Iheartmedia (IHRT)
NASDAQ:IHRT
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iHeartMedia
(NASDAQ:IHRT)
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Rating:52Neutral
Price Target:
$5.50
▲(34.15% Upside)
Action:Reiterated
Date:05/14/26
The score is held back primarily by financial risk—high leverage with negative equity and recently weaker cash generation—despite improving operating performance. Technicals are supportive with price above major moving averages, and the earnings call reinforced a path to recovery via reaffirmed EBITDA/FCF targets and digital growth, but ongoing losses and leverage keep the overall profile moderate.
Positive Factors
Podcast & Digital Growth
Sustained double‑digit podcast growth and leading market rankings indicate durable structural demand and monetization scale. A top podcast position supports premium ad rates, higher yield on inventory, and cross‑sell into broadcast and events, underpinning multi‑year digital revenue expansion.
Negative Factors
High Leverage & Negative Equity
Negative equity and elevated gross debt materially constrain financial flexibility, increase refinancing and covenant risk, and magnify downside from any revenue shocks. This structural leverage burden will pressure cash available for investments and requires sustained cash generation to delever.
Read all positive and negative factors
Positive Factors
Negative Factors
Podcast & Digital Growth
Sustained double‑digit podcast growth and leading market rankings indicate durable structural demand and monetization scale. A top podcast position supports premium ad rates, higher yield on inventory, and cross‑sell into broadcast and events, underpinning multi‑year digital revenue expansion.
Read all positive factors
iHeartMedia (IHRT) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)
Market Cap
$605.10M
Dividend YieldN/A
Average Volume (3M)1.43M
Price to Earnings (P/E)―
Beta (1Y)1.92
Revenue Growth2.06%
EPS Growth77.93%
CountryUS
Employees8,080
SectorCommunication Services
Sector Strength97
IndustryBroadcasting
Share Statistics
EPS (TTM)-1.85
Shares Outstanding130,004,260
10 Day Avg. Volume1,401,071
30 Day Avg. Volume1,425,014
Financial Highlights & Ratios
PEG Ratio0.03
Price to Book (P/B)-0.35
Price to Sales (P/S)0.17
P/FCF Ratio59.17
Enterprise Value/Market Cap10.25
Enterprise Value/Revenue1.57
Enterprise Value/Gross Profit2.78
Enterprise Value/Ebitda9.28
Forecast
1Y Price Target
$3.13Price Target Upside-23.78% Downside
Rating ConsensusModerate Sell
Number of Analyst Covering4
EPS Forecast (FY)-0.11
Revenue Forecast (FY)$4.15B
iHeartMedia Business Overview & Revenue Model
Company Description
iHeartMedia, Inc. operates as a media and entertainment company worldwide. It operates through three segments: Multiplatform Group, Digital Audio Group, and Audio & Media Services Group. The Multiplatform Group segment offers broadcast radio stati...
How the Company Makes Money
iHeartMedia primarily makes money by selling advertising and sponsorship inventory across its audio platforms. Its core revenue stream is radio advertising: the company sells local and national ad spots on its owned-and-operated broadcast stations...
iHeartMedia Earnings Call Summary
Earnings Call Date:May 11, 2026
(Q1-2026)
| % Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Jul 30, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The call showed solid top-line growth led by digital and podcasting (double-digit revenue growth and strong programmatic targets), meaningful structural positives (additional cost saves and significant tax-driven cash preservation), and reaffirmed full-year EBITDA and free cash flow guidance. Offsetting these positives were a near-term EBITDA miss, Multiplatform Group EBITDA weakness, compressed DAG Q1 margins, negative Q1 free cash flow, and elevated net leverage. The company presented clear remediation actions (cost reductions, programmatic expansion, tapering of noncash marketing) and drivers for second-half recovery, leaving an overall cautiously optimistic tone.Positive Updates
Consolidated Revenue Growth
Q1 consolidated revenue of $884 million, up 9.6% year-over-year (9.3% ex-political), in line with guidance (high single digits).
Negative Updates
Adjusted EBITDA Miss and Margin Pressure
Q1 adjusted EBITDA of $93 million was below prior guide (~$100 million) and below prior year ($105 million); Digital Audio Group Q1 margin compressed to 26.5% from 31.4% YoY.
Read all updates
Q1-2026 Updates
Positive
Negative
Consolidated Revenue Growth
Q1 consolidated revenue of $884 million, up 9.6% year-over-year (9.3% ex-political), in line with guidance (high single digits).
Read all positive updates
Company Guidance
The company guided Q2 adjusted EBITDA of $140–$160 million with consolidated revenue up low single digits (DAG revenue ~+10% with podcasting up in the low-20s and Digital X Podcasting up low single digits; Multiplatform roughly flat; Audio & Media Services up low‑teens), and reaffirmed full‑year adjusted EBITDA of $800 million and free cash flow of $200 million. Management expects overall programmatic revenue of about $200 million in 2026 (≈+50% vs. $135 million in 2025), interest expense of roughly $440 million, minimal cash taxes (tax planning to preserve ~$150–$200 million of cash from 2026–2028), capital expenditures of ~ $90 million, and cash restructuring of ~ $50 million. They see net leverage improving to the mid‑5s at year end, with Q1 context including consolidated revenue of $884 million (+9.6% y/y), Q1 adjusted EBITDA of $93 million, Q1 free cash flow of -$114 million, quarter‑end net debt of ~ $4.7 billion, liquidity of $495 million, cash of $135 million (including $50 million ABL borrow), and a net debt/adjusted EBITDA ratio of 6.9x.iHeartMedia Financial Statement Overview
Summary
Income Statement
46
Neutral
Balance Sheet
18
Very Negative
Cash Flow
35
Negative
| Breakdown | TTM | Dec 2025 | Dec 2024 | Dec 2023 | Dec 2022 | Dec 2021 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Income Statement | ||||||
| Total Revenue | 3.94B | 3.86B | 3.85B | 3.75B | 3.91B | 3.56B |
| Gross Profit | 2.23B | 2.25B | 2.27B | 2.26B | 2.43B | 2.23B |
| EBITDA | 668.39M | 288.90M | 569.15M | 599.46M | 529.39M | 682.01M |
| Net Income | -286.86M | -472.87M | -1.01B | -1.10B | -264.66M | -159.20M |
Balance Sheet | ||||||
| Total Assets | 4.89B | 5.60B | 5.57B | 6.95B | 8.34B | 8.88B |
| Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments | 135.05M | 270.92M | 259.58M | 346.38M | 336.24M | 352.13M |
| Total Debt | 5.77B | 5.79B | 5.86B | 6.05B | 6.33B | 6.57B |
| Total Liabilities | 6.81B | 7.43B | 6.94B | 7.34B | 7.65B | 7.97B |
| Stockholders Equity | -1.93B | -1.83B | -1.38B | -394.15M | 674.90M | 907.36M |
Cash Flow | ||||||
| Free Cash Flow | -22.87M | 10.91M | -26.16M | 110.39M | 259.11M | 147.20M |
| Operating Cash Flow | 60.99M | 92.58M | 71.43M | 213.06M | 420.07M | 330.57M |
| Investing Cash Flow | -69.70M | -66.24M | 508.00K | -51.33M | -129.23M | -346.79M |
| Financing Cash Flow | -23.87M | -15.31M | -158.34M | -152.16M | -306.11M | -352.12M |
iHeartMedia Technical Analysis
Neutral
4.10
Price Trends
4.14
Positive
3.82
Positive
3.52
Positive
Market Momentum
0.09
Positive
44.14
Neutral
13.01
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For IHRT, the sentiment is Neutral. The current price of 4.1 is below the 20-day moving average (MA) of 5.33, below the 50-day MA of 4.14, and above the 200-day MA of 3.52, indicating a neutral trend. The MACD of 0.09 indicates Positive momentum. The RSI at 44.14 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 13.01 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Neutral sentiment for IHRT.
iHeartMedia Risk Analysis
iHeartMedia disclosed 30 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. iHeartMedia 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
iHeartMedia Peers Comparison
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (60)
Name | Overall Rating | Market Cap | P/E Ratio | ROE | Dividend Yield | Revenue Growth | EPS Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
62 Neutral | $905.67M | 5.53 | -25.09% | 6.56% | 45.98% | 82.18% | |
60 Neutral | $48.67B | 4.58 | -11.27% | 4.14% | 2.83% | -41.78% | |
52 Neutral | $605.10M | -1.19 | 15.76% | ― | 2.06% | 77.93% | |
52 Neutral | $60.97M | -7.42 | -5.57% | 8.81% | -4.10% | -343.54% | |
50 Neutral | $73.83M | -1.44 | -103.24% | ― | 16.94% | -225.18% | |
49 Neutral | $27.37M | 0.47 | -206.44% | ― | -14.99% | -1938.45% | |
45 Neutral | $313.07M | -46.64 | -7.87% | ― | -13.33% | -299.71% |
* Communication Services Sector Average
IHRT
iHeartMedia
4.41
3.10
236.64%
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SSP
E. W. Scripps Company Class A
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EVC
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9.84
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459.09%
SGA
Saga Communications
9.58
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-13.50%
MDIA
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0.90
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-11.38%
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.