AS Ekspress Grupp clarifies in connection with the article published today in the Latvian portal nra.lv that the Group's Latvian subsidiary AS Delfi indeed had a plan to reduce share capital, but this decision was cancelled on September 19, 2025. This was part of regular group financial structure planning related to the sale of the stake in SIA Altero. The share capital reduction was cancelled and will not take place, as the group decided to use an alternative financial solution. These decisions have no imp ...

Core Insights - News Corporation (NWS) is valued at approximately $19.2 billion and operates as a global media and information services company, distributing content across various platforms including newspapers, digital media, book publishing, and subscription video services [1] - NWS is categorized as a "large-cap stock" due to its market capitalization exceeding $10 billion, indicating its substantial size and influence in the communication services sector [2] Stock Performance - NWS reached an all-time high of $35.58 on August 6 and is currently trading 4.7% below that peak, with a nearly 5% gain over the past three months, which is significantly lower than the S&P 500 Index's 11.4% increase during the same period [3] - Year-to-date, NWS stock has gained 11.5% and has increased 21.7% over the past 52 weeks, although it has underperformed compared to the S&P 500's 13.3% gains in 2025, while outperforming the S&P's 16.6% returns over the past year [4] Financial Results - Following the release of better-than-expected Q4 results on August 5, NWS stock prices saw a 1.1% increase. The company's revenues from book publishing and news media segments experienced a notable decline, while revenues from Dow Jones and digital real estate services showed significant growth [5] - NWS reported total sales of $2.1 billion, reflecting an 81 basis points year-over-year increase, slightly above market expectations. Total segment EBITDA rose by 5% to $322 million, and adjusted EPS was $0.19, down 5% year-over-year but exceeding consensus estimates by 5.6% [5] Comparative Analysis - Despite solid performance, NWS has lagged behind Fox Corporation (FOXA), which saw a 24.8% increase in 2025 and 49.8% gains over the past year [6] - Among analysts covering NWS, the consensus rating is a "Moderate Buy," with a mean price target of $39.67, indicating a potential upside of 17% [6]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of liquidity in assessing a company's ability to meet debt obligations and suggests that companies with adequate liquidity can drive business growth and deliver higher returns [1][2][3] Group 1: Liquidity Measures - Current Ratio: A measure of current assets relative to current liabilities, with an ideal range of 1-3 indicating a healthy balance [4] - Quick Ratio: Indicates a company's ability to pay short-term obligations, with a desirable ratio of more than 1 [5] - Cash Ratio: The most conservative measure, focusing on cash and cash equivalents relative to current liabilities, with a ratio greater than 1 being desirable but potentially indicating inefficiency [6] Group 2: Screening Parameters - Asset Utilization: A measure of efficiency, calculated as total sales over the last 12 months divided by the average total assets, with a higher ratio than the industry average indicating efficiency [7] - Growth Score: A proprietary measure added to ensure that liquid and efficient stocks have solid growth potential, with a score of A or B indicating better performance [8] Group 3: Stock Recommendations - The New York Times Company (NYT): Reported second-quarter 2025 adjusted earnings per share of 58 cents, exceeding estimates, with total revenues of $685.9 million, a 9.7% year-over-year increase [11][12] - Dillard's, Inc. (DDS): Reported second-quarter 2025 net sales of $1.5 billion, up 1.6% year over year, with adjusted earnings per share of $4.66, surpassing estimates by 23% [14][15] - Newmont Corporation (NEM): Achieved second-quarter revenues of approximately $5.32 billion, a 20.8% increase from the prior year, driven by higher gold prices [17][18] - Frontdoor, Inc. (FTDR): Reported revenues of $617 million for the last quarter, a 14% year-over-year increase, with a gross margin expansion of 130 basis points to 58% [20][21]

Core Insights - Ekspress Grupp's revenue continued to grow in Q2 2025, driven by investments in conference business, ticket sales, and digital outdoor screens, despite facing pressure on advertising sales due to a weak economic environment in the Baltic States [1][2]. Revenue Performance - The revenue for Q2 2025 increased by EUR 1.8 million (+9%) year-over-year, totaling EUR 21.4 million, while the revenue for the first half of 2025 increased by EUR 2.6 million (+7%) to EUR 38.4 million [2][8]. - Key contributors to growth included the Estonian Training and Convention Centre and UAB Kenton Baltic, along with Delfi Lithuania's AI project and growth in digital subscriptions and ticket sales [2][9]. Digital Revenue Insights - Digital revenue for the first six months of 2025 increased by 2% year-over-year, but the share of digital revenue in total revenue decreased from 87% to 83% due to the acquisition of the training business [3][11]. - The Group added over 22,000 new digital subscriptions (+10%) in the Baltic States, reaching a total of 245,000 subscriptions by the end of Q2 2025 [3]. Ticket Sales and Outdoor Screens - Revenue from ticket sales platforms increased by 13% year-over-year, while the outdoor screen business grew by 3%, supported by an expansion to 156 screens [4]. Profitability Metrics - EBITDA for Q2 2025 totaled EUR 2.8 million, a decrease of EUR 0.2 million (-7%) year-over-year, with a margin of 13% [5][13]. - The net profit for Q2 2025 was EUR 1.1 million, an increase of EUR 0.1 million (+6%), but the Group incurred a net loss of EUR -0.5 million for the first half of the year, which is EUR 0.3 million higher than the previous year [5][14]. Cash Position and Dividends - As of June 30, 2025, the Group had available cash of EUR 7.2 million, an increase from EUR 5.5 million a year earlier, and paid a dividend of EUR 0.06 per share totaling EUR 1.86 million [6][19]. Segment Overview - The media segment's revenue for Q2 2025 was EUR 21.4 million, with advertising revenue declining by 8% year-over-year [20]. - The share of revenue from digital channels was 83% in Q2 2025, down from 90% in Q2 2024, reflecting the impact of new business acquisitions [21].

Group 1 - AS Ekspress Grupp and AS SEB Pank signed a loan contract to refinance EUR 5 million bonds from LHV pension funds, with a new loan deadline of 2 July 2030 [1] - The refinancing will reduce Ekspress Grupp's annual interest expenses by approximately EUR 150 thousand, while annual loan service will increase by around EUR 340 thousand [1] - The refinancing will lower the average interest rate of Ekspress Grupp's financial liabilities, allowing the company to decrease overall indebtedness and prepare for potential acquisitions and economic challenges [2] Group 2 - AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading Baltic media group, involved in web media content production, publishing newspapers, magazines, and books [2] - The Group operates an electronic ticket sales platform and ticket sales offices in Latvia and Estonia, and provides digital outdoor screen services in both countries [2] - Established in 1989, Ekspress Grupp employs about 1,000 people [2]

Group 1 - The Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AS Ekspress Grupp, Priit Rohumaa, has resigned from his positions on the Supervisory Board and Audit Committee [1] - The Supervisory Board will continue with three members: Hans H. Luik, Sami Seppänen, and Triin Hertmann [1] - A new Chairman of the Supervisory Board and a member of the Audit Committee will be elected at the next ordinary board meeting [1] Group 2 - AS Ekspress Grupp is the leading media group in the Baltic region, focusing on web media content production, and publishing newspapers, magazines, and books [1] - The Group operates an electronic ticket sales platform and ticket sales offices, and provides outdoor screen services in Estonia and Latvia [1] - AS Ekspress Grupp was established in 1989 and currently employs nearly 1,100 people [1]

Core Viewpoint - AS Ekspress Grupp experienced a 5% year-over-year increase in revenue for Q1 2025, reaching EUR 17.0 million, but faced a significant decline in EBITDA and net profit due to a challenging economic environment in the Baltic States [1][2][5]. Revenue - The revenue for Q1 2025 was EUR 17.0 million, up 5% from EUR 16.2 million in Q1 2024, primarily driven by digital subscription revenue and increased volumes in ticket platforms and digital outdoor screens [2][7]. - Digital revenue accounted for 84% of total revenue, maintaining the same percentage as the previous year, with a 5% increase in digital revenue [8][17]. - Ticket sales platforms saw a 10% increase in revenue, while outdoor screen revenue grew by 19% due to network expansion and higher average prices [4][17]. Profitability - EBITDA for Q1 2025 was EUR 0.2 million, a decrease of 45% from EUR 0.4 million in Q1 2024, resulting in an EBITDA margin of 1.4% [10][11]. - The net loss for Q1 2025 was EUR 1.6 million, a 31% increase compared to EUR 1.2 million in the same period last year, influenced by higher depreciation costs and a decline in advertising revenue [5][11]. Expenses - Operating expenses rose to EUR 16.9 million in Q1 2025, a 6% increase from EUR 15.9 million in Q1 2024, with labor costs being the largest contributor, increasing by 3% [9][10]. Cash Position - As of March 31, 2025, the Group had EUR 8.4 million in cash, slightly down from EUR 8.8 million a year earlier, and a net debt of EUR 20.0 million, up from EUR 16.8 million [6][12]. - The Management Board proposed a dividend of 6 euro cents per share, totaling EUR 1.86 million, to be voted on at the upcoming shareholders' meeting [16]. Strategic Goals - The Group aims to increase its digital subscriptions to at least 340,000 by 2026, having added over 25,000 new digital subscriptions in the past year, marking a 12% increase [3].