Thursday, February 24, 2022
Cumulus Media (CMLS)
Favorable Revenue Momentum; Debt Reduction Better Than Expected
CUMULUS MEDIA, Inc. (NASDAQ: CMLS) is a leading audio-first media and entertainment company delivering premium content to over a quarter billion people every month — wherever and whenever they want it. CUMULUS MEDIA engages listeners with high-quality local programming through 428 owned-and-operated stations across 87 markets; delivers nationally-syndicated sports, news, talk, and entertainment programming from iconic brands including the NFL, the NCAA, the Masters, the Olympics, the GRAMMYS, the American Country Music Awards, and many other world-class partners across nearly 8,000 affiliated stations through Westwood One, the largest audio network in America; and inspires listeners through its rapidly growing network of original podcasts that are smart, entertaining and thought-provoking. CUMULUS MEDIA provides advertisers with local impact and national reach through on-air, digital, mobile, and voice-activated media solutions, as well as access to integrated digital marketing services, powerful influencers, and live event experiences. CUMULUS MEDIA is the only audio media company to provide marketers with local and national advertising performance guarantees.
Michael Kupinski, Director of Research, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Closing the year on target. The company reported full year 2021 revenue of $916.5 million, a 12% YoY increase, which was largely in line with our forecast of $919 million. Adj. EBITDA of $134.9 million outpaced our estimate of $129 million by nearly 5%. Notably, adj. EBITDA was up 66% over the previous year and up 127% year-over-year when excluding political.
Balance sheet improvements. For the full year, the company paid down $176.3 million of its long-term debt, including $20 million in Q4. Notably, debt leverage is among the lowest in the industry. Management anticipates that debt leverage will improve to under 3.5 times cash flow by year end, a substantial improvement from previous guidance of 4 times. We are raising our financial assessment from …
This research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.