Tegna Inc Valuation – February 2017 $TGNA
Benjamin Graham taught that Intelligent Investors must do a thorough fundamental analysis of investment opportunities to determine their intrinsic value and inherent risk.  This is best done by utilizing a systematic approach to analysis that will provide investors with a sense of how a specific company compares to another company or by reviewing the 10 Stocks for Using A Benjamin Graham Value Investing Strategy – February 2017. By using the ModernGraham method one can review a company’s historical accomplishments and determine an intrinsic value that can be compared across industries.  What follows is a stock analysis showing a specific look at how Tegna Inc (TGNA) fares in the ModernGraham valuation model.
Company Profile (obtained from Google Finance): TEGNA Inc., formerly Gannett Co., Inc., includes a portfolio of media and digital businesses that provide content. The Company operates through two segments: TEGNA Media (Media Segment) and TEGNA Digital (Digital Segment). As of December 31, 2015, the Company’s media business included 46 television stations operating in 38 markets, offering television programing and digital content. Its Media segment includes core advertising, including local and national non-political advertising; political advertising during elections; retransmission that represents satellite and cable networks, and telecommunications companies to carry its television signals; digital that includes digital marketing services and advertising on the stations’ Websites, tablet and mobile products, and other services, such as production of programing from third parties and production of advertising material. Its Digital segment consists of business units, including Cars.com, CareerBuilder and G/O Digital.
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Downloadable PDF version of this valuation:
ModernGraham Valuation of TGNA – February 2017
Stage 1: Is this company suitable for the Defensive Investor or the Enterprising Investor?
What kind of Intelligent Investor are you?
| Defensive Investor; must pass 6 out of the following 7 tests. | ||||
| 1. Adequate Size of the Enterprise | Market Cap > $2Bil | $5,532,465,461 | Pass | |
| 2. Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition | Current Ratio > 2 | 1.39 | Fail | |
| 3. Earnings Stability | Positive EPS for 10 years prior | Fail | ||
| 4. Dividend Record | Dividend Payments for 10 years prior | Pass | ||
| 5. Earnings Growth | Increase of 33% in EPS in past 10 years using 3 year averages at beginning and end | -137.18% | Fail | |
| 6. Moderate PEmg Ratio | PEmg < 20 | 10.48 | Pass | |
| 7. Moderate Price to Assets | PB Ratio < 2.5 OR PB*PEmg < 50 | 2.55 | Pass | |
| Enterprising Investor; must pass 4 out of the following 5 tests, or be suitable for the Defensive Investor. | ||||
| 1. Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition | Current Ratio > 1.5 | 1.39 | Fail | |
| 2. Sufficiently Strong Financial Condition | Debt to NCA < 1.1 | 17.83 | Fail | |
| 3. Earnings Stability | Positive EPS for 5 years prior | Pass | ||
| 4. Dividend Record | Currently Pays Dividend | Pass | ||
| 5. Earnings Growth | EPSmg greater than 5 years ago | Pass | ||
Stage 2: Determination of Intrinsic Value
| EPSmg | $2.46 |
| MG Growth Estimate | 15.00% |
| MG Value | $94.58 |
| Opinion | Undervalued |
| MG Grade | C |
| MG Value based on 3% Growth | $35.62 |
| MG Value based on 0% Growth | $20.88 |
| Market Implied Growth Rate | 0.99% |
| Current Price | $25.74 |
| % of Intrinsic Value | 27.21% |
Tegna Inc does not satisfy the requirements of either the Enterprising Investor or the more conservative Defensive Investor. The Defensive Investor is concerned with the low current ratio, insufficient earnings stability or growth over the last ten years. The Enterprising Investor has concerns regarding the level of debt relative to the current assets. As a result, all value investors following the ModernGraham approach should explore other opportunities at this time or proceed cautiously with a speculative attitude.
As for a valuation, the company appears to be Undervalued after growing its EPSmg (normalized earnings) from $-0.15 in 2012 to an estimated $2.46 for 2016. This level of demonstrated earnings growth outpaces the market’s implied estimate of 0.99% annual earnings growth over the next 7-10 years. As a result, the ModernGraham valuation model, based on the Benjamin Graham value investing formula, returns an estimate of intrinsic value above the price.
At the time of valuation, further research into Tegna Inc revealed the company was trading above its Graham Number of $21.49. The company pays a dividend of $0.56 per share, for a yield of 2.2%, putting it among the best dividend paying stocks today. Its PEmg (price over earnings per share – ModernGraham) was 10.48, which was below the industry average of 39.27, which by some methods of valuation makes it one of the most undervalued stocks in its industry. Finally, the company was trading above its Net Current Asset Value (NCAV) of $-25.8.
Tegna Inc receives an average overall rating in the ModernGraham grading system, scoring a C.
Stage 3: Information for Further Research
| Net Current Asset Value (NCAV) | -$25.80 |
| Graham Number | $21.49 |
| PEmg | 10.48 |
| Current Ratio | 1.39 |
| PB Ratio | 2.55 |
| Current Dividend | $0.56 |
| Dividend Yield | 2.18% |
| Number of Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth | 0 |
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Most Recent Balance Sheet Figures
| Balance Sheet Information | 9/1/2016 |
| Total Current Assets | $846,252,000 |
| Total Current Liabilities | $608,614,000 |
| Long-Term Debt | $4,237,894,000 |
| Total Assets | $8,674,677,000 |
| Intangible Assets | $7,123,121,000 |
| Total Liabilities | $6,473,182,000 |
| Shares Outstanding (Diluted Average) | 218,099,000 |
Earnings Per Share History
| EPS History | |
| Next Fiscal Year Estimate | $2.00 |
| Dec2015 | $2.00 |
| Dec2014 | $4.58 |
| Dec2013 | $1.66 |
| Dec2012 | $1.79 |
| Dec2011 | $1.89 |
| Dec2010 | $2.43 |
| Dec2009 | $1.51 |
| Dec2008 | -$29.11 |
| Dec2007 | $4.52 |
| Dec2006 | $4.90 |
| Dec2005 | $5.06 |
| Dec2004 | $4.92 |
| Dec2003 | $4.46 |
| Dec2002 | $4.31 |
| Dec2001 | $3.03 |
| Dec2000 | $6.41 |
| Dec1999 | $3.40 |
| Dec1998 | $3.50 |
| Dec1997 | $2.50 |
| Dec1996 | $3.33 |
Earnings Per Share – ModernGraham History
| EPSmg History | |
| Next Fiscal Year Estimate | $2.46 |
| Dec2015 | $2.58 |
| Dec2014 | $2.74 |
| Dec2013 | $1.83 |
| Dec2012 | -$0.15 |
| Dec2011 | -$2.00 |
| Dec2010 | -$3.68 |
| Dec2009 | -$5.36 |
| Dec2008 | -$6.52 |
| Dec2007 | $4.78 |
| Dec2006 | $4.85 |
| Dec2005 | $4.67 |
| Dec2004 | $4.52 |
| Dec2003 | $4.32 |
| Dec2002 | $4.21 |
| Dec2001 | $4.03 |
| Dec2000 | $4.30 |
Recommended Reading:
Other ModernGraham posts about the company
Other ModernGraham posts about related companies
Disclaimer:
The author did not hold a position in any company mentioned in this article at the time of publication and had no intention of changing that position within the next 72 hours.  See my current holdings here.  This article is not investment advice; any reader should speak to a registered investment adviser prior to making any investment decisions.  ModernGraham is not affiliated with the company in any manner.  Please be sure to review our detailed disclaimer.
