55.99M-47.69M
Net Income126.40M-100.71M-55.58M-70.86M-89.94M-89.23M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets121.36M116.35M188.88M203.72M173.98M214.20M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments12.52M4.36M9.28M13.87M9.35M9.03M
Total Debt112.94M123.69M131.49M116.85M83.26M90.32M
Total Liabilities131.75M246.68M247.87M255.87M225.66M216.10M
Stockholders Equity-10.39M-130.33M-58.99M-52.15M-51.68M-1.90M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow7.92M-21.25M-28.55M-17.01M-19.93M-37.26M
Operating Cash Flow17.56M-16.08M-24.77M-11.30M-14.73M-32.29M
Investing Cash Flow-9.65M-5.17M-3.21M-38.59M-13.15M-4.93M
Financing Cash Flow-1.17M16.33M22.89M54.42M28.19M37.28M

The Arena Group Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Neutral
Last Price4.34
Price Trends
50DMA
4.49
Negative
100DMA
5.32
Negative
200DMA
4.94
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.10
Negative
RSI
48.65
Neutral
STOCH
41.27
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For AREN, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 4.34 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.13, below the 50-day MA of 4.49, and below the 200-day MA of 4.94, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of -0.10 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 48.65 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 41.27 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for AREN.

The Arena Group Risk Analysis

The Arena Group disclosed 42 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. The Arena Group reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

The Arena Group Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
60
Neutral
$48.67B4.58-11.27%4.14%2.83%-41.78%
55
Neutral
$204.68M75.131.22%17.38%
52
Neutral
$35.81M-1.29-5.12%0.77%74.60%
52
Neutral
$80.09M-1.82-102.66%-37.41%60.58%
50
Neutral
$199.83M1.59-10.90%
45
Neutral
$89.98M-0.25-51.54%-16.83%-485.31%
39
Underperform
$34.03M-0.64
* Communication Services Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
AREN
The Arena Group
4.21
2.84
207.30%
SCOR
comScore
7.14
0.72
11.21%
TRVG
trivago
2.90
0.60
26.09%
SEAT
Vivid Seats
6.19
-63.81
-91.16%
BODI
Beachbody Company
11.30
5.21
85.55%
BZFD
BuzzFeed
0.91
-1.96
-68.29%

The Arena Group Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Arena Group Shareholders Back Directors and Auditor Slate
Positive
Dec 18, 2025

On December 17, 2025, The Arena Group Holdings, Inc. held its Annual Meeting, at which stockholders elected three directors—H. Hunt Allred, Cavitt Randall and Lynn Petersmarck—each receiving a strong majority of votes cast, despite a modest number of withheld votes and broker non-votes. Shareholders also overwhelmingly ratified the appointment of BDO USA, P.C. as the company’s independent registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2025, reinforcing continuity in the group’s board leadership and external audit oversight for the coming year.

M&A TransactionsBusiness Operations and Strategy
The Arena Group Acquires ShopHQ to Expand Portfolio
Positive
Oct 17, 2025

On October 14, 2025, The Arena Group announced the acquisition of the digital assets of Lindy’s Sports, a historic sports publication, to expand its Sports & Leisure vertical. This acquisition strengthens The Arena Group’s position in the sports media market and aligns with its growth strategy of transforming established media brands with a modern digital approach. On October 17, 2025, the company also announced the acquisition of ShopHQ, further enhancing its portfolio.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Dec 19, 2025