Core Viewpoint - Lamar Advertising Company is a leading player in the outdoor advertising industry, particularly in billboard advertising across the United States, with a strong market presence and strategic initiatives that provide a competitive edge [1] Financial Performance - In the fourth quarter, Lamar reported a 3% increase in revenue and a 1.4% growth in Adjusted Funds From Operations (AFFO), driven by robust national and local advertising sales [3] - The company currently has a stable yield of 4.8%, making it an attractive investment option [3] Stock Performance and Market Position - As of February 23, 2026, Lamar's stock price is $133.98, reflecting a 0.87% increase, with a market capitalization of approximately $13.61 billion [5] - The stock has experienced fluctuations between $126.62 and $134.46, with a 52-week high of $136.69 and a low of $99.84 [5] Analyst Ratings and Future Outlook - Cowen & Co. upgraded Lamar Advertising to a "Buy" rating and raised the price target from $140 to $150, indicating confidence in the company's future growth and value appreciation [2][6] - The company's balance sheet is conservatively leveraged at 3.2 times, providing over $500 million in capacity for mergers and acquisitions, which supports strategic growth opportunities [4] Dividend Policy - Lamar plans to increase its dividend by approximately 3%, reflecting its commitment to rewarding shareholders with ongoing dividend growth [4]

Key Takeaways LAMR reported Q4 AFFO of $2.24, beating estimates and topping prior-year results.Lamar posted 2.8% Y/Y revenue growth, with local and national sales driving top-line gains.LAMR guided 2026 AFFO at $8.50-$8.70 per share.Lamar Advertising Company (LAMR) reported fourth-quarter 2025 adjusted funds from operations (AFFO) per share of $2.24, which outpaced the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.18. The figure also compared favorably with the prior-year quarter's tally of $2.21.Results reflect year-over ...

BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lamar Advertising Company (Nasdaq: LAMR) today announced that Sean Reilly, CEO of Lamar Advertising Company, is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Citi 2026 Global Property CEO Conference on Monday, March 2, 2026 at approximately 7:30 am EST. The session will be carried live via audio webcast at the Company’s website, www.lamar.com, and will be archived for 30 days. About Lamar Advertising CompanyFounded in 1902, Lamar Adverti ...

BATON ROUGE, La., Feb. 23, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lamar Advertising Company (Nasdaq: LAMR) today announced that Sean Reilly, CEO of Lamar Advertising Company, is scheduled to participate in a question-and-answer session at the Citi 2026 Global Property CEO Conference on Monday, March 2, 2026 at approximately 7:30 am EST. The session will be carried live via audio webcast at the Company’s website, www.lamar.com, and will be archived for 30 days. About Lamar Advertising CompanyFounded in 1902, Lamar Adverti ...

Shares of Lamar Advertising Company ( LAMR ) have been a moderate performer over the past year, gaining about 5%, though shares pulled back on Friday after the company reported mixed results, though guidance did not miss as much as it may first seem. WhileOver fifteen years of experience making contrarian bets based on my macro view and stock-specific turnaround stories to garner outsized returns with a favorable risk/reward profile. If you want me to cover a specific stock or have a question for an article ...

Core Insights - Lamar Advertising Company reported an EPS of $1.50, which fell short of the estimated $2.18, but its revenue of approximately $596 million slightly exceeded the estimated $593 million [1][6] Financial Performance - The company reported quarterly funds from operations (FFO) of $2.24 per share, surpassing the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.18 per share, marking a 2.75% FFO surprise [2][6] - For the quarter ending December 2025, Lamar's revenues of $596 million represented a 2.5% increase from $579.57 million in the same period last year, despite falling short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate by 0.24% [3] - Over the past year, Lamar achieved net revenues of $2.27 billion, with a net income of $593.1 million and an adjusted EBITDA of $1.06 billion [3] Management Outlook - CEO Sean Reilly expressed optimism about the company's performance, citing strong sales momentum in both local and national markets, and projected a full-year diluted AFFO per share range between $8.50 and $8.70 [4][6] Valuation Metrics - Lamar has a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of approximately 22.91, a price-to-sales ratio of about 5.95, an enterprise value to sales ratio of around 5.92, and an enterprise value to operating cash flow ratio of approximately 15.52 [5]

Excluding political advertising, revenues grew more than 4% on an acquisition-adjusted basis in the fourth quarter, while full-year acquisition-adjusted revenue increased 2.1%. Local and regional sales, representing 78% of billboard revenue, grew for the 19th consecutive quarter, providing a defensive foundation against macro volatility. National revenue growth of 3.3% was bolstered by a 19% surge in programmatic sales and a significant pharmaceutical campaign. The midpoint of the company's full-yea ...

Acquisitions and Investments - As of December 31, 2025, the Company completed acquisitions for a total cash purchase price of approximately $191.1 million[99] - The Company plans to continue pursuing strategic acquisitions and expanding its outdoor advertising display portfolio[244] - Cash flows used in investing activities increased by $79.7 million from $164.9 million in 2024 to $244.6 million in 2025, primarily due to acquisitions and capital expenditures[246] Revenue Generation - The Company generated approximately 4% of its revenues from state-awarded logo sign contracts in 2025[104] - The Company generated approximately 7% of its revenues from transit advertisements in 2025[106] - Net revenues increased by $59.1 million, or 2.7%, to $2.27 billion for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $2.21 billion for 2024[257] - Billboard net revenues increased by $57.7 million, while logo net revenues increased by $5.2 million, offset by a decrease in transit net revenues of $3.7 million[257] - Total reported net revenues for the year ended December 31, 2025, were $2,266.2 million, compared to $2,207.1 million in 2024[268] Financial Performance - Operating income as a percentage of net revenues rose to 34.2% in 2025 from 24.1% in 2024[256] - Net income as a percentage of net revenues increased to 26.2% in 2025 from 16.5% in 2024[256] - Operating income increased by $242.0 million to $774.6 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $532.6 million in 2024[262] - Net income for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $593.6 million, up from $363.5 million in 2024, representing a 63.3% increase[266][269] - Adjusted EBITDA for the year ended December 31, 2025, increased by 2.4% to $1.06 billion, primarily due to a $40.0 million increase in gross margin[269][272] - FFO for the year ended December 31, 2025, was $827.9 million, compared to $799.0 million in 2024, reflecting a 3.6% increase[273] - AFFO for the year ended December 31, 2025, increased by 3.4% to $847.2 million, compared to $819.6 million in 2024[273] Cash Flow and Distributions - Cash flows provided by operating activities decreased by $9.6 million from $873.6 million in 2024 to $864.0 million in 2025[245] - Cash flows used in financing activities decreased by $99.1 million, totaling $604.3 million for 2025 compared to $703.4 million in 2024[247] - The Company's cash distributions are not guaranteed and may fluctuate based on various factors, including operational results and debt covenant restrictions[111] - The company must distribute at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to maintain its REIT status, which may limit its ability to retain earnings[138] - If the company fails to qualify as a REIT, it could face substantial corporate tax liabilities, reducing cash available for distributions[131] Regulatory and Compliance Issues - The company is subject to federal, state, and local regulations that impact outdoor advertising operations, including the Highway Beautification Act[120] - The company has encountered regulations that restrict or prohibit digital displays, but these have not materially impacted deployment to date[124] - Future studies on digital billboards' impact on driver safety may lead to new regulations that could adversely affect the company's business[125] - The company believes the number of billboards subject to removal as illegal is immaterial, but local governments can require removal of legally erected signs[122] - The Company has determined that it is uneconomical to insure against losses from hurricanes and other natural disasters, which could result in significant losses[107] Operational Challenges - The Company faces competition from larger outdoor advertisers and other media, which could adversely affect its financial performance[118] - The Company may experience increased costs related to its digital platform investments, which may not yield the expected benefits[108] - The Company may face challenges in renewing its expiring contracts, including seven logo sign contracts set to expire in 2026[105] - The company may incur costs related to environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives, which could impact its reputation and business[129] Ownership and Governance - The Reilly family, including key executives, owned approximately 15% of the Company's outstanding common stock, representing about 63% of the voting power as of December 31, 2025[94] - Compliance with REIT requirements may hinder the company's ability to pursue attractive investment opportunities[143] Asset Management - The asset retirement obligation was recorded at $624.9 million as of December 31, 2025[249] - Depreciation and amortization expense decreased by $136.6 million to $326.3 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, from $463.0 million in 2024[260] - Lamar Media recognized a gain on disposition of assets of $75.9 million for the year ended December 31, 2025, compared to $6.1 million in 2024[261]

Reilly outlined category performance, saying strength came from services, healthcare, building and construction, and financial advertising, while telecom and beer and wine were weaker. He later quantified several category moves, including services up 12% in Q4, healthcare up 13%, financial up 17%, and building and construction up 16%, while telecommunications fell 10% and beer and wine fell 20% in the quarter. He also emphasized that Lamar’s largest verticals—services (about 19% of the book) and healthcare ...

Financial Data and Key Metrics Changes - The company ended Q4 2025 with a diluted AFFO per share of $2.24, an increase of 1.4% from $2.21 in Q4 2024 [10] - Full-year AFFO guidance for 2026 is projected to be between $8.50 and $8.70 per share, indicating a year-over-year growth of 4.1% at the midpoint [5][16] - Adjusted EBITDA for Q4 was $288.9 million, up 3.7% from $278.5 million in Q4 2024, with an adjusted EBITDA margin of 48.5%, an expansion of 40 basis points year-over-year [10][11] Business Line Data and Key Metrics Changes - Local revenue increased by 1.7% in Q4, while national programmatic revenue grew by 3.3%, marking the third consecutive quarter of growth for national [6] - Digital revenue on a same-store basis increased by 3.7% in Q4, with digital billboards representing 33.7% of total revenue for the quarter [20][21] - The company added 111 digital units in Q4, ending the year with 5,553 operating units [7] Market Data and Key Metrics Changes - The Atlantic and Southwest regions showed relative strength in Q4, while the Northeast region exhibited weakness [19] - Political advertising was a headwind in Q4, down approximately $11 million compared to 2024, but is expected to reverse in 2026 [6][19] Company Strategy and Development Direction - The company plans to remain aggressive in digital deployments, targeting a similar number of internal digital deployments as in the previous year [8] - The company is well-positioned for acquisitions, with an investment capacity exceeding $1 billion while maintaining leverage within the target range of 3.5x-4x net debt to EBITDA [15][16] Management's Comments on Operating Environment and Future Outlook - Management expressed optimism about the advertising climate for 2026, citing political tailwinds and increased spending around World Cup venues [29] - The company anticipates a conservative start to Q1 but expects momentum to build throughout the year, particularly in political advertising [42] Other Important Information - The company completed 13 acquisitions in Q4 for approximately $57 million, bringing the total for the year to 50 acquisitions for $191 million [8] - The proposed cash dividend for Q1 2026 is $1.60 per share, with an expected total of $6.40 per share for the year [18] Q&A Session Summary Question: What is the state of the macro in the U.S. ad market? - Management expects to maintain acquisition spending close to $200 million in 2026, with a positive ad spend climate anticipated [28][29] Question: What are the implications of Clear Channel's acquisition? - Management does not foresee significant changes in the industry structure and believes Clear Channel may not need to sell assets [33][34] Question: What are the expectations for acquisition-adjusted growth in Q1? - Management anticipates Q1 growth may be slightly below guidance but expects momentum to increase as the year progresses [40][42] Question: How much benefit is expected from political advertising? - Management estimates around $12 million to $14 million in incremental political advertising revenue compared to the previous year [59]