LEE LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc

Overview and Growth

LEE ENTERPRISES, Inc generated $562.34M of revenue in fiscal 2025, with net loss of $37.59M and an operating cash outflow of $5.54M. The $562.34M revenue base provides substantial context for the company’s earnings, cash generation, and capital requirements. Revenue was 8.0% below fiscal 2024 revenue of $611.38M, marking a top-line contraction. The company reported diluted EPS of -$6.20, adding a shareholder-level measure to the absolute income figures considered below. A diluted share base of 6.07M links the aggregate earnings figure to diluted EPS and helps frame the per-share comparison. Total assets stood at $601.73M, showing the scale of resources supporting revenue, earnings, liquidity, and financing. The revenue-to-assets relationship was 0.93x, showing the sales generated relative to the resources carried on the balance sheet.

Profitability

The company recorded an operating loss of $4.65M after the reported operating expense base. An operating margin of -0.8% reflected costs exceeding revenue-level gross profit by 0.8% of sales. The bottom-line result was a net loss of $37.59M after operating, financing, tax, and other recognized items. Measured against revenue, the bottom-line deficit represented 6.7% after all recognized items. EBITDA was $14.19M, adding a pre-interest, tax, depreciation, and amortization view of the company’s earnings capacity. The company reported a pretax loss of $42.65M, before the effect of income taxes. Pretax margin was -7.6%, reflecting a pre-tax loss equal to 7.6% of revenue. The reported tax benefit was $6.90M, favorably bridging the pretax and after-tax results. Relative to total assets, the net loss represented 6.2%. The bottom-line deficit increased from $25.84M in fiscal 2024 to $37.59M.

Liquidity and Capital Structure

At period end, the $601.73M asset base was financed through $642.69M of liabilities and -$40.96M of equity. The company reported negative equity of -$40.96M, a capital deficit that reduces its ability to absorb losses through book equity. Current assets were $89.44M against $113.36M of current liabilities, framing the resources and obligations classified within the near-term balance-sheet horizon. The current ratio was 0.79x; current liabilities exceeded current assets, leaving a short-term liquidity deficit. Cash and equivalents totaled $9.99M, identifying the most liquid reported component available within the broader current-asset balance. Cash and equivalents represented 8.8% of current liabilities, showing the portion of near-term obligations matched by reported cash alone. Total debt was $455.47M, establishing the amount of borrowing carried within the company’s capital structure. Relative to total assets, debt measured 75.7%, showing how much of the asset base was matched by borrowing. Book equity represented -6.8% of total assets, quantifying the balance-sheet share supported by shareholder capital. The liabilities-to-assets relationship was 106.8%, placing reported obligations against the full positive asset balance. Cash and equivalents equaled 1.7% of total assets, showing the liquid cash component within the company’s broader resource base. The asset base changed 7.3% from $649.17M in fiscal 2024, leaving current total assets lower year over year. Cash and equivalents were 4.1% higher than fiscal 2024 cash of $9.60M, showing the year-over-year change in liquid resources.

Cash Flow and Earnings Quality

Operating activities used $5.54M of cash, resulting in an operating cash outflow for the year. The company spent $1.54M on capital expenditures while operations also absorbed cash, so both ongoing activity and investment drew on liquidity during the period. Negative free cash flow was $7.08M, leaving a cash deficit after capital spending and reducing financial flexibility. Relative to revenue, the post-investment cash deficit represented 1.3%. The cash deficit after capital spending represented 1.2% of the period-end asset base. Operating cash flow moved from a $1.12M inflow in fiscal 2024 to a $5.54M outflow.

Based on the annual report for the fiscal year ending Sep 28, 2025. Analysis generated Oct 21, 2026.