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Gray Television (GTN)
NYSE:GTN

Gray Television (GTN) AI Stock Analysis

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GTN

Gray Television

(NYSE:GTN)

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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
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Neutral 58 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:58Neutral
Price Target:
$4.50
▼(-0.66% Downside)
Action:ReiteratedDate:02/28/26
GTN scores in the upper-50s primarily due to weakened recent fundamentals (TTM net loss, sharply lower free cash flow, and elevated leverage). Technicals are supportive with bullish price positioning and positive MACD, but an overbought RSI tempers the outlook. Valuation is helped by a high dividend yield, while the latest earnings call was moderately positive on guidance execution and cost control but still constrained by leverage and rising CapEx expectations.
Positive Factors
Margin Sustainability
Gray’s operating margins remain robust (EBIT ~18%, EBITDA ~25%), which supports durable cash generation even as revenue fluctuates. Strong station-level margins provide a structural cushion for profitability, helping fund digital initiatives and deleveraging efforts over the coming quarters.
Liquidity and Tactical Liability Management
Substantial liquidity (> $1.1B), repurchase capacity and tactical debt transactions (add-on to second‑lien and calls of first‑lien paper) materially improve short‑to‑medium term financial flexibility. These actions lower refinancing risk and enable focused deleveraging or selective M&A without immediate strain.
Strategic Content & Distribution Enhancements
Renewals, Telemundo expansion and the Google Cloud Quick Play partnership strengthen Gray’s content distribution, Spanish‑language reach and streaming capabilities. These structural moves diversify monetization levers (retrans, national/sponsored ads, digital) and support longer‑term audience growth and revenue mix improvement.
Negative Factors
Elevated Leverage
Total leverage near 5.8x and first‑lien around 2.4x leaves limited margin for error and constrains capital allocation. High leverage raises interest and refinancing sensitivity, making sustained deleveraging critical; until materially lower, leverage will restrict investment flexibility and raise cyclical risk exposure.
Sharply Reduced Free Cash Flow
Free cash flow has collapsed relative to prior periods, reducing internal funding for capex, dividends, buybacks or debt paydown. Lower FCF combined with rising 2026 CapEx guidance increases reliance on external liquidity or asset sales and slows the pace at which the company can sustainably delever.
Revenue Volatility and Recent Net Loss
Revenue has shown material volatility and the company swung to a TTM net loss, reflecting sensitivity to ad cycles, retransmission dynamics and subscriber trends. This uneven top‑line trajectory complicates predictable earnings power and makes multi‑quarter recovery dependent on both secular and cyclical factors.

Gray Television (GTN) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Gray Television Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionGray Media, Inc., a television broadcasting company, owns and/or operates television stations and digital assets in the United States. It also broadcasts secondary digital channels affiliated to ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX, as well as various other networks and program services, including CW Plus Network, MY Network, the MeTV Network, Justice, This TV Network, Antenna TV, Telemundo, Cozi, Heroes and Icons, and MOVIES! Network; and local news/weather channels in various markets. In addition, the company offers video program production services. It owns and operates television stations and digital assets that serve 113 television markets in the United States. The company was formerly known as Gray Communications Systems, Inc. and changed its name to Gray Television, Inc. in August 2002. Gray Television, Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
How the Company Makes MoneyGray Television primarily makes money by monetizing the audience reach of its local television stations and digital platforms. Key revenue streams include: (1) Advertising revenue: Gray sells commercial time to local and regional advertisers (e.g., retailers, services, political campaigns) and also benefits from national advertising placed during network and syndicated programming carried on its stations; advertising demand typically varies with economic conditions and election cycles. (2) Retransmission consent and distribution revenue: Gray earns fees from multichannel video programming distributors and virtual MVPDs (e.g., cable, satellite, and streaming pay-TV providers) in exchange for the right to carry its local stations; these payments are commonly referred to as retransmission consent fees and are an important component of station economics. (3) Other station-related and digital revenue: Gray generates additional revenue from digital advertising and marketing services associated with its local media brands, and from other station-related sources (such as production and related services) where applicable. Material factors that can meaningfully influence earnings include local and national ad market conditions, political advertising cycles, the mix and strength of network affiliations and programming, negotiations and carriage terms with distributors (including disputes and renewals), and the company’s ability to grow digital advertising and related services alongside traditional broadcast revenue.

Gray Television Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Feb 26, 2026
(Q4-2025)
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% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:May 01, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call contained a number of concrete operating and strategic positives: revenue surprised to the upside ($792M), operating expenses came in below guidance, Adjusted EBITDA was positive at $179M, net retransmission showed a return to growth in Q4 and is expected to be modestly up in 2026, liquidity was strong (> $1.1B) and management completed tactical debt transactions. The company also highlighted important content and distribution wins (awards, network renewals, Google Cloud Quick Play partnership) and continued digital and political-ad strength. Offsetting items include an FY net loss of $23M, still-elevated total leverage (5.8x), flat full-year net retransmission versus 2024, ongoing subscriber declines (though slowing), and an expected increase in 2026 CapEx. On balance the call emphasized progress on deleveraging, margin control and strategic initiatives while acknowledging remaining leverage, subscriber and capital deployment challenges.
Q4-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Revenue Above Guidance
Total revenue for 2025 was $792 million, coming in above the high end of the company's guidance for the period.
Operating Expense Outperformance
Q4 operating expenses (before D&A, impairment and gains/losses) were $618 million, $5 million below the low end of guidance; full-year broadcasting expenses declined ~$78 million, or ~3% vs. 2024.
Positive Adjusted EBITDA and Manageable Net Loss
Adjusted EBITDA for 2025 was $179 million. Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $23 million for the year.
Net Retransmission Stabilization and Q4 Return to Growth
Net retransmission revenue stabilized at $547 million in 2025 (vs. $550 million in 2024). Net retrans returned to growth in Q4 2025 with approximately $4 million of improvement versus Q4 2024; Q1 2026 guide is $148M–$156M and management expects slight net retrans growth for full-year 2026.
Improved Liquidity and Tactical Balance Sheet Moves
Completed a $250 million add-on to 9.58% second lien notes (priced at 102) and used proceeds to call $125 million of 10.5% first lien notes (at 103). Company ended Q4 with over $1.1 billion in liquidity and $232 million available under its open-market debt repurchase authorization.
Advertising and Digital Momentum
Core advertising finished Q4 up ~3% YoY and finished the quarter slightly above the high end of guidance; digital revenue grew low double digits in Q4. Political advertising in Q4 was $12 million (vs. guide of $7–8M). Q1 2026 political guide is $25–30M (comparable to $26M in 2022).
Strategic Content, Distribution and Programming Wins
Closed acquisition of WBBJ-TV for $25 million; company won 10 national Edward R. Murrow Awards (most of any U.S. media company); renewed 54 NBC affiliations for three years and expanded Telemundo to 47 markets (reaching ~1.6 million Spanish-speaking households); partnered with Google Cloud to bring Quick Play personalized streaming platform as Google’s first broadcast partner.
CapEx Discipline and Assembly Atlanta Investment Control
2025 capital expenditures (ex-Assembly Atlanta) were $74 million in line with guidance; net capital investment in Assembly Atlanta for 2025 was essentially $1 million (net of reimbursements). Management reported total net investment in Assembly of ~$630 million as of 2025 (net of reimbursements).
Negative Updates
Net Loss and Elevated Total Leverage
Net loss attributable to common stockholders was $23 million in 2025. Year-end leverage metrics remain elevated: 2.43x first lien, 3.65x secured, and 5.8x total leverage (per senior credit agreement calculations).
Net Retransmission Volatility and FY Flat Performance
While Q4 showed a net retrans uplift (~$4 million), full-year net retransmission revenue was essentially flat at $547M vs $550M in 2024. Q4 also reflected a 13% decline in network affiliation expenses and a 7% decline in retransmission consent revenue YoY, highlighting volatility and comparability noise (including impacts from WANF becoming independent).
Advertising Headwinds in Certain Categories
Full-year core advertising finished down ~3% in 2025. Automotive was down ~8% for the year (cited tariff uncertainty). Management expects political advertising intensity in 2026 may crowd or mute core ad growth in parts of the year.
Subscriber Declines Persist (albeit Slower)
Company indicated continued declines in traditional MVPD subscribers (consistent with industry trends) though the rate of decline has slowed; management did not disclose subscriber counts and attributed Q4 net retrans outperformance to better-than-expected subscriber trends, signaling ongoing dependence on subscriber dynamics for future performance.
Higher Capital Spend Expected in 2026
Company estimates ~ $140 million of company-wide CapEx in 2026 (vs. $74M in 2025 ex-Assembly), noting the political-year uplift and several building-related projects—an increase described as 'a little more than usual.'
Regulatory and M&A Completion Risk; Competitive Consolidation Uncertainty
Five transactions remain before the FCC/DOJ and are pending; broader industry consolidation (e.g., Nexstar/Tegna discussions) could alter competitive dynamics and create strategic and regulatory uncertainty for Gray Media.
Company Guidance
Management’s guidance emphasized stabilization and modest growth while continuing to delever: they reported 2025 total revenue of $792M (above guidance) with Q4 operating expenses before D&A of $618M (‑$5M vs. guidance); broadcasting station Opex fell $10M (‑3% YoY in Q4) and $78M (≈3%) for the full year; net loss attributable to common shareholders was $23M and Adjusted EBITDA was $179M. Key forward metrics include political revenue of $12M in Q4 (vs. $7–8M guide) and Q1 political guidance of $25–30M (vs. $26M in 2022); net retransmission revenue stabilized at $547M in 2025 (vs. $550M in 2024) with Q4 net retrans up ≈$4M versus guide and Q1 net‑retrans guidance of $148–156M, and modest full‑year growth in net retrans expected in 2026. Balance‑sheet and cash‑flow guidance: liquidity > $1.1B, $232M repurchase availability, completed $250M add‑on to 9.58% second‑lien at 102 and called $125M of 10.5% first‑lien at 103, year‑end leverage of 2.43x (first‑lien), 3.65x (secured) and 5.8x (total), 2025 CapEx $74M (ex‑Assembly) and 2026 CapEx guidance ≈$140M, Assembly net 2025 investment ~$1M (cumulative net ~ $630M); management expects delevering M&A plus a strong 2026 political cycle to materially reduce debt and leverage.

Gray Television Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Financial results are mixed and recently weakened: TTM revenue is down ~7.6% and the company swung to a TTM net loss (‑$85M). Margins at the operating level remain solid (EBIT ~18%, EBITDA ~25%), but free cash flow fell sharply (TTM FCF ~$61M, ~‑86% vs. prior period) and leverage is elevated (TTM debt-to-equity ~2.29x), reducing flexibility.
Income Statement
52
Neutral
Revenue has been volatile, with TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) down ~7.6% after growth in 2024 and declines in 2023. Profitability is mixed: operating profitability remains solid in TTM (EBIT margin ~18% and EBITDA margin ~25%), but net results swung to a loss in TTM (net income -$85M) after strong profitability in 2022–2024 (net margin ~10–12% in 2022/2024). Gross margin improved versus prior years, but the recent drop in revenue and return to losses weigh on the score.
Balance Sheet
58
Neutral
Leverage is elevated for the business profile, with debt-to-equity consistently around ~2x+ (2020–2024 range ~1.7x–2.8x; TTM ~2.29x), which increases sensitivity to earnings swings. Equity and total assets are sizable (TTM equity ~$2.16B; assets ~$10.44B), providing some balance-sheet support. Returns on equity were strong in 2020–2022 and 2024, but turned negative in 2023 and are modest in TTM, reflecting inconsistent bottom-line performance.
Cash Flow
46
Neutral
Cash generation has weakened meaningfully in TTM (operating cash flow ~$289M; free cash flow ~$61M), with free cash flow down sharply (TTM free cash flow growth about -86%). While operating cash flow still modestly covers reported earnings in TTM (operating cash flow to net income ~1.05x), the absolute free cash flow level is far below 2024 (free cash flow ~$608M) and below the stronger 2020–2022 period. The combination of lower cash flow and higher leverage reduces financial flexibility.
BreakdownDec 2025Dec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021
Income Statement
Total Revenue3.10B3.64B3.28B3.68B2.41B
Gross Profit2.99B1.24B898.00M1.43B803.00M
EBITDA598.00M1.25B697.00M1.33B594.00M
Net Income-85.00M375.00M-76.00M455.00M90.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets10.44B10.54B10.64B11.15B11.11B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments368.00M135.00M21.00M61.00M189.00M
Total Debt5.81B5.69B6.24B6.53B6.83B
Total Liabilities7.63B7.61B8.02B8.39B8.70B
Stockholders Equity2.81B2.93B2.62B2.77B2.41B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow181.00M608.00M300.00M393.00M93.00M
Operating Cash Flow289.00M751.00M648.00M829.00M300.00M
Investing Cash Flow-63.00M-28.00M-291.00M-503.00M-3.53B
Financing Cash Flow7.00M-609.00M-397.00M-454.00M2.65B

Gray Television Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price4.53
Price Trends
50DMA
4.64
Negative
100DMA
4.67
Negative
200DMA
4.79
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.06
Positive
RSI
44.00
Neutral
STOCH
10.34
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For GTN, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 4.53 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.93, below the 50-day MA of 4.64, and below the 200-day MA of 4.79, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.06 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 44.00 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 10.34 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for GTN.

Gray Television Risk Analysis

Gray Television disclosed 28 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Gray Television 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

Gray Television 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%
58
Neutral
$555.99M-5.52-3.00%6.45%-3.32%-69.63%
56
Neutral
$3.24B14.257.06%2.58%-2.73%-25.06%
55
Neutral
$275.89M-3.41-98.27%6.56%-45.95%-75.87%
52
Neutral
$300.03M-3.481.81%-3.27%86.01%
52
Neutral
$77.21M-8.920.18%8.81%-0.77%-93.46%
40
Underperform
$6.71M-0.67-5.86%-7.78%-369.53%
* Communication Services Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
GTN
Gray Television
4.53
0.02
0.42%
BBGI
Beasley Broadcast Group
3.72
-2.17
-36.84%
SSP
E. W. Scripps Company Class A
3.37
0.20
6.31%
EVC
Entravision
3.00
1.05
53.53%
SGA
Saga Communications
11.99
0.24
2.01%
TGNA
TEGNA
20.03
1.83
10.08%

Gray Television Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyRegulatory Filings and Compliance
Gray Television Launches New Investor Outreach and Transparency Effort
Positive
Feb 26, 2026

Beginning on February 26, 2026, Gray Media, Inc. plans to hold periodic meetings and presentations with prospective investors, underscoring its ongoing effort to engage the capital markets and communicate its strategy. The company has prepared a slide deck for use in these investor discussions, signaling a structured outreach campaign aimed at informing potential stakeholders without altering its existing securities disclosure status.

While the materials are being furnished rather than formally filed under federal securities laws, their planned use highlights Gray Media’s intention to increase transparency around its business and financial profile. This approach may help the company broaden its investor base and refine its market positioning, but it does not, by itself, change any of Gray Media’s regulatory or reporting obligations.

The most recent analyst rating on (GTN) stock is a Hold with a $5.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Gray Television stock, see the GTN Stock Forecast page.

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: Feb 28, 2026