tiprankstipranks
Trending News
More News >
Nexstar Media Group (NXST)
NASDAQ:NXST
Advertisement

Nexstar Media Group (NXST) AI Stock Analysis

Compare
733 Followers

Top Page

NX

Nexstar Media Group

(NASDAQ:NXST)

Rating:78Outperform
Price Target:
$197.00
▲(7.02%Upside)
Nexstar Media Group scores well due to strong financial performance marked by profitability and robust cash flow, coupled with attractive valuation metrics. Recent corporate events further bolster its financial stance. However, challenges such as revenue decline and high leverage pose risks that require careful management.
Positive Factors
Capital Return
Nexstar returned $132 million in capital to shareholders in Q1 and has worked to reduce its debt load.
Operational Efficiency
The company's ability to turn a revenue beat into a significant EBITDA beat demonstrates strong operational efficiency and management.
Revenue Diversification
The diversification of revenue away from ad spend helps provide some insulation from economic challenges.
Negative Factors
Ad Revenue Decline
Excluding political, ad revenues were 4% lower YOY, and non-political ads are expected to dip mid-single digits in the second quarter.
Flat Share Performance
The share performance is flat year-over-year, right in the middle of the pack, with highly leveraged names generally doing better.

Nexstar Media Group (NXST) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Nexstar Media Group Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionNexstar Media Group, Inc., a television broadcasting and digital media company, focuses on the acquisition, development, and operation of television stations and interactive community websites and digital media services in the United States. The company offers free programming to television viewing audiences. As of December 31, 2020, it provided sales, programming, and other services through various local service agreements to 37 power television stations owned by independent third parties; and owned, operated, programmed, or provided sales and other services to 198 television stations. The company also offers video and display advertising platforms that are delivered locally or nationally through its own and various third party websites and mobile applications, as well as owns WGN America, a national general entertainment cable network. Its stations are affiliates of ABC, NBC, FOX, CBS, The CW, MyNetworkTV, and other broadcast television networks. The company was formerly known as Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc. and changed its name to Nexstar Media Group, Inc. in January 2017. Nexstar Media Group, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Irving, Texas.
How the Company Makes MoneyNexstar Media Group generates revenue through several key streams. The primary source of income is advertising sales from its television stations, which include both local and national advertising slots. The company benefits from retransmission consent agreements, where cable, satellite, and telecom providers pay Nexstar for the right to broadcast their local stations. Nexstar also earns revenue from digital advertising on its online platforms and websites. Additionally, the company engages in production and distribution of content, monetizing its broadcast and digital content through syndication deals and partnerships with other media entities. Significant revenue is also derived from political advertising, especially during election cycles, which provides a substantial boost to its earnings.

Nexstar Media Group Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:May 08, 2025
(Q1-2025)
|
% Change Since: 19.33%|
Next Earnings Date:Aug 07, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Neutral
Nexstar's first quarter results show a company successfully navigating industry challenges with record distribution revenue and strong performance in their CW and NewsNation segments. However, these achievements are tempered by declines in net revenue and advertising revenue, particularly in nonpolitical advertising. The company's strategic focus on sports programming, deregulation, and M&A opportunities highlights a forward-looking growth strategy, yet financial pressures from decreased advertising revenue remain a concern.
Q1-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Record First Quarter Distribution Revenue
Nexstar achieved a record first quarter distribution revenue of $762 million, which increased by $1 million or 0.1% over the prior year quarter.
CW's Strongest Primetime Performance
The CW's primetime ratings in the first quarter of 2025 marked the strongest performance in eight quarters, surpassing other broadcast networks 74 times in key demos.
NewsNation Audience Growth
NewsNation continued to build momentum, growing its audience every month of the first quarter of 2025, and outperformed MSNBC and CNN in the key adult 25 to 54 demo.
Significant Sports Programming Success
CW Sports now includes over 400 hours of live sports programming annually, with NASCAR Xfinity series averaging over 1.2 million viewers, a 19% increase year-over-year.
Strong Financial Position
Nexstar's first quarter adjusted EBITDA was $381 million with a 30.9% margin and a reduction in net interest expense by $17 million compared to the prior year.
Negative Updates
Decline in Net Revenues
First quarter net revenues were $1.23 billion, a decline of 3.9% compared to the prior year, primarily due to a reduction in political advertising.
Decrease in Advertising Revenue
Advertising revenue of $460 million decreased by $52 million or 10.2% over the prior year, with significant pullbacks in the insurance and automotive categories.
Increased Losses at The CW
The CW's profitability in Q1 declined by mid-teens million due to additional sports programming and amortization that weren't present in the same quarter last year.
Company Guidance
During Nexstar Media Group's First Quarter 2025 Conference Call, guidance reflected a focus on deregulation and strategic consolidation to drive value. The company reported first quarter net revenue of $1.23 billion, a 3.9% decline due to reduced political advertising. However, record first quarter distribution revenue of $762 million, a 0.1% increase, highlighted growth in vMVPD subscribers and CW affiliations. The revenue mix included 63% from distribution and other sources, and 37% from nonpolitical advertising, with digital advertising contributing one-fifth of the latter. Nexstar also emphasized the CW's profitability efforts, citing the network's strongest primetime performance in eight quarters, partly due to successful sports programming. Looking ahead, the company plans to renew distribution agreements covering 60% of its subscriber base and continue share repurchases as part of its capital allocation strategy.

Nexstar Media Group Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Nexstar Media Group exhibits strong financial performance with high profitability and robust cash flow management. However, concerns arise from its significant reliance on debt and a slight revenue decline, necessitating careful management to mitigate financial risks.
Income Statement
80
Positive
Nexstar Media Group shows strong profitability with a gross profit margin of 58.5% and a net profit margin of 12.2% for TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months). The EBIT margin stands at 22.6%, and the EBITDA margin is robust at 39.5%. However, revenue has slightly decreased compared to the previous annual period, indicating a potential area of concern for growth sustainability.
Balance Sheet
72
Positive
The company's balance sheet reflects a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 2.91, indicating a reliance on debt financing. Return on equity is relatively strong at 29.2%, showcasing efficient equity utilization. However, the equity ratio is on the lower side at 19.7%, suggesting higher leverage which could pose financial risk.
Cash Flow
85
Very Positive
Nexstar Media Group demonstrates healthy cash flow with a free cash flow growth rate of 6.3% compared to the previous annual period. The operating cash flow to net income ratio is at 2.00, signaling strong cash generation relative to earnings. Furthermore, the free cash flow to net income ratio is high at 1.79, indicating excellent cash flow management.
BreakdownDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue5.41B4.93B5.21B4.65B4.50B
Gross Profit3.19B2.81B3.21B2.80B2.79B
EBITDA2.21B1.79B2.22B1.96B2.00B
Net Income722.00M346.00M971.00M834.00M811.50M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets11.47B12.08B12.68B13.26B13.40B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments144.00M147.00M204.10M190.87M152.70M
Total Debt6.52B7.13B7.00B7.46B7.67B
Total Liabilities9.20B9.77B9.91B10.41B10.87B
Stockholders Equity2.26B2.30B2.74B2.85B2.52B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow1.10B850.00M1.25B1.06B1.04B
Operating Cash Flow1.25B999.00M1.40B1.21B1.25B
Investing Cash Flow-102.00M-173.00M125.20M-232.10M-39.75M
Financing Cash Flow-1.15B-899.00M-1.51B-945.56M-1.29B

Nexstar Media Group Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price184.07
Price Trends
50DMA
172.41
Positive
100DMA
166.86
Positive
200DMA
162.98
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
3.45
Negative
RSI
59.68
Neutral
STOCH
44.58
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For NXST, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 184.07 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 177.68, above the 50-day MA of 172.41, and above the 200-day MA of 162.98, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 3.45 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 59.68 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 44.58 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for NXST.

Nexstar Media Group Risk Analysis

Nexstar Media Group disclosed 23 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Nexstar Media 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

Nexstar Media Group Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (62)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
81
Outperform
$23.93B13.8316.89%0.97%15.70%26.73%
79
Outperform
$17.65B34.765.88%0.67%-5.43%135.46%
78
Outperform
$5.40B8.8128.46%4.14%8.00%71.49%
67
Neutral
$1.05B7.6134.07%6.65%11.62%
62
Neutral
$40.93B-1.67-12.06%3.96%2.10%-69.66%
53
Neutral
$9.16B-28.56%0.85%-4.50%-898.86%
42
Neutral
$1.93B259.47%-2.85%75.96%
* Communication Services Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
NXST
Nexstar Media Group
184.07
15.10
8.94%
NWSA
News Corp
30.17
2.60
9.43%
SBGI
Sinclair Broadcast
15.06
1.41
10.33%
LGF.B
Lions Gate Entertainment Class B
7.69
-0.62
-7.46%
FOXA
Fox
56.39
19.71
53.74%
PARAA
Paramount Global
23.15
1.30
5.95%

Nexstar Media Group Corporate Events

Private Placements and Financing
Nexstar Media Group Completes Major Refinancing Deal
Positive
Jun 30, 2025

On June 27, 2025, Nexstar Media Inc. and Mission Broadcasting, Inc. successfully completed the refinancing of their revolving credit facilities and term loans. This refinancing extends the maturities, reduces interest rate margins, and enhances the company’s financial flexibility, thereby strengthening its capital structure. The new facilities include significant term loans and revolving credit facilities with improved terms, allowing Nexstar to prepay existing loans and reduce its financial burden.

The most recent analyst rating on (NXST) stock is a Buy with a $200.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Nexstar Media Group stock, see the NXST Stock Forecast page.

Executive/Board ChangesShareholder Meetings
Nexstar Media Group Holds Annual Stockholders Meeting
Positive
Jun 20, 2025

On June 17, 2025, Nexstar Media Group held its Annual Meeting of Stockholders, where shareholders voted to elect all board nominees, approve executive compensation, and ratify PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP as the independent accounting firm for 2025. The decisions reflect strong shareholder support and are expected to reinforce Nexstar’s governance and financial oversight, potentially impacting its market position positively.

The most recent analyst rating on (NXST) stock is a Buy with a $200.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Nexstar Media Group stock, see the NXST 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: Jul 01, 2025