SSP vs GTN

For growth investors, The E.

W. Scripps Company (SSP) is the stronger pick with -14. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -15. 1% for Gray Media, Inc. (GTN). Analysts rate Gray Media, Inc. (GTN) a "Buy" — based on 9 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

Over the past 5 years, Gray Media, Inc.

(GTN) delivered a total return of -72. 7%, compared to -76. 9% for The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GTN returned -50. 5% versus SSP's -66. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), The E.

W. Scripps Company (SSP) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 50β versus Gray Media, Inc. 's 1. 54β — meaning GTN is approximately 3% more volatile than SSP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Gray Media, Inc. (GTN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 2% for The E. W. Scripps Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), The E.

W. Scripps Company (SSP) is pulling ahead at -14. 3% versus -15. 1% for Gray Media, Inc. (GTN). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Gray Media, Inc. grew EPS -126. 2% year-over-year, compared to -285. 1% for The E. W. Scripps Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, SSP leads at -4. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Gray Media, Inc.

(GTN) is the more profitable company, earning -2. 7% net margin versus -4. 7% for The E. W. Scripps Company — meaning it keeps -2. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GTN leads at 12. 7% versus 7. 5% for SSP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GTN leads at 96. 6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, Gray Media, Inc.

(GTN) trades at 1. 8x forward P/E versus 18. 7x for The E. W. Scripps Company — 16. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GTN: 80. 6% to $8. 00.

In this comparison, GTN (7.

7% yield) pays a dividend. SSP does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Gray Media, Inc.

(GTN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (7. 7% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GTN: -50. 5%, SSP: -66. 5%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: SSP is a small-cap quality compounder stock; GTN is a small-cap income-oriented stock. GTN pays a dividend while SSP does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.