GET DAILY SIGNALSiHeartMedia (IHRT) Q3 Earnings: Revenue +3.3% but Guidance Miss Weighs on Outlook
Key Takeaways
- iHeartMedia reported third-quarter 2026 revenue of about $1.03 billion, up 3.3% year over year but below the Wall Street consensus estimate of roughly $1.05 billion.
- GAAP earnings per share came in at a loss of $0.06, wider than the consensus estimate of a $0.03 loss.
- Adjusted EBITDA was $170.5 million, missing the roughly $201 million analysts had expected.
- Management guided to full-year EBITDA of about $575 million at the midpoint, well below the consensus forecast near $777 million, pressuring the stock.
- Free cash flow improved to negative $10.4 million from negative $32.8 million a year earlier, while the operating margin swung to positive 7.1%.
- You can find more on iHeartMedia's Major News, Today's Price Move, Price Targets, and Forecast on additional pages.
- For automated stock-picking ideas, explore Trending AI Robots.
Why These Earnings Matter
IHRT is in the midst of a shift from traditional broadcast radio to faster-growing digital and podcast advertising. Podcast revenue has been expanding at a double-digit rate in recent quarters, even as the Multiplatform segment faces headwinds from an uneven ad environment. The question for investors is whether digital momentum can offset legacy radio softness and whether cost controls can support margins and cash flow. With notable debt on the balance sheet, each earnings release also provides important clues about financial flexibility and the route to consistent profitability. I also checked this using Tickeron’s AI Screener to see how the stock compares to others in the industry.
The Quarter in Detail
For the third quarter ended September 30, 2026, IHRT posted revenue of about $1.03 billion, a 3.3% increase from the prior-year period yet roughly 2.2% below the consensus estimate of approximately $1.05 billion. GAAP loss per share of $0.06 compared unfavorably with the expected $0.03 loss.
Adjusted EBITDA of $170.5 million fell short of the roughly $201.1 million analysts projected, representing about a 15% shortfall. On a more positive note, the operating margin rose to 7.1% from negative 11.7% a year earlier, and free cash flow narrowed its deficit to negative $10.4 million from negative $32.8 million. The biggest takeaway was the guidance update: management pointed to full-year EBITDA of about $575 million at the midpoint, notably below the consensus figure near $777 million.
Market Reaction and Sentiment
Shares fell more than 30% in the immediate aftermath, shrinking the company’s market capitalization to roughly $328 million. The reaction stemmed less from the modest revenue miss and more from the sizable cut to full-year EBITDA guidance, which pointed to weaker profitability than the Street had anticipated. Strength in digital audio and podcasting provided some offset, but it was not enough to ease concerns about the broadcast business and margin trajectory. Sentiment remains measured as investors assess the pace of the digital transition against ongoing pressures in traditional radio advertising.
Forward Outlook and Factors to Monitor
Looking ahead, attention will center on whether digital audio and podcasting can maintain their momentum and gradually shift the revenue mix. The Multiplatform segment, which still represents the largest portion of revenue, will stay a key focus as ad demand moves with the broader economy.
Cost management remains important. Management has highlighted savings programs and efficiency efforts, and the degree to which these improve margins and free cash flow will help determine if the revised guidance holds up.
Balance-sheet trends also warrant close watch given the debt load. Progress on cash generation, interest expense, and liquidity will be scrutinized in coming quarters, along with any further updates on full-year targets and the path of podcast and programmatic revenue.
Using Tickeron’s AI Tools in My Research
When reviewing earnings like these, I often turn to Tickeron’s AI Screener to quickly filter stocks by industry, technical patterns, and performance metrics. It helps me compare IHRT against peers and spot potential setups without manually scanning dozens of names. The tool has become a regular part of my workflow for earnings season and sector analysis.
Disclaimer
The information on this webpage is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as investment advice, a recommendation to purchase or sell any security, or an offer or solicitation related to investments. It does not consider your personal financial situation, goals, or risk profile, and all investing carries inherent risks, including the possibility of losing your entire investment. For more details, please review our full disclaimer.
Contributor
Sergey Savastiouk, Ph.D. has a degree in Applied Mathematics from Moscow University and has extensive experience as an entrepreneur, investor, manager, and mathematician. His professional expertise is in applied mathematics, mathematical modeling, system and pattern analysis, and software and hardware system integration. He has served as the CEO of several hi-tech start-up companies and nonprofit organizations, which has given him proven capabilities in business strategy for high-tech start-up companies, market assessment, company formation, team building, product development, marketing, and sales. He has published numerous articles in journals and magazines on related fields. As a retail investor, he spent 15 years developing his proprietary trading and quantitative algorithms (now Tickeron’s A.I.), which brought him significant returns in trading the stock market. His current work and goal in founding Tickeron is to bring professional, sophisticated stock market analysis capabilities to retail investors via an easy-to-use interface.
IHRT's MACD Histogram crosses above signal line
The Moving Average Convergence Divergence (MACD) for IHRT turned positive on October 23, 2026. Looking at past instances where IHRT's MACD turned positive, the stock continued to rise in 38 of 47 cases over the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 81%.
Technical Analysis (Indicators)
Bullish Trend Analysis
The RSI Indicator points to a transition from a downward trend to an upward trend -- in cases where IHRT's RSI Oscillator exited the oversold zone, 32 of 43 resulted in an increase in price. Tickeron's analysis proposes that the odds of a continued upward trend are 74%.
The Momentum Indicator moved above the 0 level on November 09, 2026. You may want to consider a long position or call options on IHRT as a result. In 66 of 84 past instances where the momentum indicator moved above 0, the stock continued to climb. The odds of a continued upward trend are 79%.
Following a +17.95% 3-day Advance, the price is estimated to grow further. Considering data from situations where IHRT advanced for three days, in 205 of 266 cases, the price rose further within the following month. The odds of a continued upward trend are 77%.
Bearish Trend Analysis
The Stochastic Oscillator may be shifting from an upward trend to a downward trend. In 46 of 53 cases where IHRT's Stochastic Oscillator exited the overbought zone, the price fell further within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 87%.
Following a 3-day decline, the stock is projected to fall further. Considering past instances where IHRT declined for three days, the price rose further in 50 of 62 cases within the following month. The odds of a continued downward trend are 87%.
IHRT broke above its upper Bollinger Band on November 03, 2026. This could be a sign that the stock is set to drop as the stock moves back below the upper band and toward the middle band. You may want to consider selling the stock or exploring put options.
The Aroon Indicator for IHRT entered a downward trend on October 30, 2026. This could indicate a strong downward move is ahead for the stock. Traders may want to consider selling the stock or buying put options.
Fundamental Analysis (Ratings)
The Tickeron PE Growth Rating for this company is 9 (best 1 - 100 worst), pointing to outstanding earnings growth. The PE Growth rating is based on a comparative analysis of stock PE ratio increase over the last 12 months compared against S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron Seasonality Score of 50 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. The Tickeron Seasonality score describes the variance of predictable price changes around the same period every calendar year. These changes can be tied to a specific month, quarter, holiday or vacation period, as well as a meteorological or growing season.
The Tickeron Valuation Rating of 61 (best 1 - 100 worst) indicates that the company is fair valued in the industry. This rating compares market capitalization estimated by our proprietary formula with the current market capitalization. This rating is based on the following metrics, as compared to industry averages: P/B Ratio (-0.136) is normal, around the industry mean (3.429). P/E Ratio (-0.978) is within average values for comparable stocks, (112.313). IHRT's Projected Growth (PEG Ratio) (11.300) is very high in comparison to the industry average of (1.298). Dividend Yield (0.000) settles around the average of (0.045) among similar stocks. P/S Ratio (0.100) is also within normal values, averaging (8.232).
The Tickeron Price Growth Rating for this company is 87 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating slightly worse than average price growth. IHRT’s price grows at a lower rate over the last 12 months as compared to S&P 500 index constituents.
The Tickeron SMR rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating weak sales and an unprofitable business model. SMR (Sales, Margin, Return on Equity) rating is based on comparative analysis of weighted Sales, Income Margin and Return on Equity values compared against S&P 500 index constituents. The weighted SMR value is a proprietary formula developed by Tickeron and represents an overall profitability measure for a stock.
The Tickeron Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for this company is 100 (best 1 - 100 worst), indicating that the returns do not compensate for the risks. IHRT’s unstable profits reported over time resulted in significant Drawdowns within these last five years. A stable profit reduces stock drawdown and volatility. The average Profit vs. Risk Rating rating for the industry is 97, placing this stock worse than average.
Industry description
Market Cap
High and low price notable news
Volume
Fundamental Analysis Ratings
The average fundamental analysis ratings, where 1 is best and 100 is worst, are as follows
Advertisement
General Information
a company, which engages in the provision of media and entertainment services
Industry Broadcasting
Advertisement