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Why iHeartMedia Stock Is Soaring Today
IHRTiHeartMedia(IHRT) The Motley Fool·2024-11-07 20:57

Core Viewpoint - iHeartMedia's stock experienced a significant surge due to a combination of a reasonable earnings report and a successful debt restructuring, despite mixed earnings results [1]. Financial Performance - iHeartMedia's Q3 sales increased by 5.8% year over year, reaching 1.01billion,largelydrivenbypoliticaladvertising[2].Thecompanyreportedanetlossof1.01 billion, largely driven by political advertising [2]. - The company reported a net loss of 41.3 million, which is worse than the previous year's loss of 9million[2].AdjustedEBITDAremainedstableat9 million [2]. - Adjusted EBITDA remained stable at 204.6 million, with digital audio services showing strong revenue growth while other operations remained flat [3]. Debt Restructuring - Management successfully renegotiated 80% of the company's debt during Q3, extending the maturity dates on 4.1billionofdebtbythreeyearswithoutincreasinginterestrates[4].Theguidanceindicatesaprojected4.1 billion of debt by three years without increasing interest rates [4]. - The guidance indicates a projected 200 million in positive free cash flows by 2025, with plans to use some of this cash to reduce debt [4]. - The debt-to-EBITDA leverage ratio is expected to decrease from 7.2x to approximately 3.2 by the end of 2028, which should alleviate interest payments currently at $95.7 million for the quarter [5]. Digital Strategy - iHeartMedia's digital revenues grew by 13% year over year, reflecting a strong online strategy [6]. - Despite the digital growth, the company continues to rely heavily on its traditional radio presence, which may limit its long-term strategy [7].