New York, May 27, 2026, 10:01 (EDT)
- E.W. Scripps stock tacked on 0.6% at $3.44 early on Nasdaq. SPDR S&P 500 ETF was down 0.1%.
- U.S. markets traded as normal Wednesday, a day after Nasdaq had marked Memorial Day, May 25, as a full closure.
- Scripps’ debt pile, its transformation plan, and what happens after Sinclair’s failed bid are all still on investors’ minds.
E.W. Scripps shares edged up at the open Wednesday. The move comes as the stock stays in focus, with deal chatter, debt issues and ongoing turnaround efforts swirling.
The Cincinnati-based broadcaster’s Class A shares traded 2 cents higher at $3.44, moving between $3.43 and $3.45 on volume of 11,149 shares, according to the latest market data. The stock edged out the broader U.S. market, where the SPDR S&P 500 ETF slipped 0.1%.
Scripps’s latest move draws attention as the stock trades in a stretch where even minor price shifts could be hiding bigger issues. The company wants to convince the market that local TV, sports rights, and its national networks still bring in enough cash to handle its large debt load, even as streaming and weaker ad spending continue to weigh on the industry.
Scripps’ ION network is carrying a live national event this week. The company said the Scripps National Spelling Bee semifinals will be shown Wednesday night, and the finals air Thursday night. The finals are also running on other Scripps networks and on free ad-supported streaming channels.
Scripps posted first-quarter revenue of $517 million and reported a loss to shareholders of $18 million, or 20 cents a share. Local Media revenue rose 5%, with gains in core ads and political ads. Scripps Networks revenue dropped 11.1%.
Management has a transformation plan targeting $125 million to $150 million in annualized EBITDA gains by 2028. EBITDA, or earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization, is a typical cash-profit metric—not the same as net income. CEO Adam Symson said Scripps had “real momentum” and was “on track” with the plan. GlobeNewswire
Tough debt load stays in place. Scripps reported in its latest quarterly filing that it had $2.55 billion in long-term debt as of March 31, and $83.7 million in unrestricted cash. The company said most of its revolving credit facility is now extended to July 2029. A revolver works as a credit line firms draw down and repay when they need.
Scripps still sits in the middle of the sector’s merger battle. Reuters said in December the board turned down Sinclair’s $622 million offer—$7 a share for what Sinclair didn’t yet own. Now the stock trades at less than half that, showing investors aren’t betting on that deal coming back.
Broadcast TV stocks got a lift at the open. Sinclair climbed 3.6%, Gray Media tacked on 4.4%, and Nexstar was ahead 0.8%. All three sit in the same sector where investors keep focusing on scale, regulation, and retransmission fees. Retransmission fees refer to payments TV distributors pay to carry networks or stations.
Scripps has also been making changes at its stations. The company finished a station swap with Gray Media on May 15, trading stations without any money involved. Symson said the move was about “scale and localism” working together. Scripps
The risk is obvious. Scripps said Scripps Networks revenue dropped almost 12% in the first quarter after lower ratings and a change at Nielsen. Interest expense jumped to $57 million from $43.8 million. If ad sales remain soft, ratings don’t bounce, or deals get blocked by regulators or courts, the stock’s modest Wednesday rise might not last long.
