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Cumulus Media Inc (CMLS)
OTHER OTC:CMLS
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Cumulus Media (CMLS) AI Stock Analysis

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CMLS

Cumulus Media

(OTC:CMLS)

Rating:44Neutral
Price Target:
$0.00
▼(-100.00% Downside)
Cumulus Media's overall stock score is primarily driven by its precarious financial position, characterized by declining revenues, substantial losses, and high leverage. Technical analysis provides some short-term positive signals, but long-term trends remain bearish. Valuation metrics are unattractive due to negative earnings and lack of dividends. Despite some positive strategic initiatives highlighted in the earnings call, the company's financial challenges weigh heavily on the overall score.
Positive Factors
Cost management
Management has been diligent in reducing its fixed cost base, making room for growing variable expense tied to its digital businesses, executing on $35 million in cost reduction in Q4.
Digital segment growth
The DMS business has been the main source of growth in the digital segment, growing 30% in the quarter, and is expected to grow at a similar pace in Q2.
Negative Factors
Ad sales headwind
The end of an ad sales relationship towards year end is expected to be a $15 million headwind for 2025.
Cash flow pressure
The company has $24 million of principle due next year, and the difficult ad environment is a strain on cash flow trends.
Macro uncertainty
Macro uncertainty, particularly around tariffs and rates were noted as adding to uncertainty and pressuring ad spend, in addition to the shorter-term challenges from the loss of some content relationships.

Cumulus Media (CMLS) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Cumulus Media Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCumulus Media Inc. (CMLS) is a leading media and entertainment company that operates a diversified portfolio of radio stations across the United States, focusing on both AM and FM broadcasting. The company is also engaged in the production and distribution of digital content, including podcasts and online radio, and offers advertising solutions to reach various audiences. Cumulus Media's core products include traditional radio programming, digital streaming services, and advertising packages tailored for local and national businesses.
How the Company Makes MoneyCumulus Media generates revenue primarily through advertising sales, which is the largest portion of its income. The company sells airtime to advertisers who want to promote their products or services to the station's listeners. Additionally, Cumulus earns money from digital media initiatives, including online streaming and podcast advertising, which have become increasingly important as consumption habits shift. The company also benefits from partnerships with local businesses for cross-promotions and event sponsorships. Furthermore, Cumulus Media has engaged in strategic acquisitions to enhance its market presence and expand its revenue base, allowing it to capitalize on synergies and improve operational efficiencies.

Cumulus Media Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 07, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 30, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
The earnings call reflects a company facing significant revenue challenges due to macroeconomic pressures and weak national advertising, partially offset by strong digital growth and effective cost management. While there are positive strategic initiatives and engagement from employees and shareholders, the revenue decline and high leverage present ongoing challenges.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Digital Marketing Services Growth
Digital marketing services business was up 38% year-over-year, with an expected surpass of $100 million run rate early next year. This reflects a strategic growth area for the company with a significant contribution to digital revenue.
Cost Reduction Achievements
The company has achieved over $175 million of fixed cost reductions over the last 5 years, with an additional $5 million in annualized cost reductions in the recent quarter.
Revenue Market Share Growth
Cumulus Media grew its revenue market share in all broadcast spot revenue channels and digital revenue market share, indicating strong performance relative to peers.
AI Integration and Efficiency
Significantly accelerated use of AI to create growth opportunities and business efficiencies across the company, with over 100 projects being prioritized for execution.
Strong Employee and Shareholder Engagement
93% of employees proud to work for Cumulus, and 86% have confidence in leadership. Shareholder engagement resulted in 90% plus average vote for Board members.
Negative Updates
Total Revenue Decline
Total revenue down 9.2%, with broadcast revenue particularly impacted by macroeconomic pressures and a weak national advertising environment.
Network Revenue Challenges
Network revenue down 20% due to weak market environment and loss of Daily Wire and Dan Bongino, along with a lack of demand for sports inventory.
High Leverage and Capital Constraints
Operating in a capital-constrained environment due to high leverage, limiting the ability to invest in strategic opportunities unless ROI is immediate.
Continued Weakness in National Advertising
No significant improvement in national advertising pacing, affecting overall revenue performance.
Company Guidance
In the call, Cumulus Media provided guidance reflecting a challenging fiscal environment but highlighted several key performance metrics. The company reported a 9.2% decline in total revenue for Q2 2025, slightly better than previous guidance, with a significant decline attributed to macroeconomic pressures. Despite these challenges, Cumulus Media noted a 38% year-over-year increase in their local digital marketing services business, contributing to a 20% rise in total digital revenue. The company achieved over $175 million in fixed cost reductions over five years, including $5 million in Q2, and ended the quarter with $97 million in cash, partly due to a $55 million draw on their ABL revolver. Additionally, the company's broadcast segment faced headwinds, with a 20% decline in network revenue partly due to the discontinuation of certain programs. Looking ahead to Q3, Cumulus Media anticipates revenue pacing down in the low double digits but remains optimistic about digital growth, projecting their digital marketing services business to surpass a $100 million run rate early next year.

Cumulus Media Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Cumulus Media faces significant financial challenges with declining revenues, high leverage, and net losses. The negative equity and cash flow issues pose substantial risks, although there are slight improvements in operating cash flow. Urgent strategic and operational adjustments are needed to stabilize and improve financial health.
Income Statement
30
Negative
Cumulus Media is experiencing declining revenue and negative profitability. TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) revenue decreased compared to the previous periods, with a current gross profit margin of 68.84%. The company reported significant net losses, and negative EBIT and EBITDA margins, indicating operational challenges.
Balance Sheet
20
Very Negative
The balance sheet shows high leverage with a debt-to-equity ratio of -31.82 due to negative stockholders' equity, indicating financial instability. Return on equity is not meaningful given the negative equity. The equity ratio is also negative, highlighting potential solvency issues.
Cash Flow
40
Negative
The company shows some improvement in operating cash flow to net income ratio, but overall free cash flow remains negative. The free cash flow to net income ratio is also negative, suggesting difficulties in generating cash relative to net losses.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue795.54M827.08M844.55M953.51M916.47M816.22M
Gross Profit491.23M502.83M511.19M596.03M557.78M479.14M
EBITDA65.60M59.20M81.83M158.40M119.65M59.51M
Net Income-286.59M-283.25M-117.88M16.23M17.28M-59.72M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets1.11B1.12B1.44B1.61B1.72B1.86B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments96.75M63.84M80.66M107.43M177.03M271.76M
Total Debt845.92M794.71M813.08M862.35M952.96M1.13B
Total Liabilities1.14B1.11B1.15B1.20B1.30B1.46B
Stockholders Equity-37.09M6.95M286.58M408.40M419.50M397.59M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow-4.57M-22.58M6.85M47.42M39.43M18.34M
Operating Cash Flow13.41M-3.12M31.66M78.48M68.52M33.21M
Investing Cash Flow-17.15M-4.23M-6.82M-26.24M-1.54M64.36M
Financing Cash Flow46.99M-9.47M-51.61M-121.84M-161.71M157.19M

Cumulus Media Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price0.16
Price Trends
50DMA
0.14
Positive
100DMA
0.15
Positive
200DMA
0.43
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
<0.01
Positive
RSI
52.00
Neutral
STOCH
54.55
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For CMLS, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 0.16 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 0.16, above the 50-day MA of 0.14, and below the 200-day MA of 0.43, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of <0.01 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 52.00 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 54.55 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for CMLS.

Cumulus Media Risk Analysis

Cumulus Media disclosed 21 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Cumulus Media 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

Cumulus Media Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
64
Neutral
$77.73M35.391.23%8.29%-1.72%-66.67%
60
Neutral
$46.29B4.07-13.11%4.12%1.85%-42.71%
58
Neutral
$316.48M86.54%3.18%62.89%
45
Neutral
$8.32M3.37-5.76%-5.52%87.59%
45
Neutral
$50.76M-97.71%-10.63%-61.23%
44
Neutral
$15.31M-274.30%-4.57%-103.56%
$69.78M4.5955.64%
* Communication Services Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
CMLS
Cumulus Media
0.16
-1.34
-89.33%
BBGI
Beasley Broadcast Group
4.70
-6.17
-56.76%
UONE
Urban One
1.62
-0.40
-19.80%
SGA
Saga Communications
11.90
-1.30
-9.85%
IHRT
iHeartMedia
2.10
0.58
38.16%
MDIA
Mediaco Holding
1.35
-1.91
-58.59%

Cumulus Media Corporate Events

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Cumulus Media Holds Annual Shareholder Meeting
Neutral
May 30, 2025

On May 30, 2025, Cumulus Media held its Annual Meeting where shareholders voted on several key proposals. All seven nominees were elected as directors, the compensation for named executive officers was approved, and PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP was ratified as the independent registered public accounting firm for 2025.

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: Sep 05, 2025