Land Prices Up 77% Since Pandemic, Inventory Never Recovered
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Apr 21 2026
0mins
Should l Buy NWS?
Source: Yahoo Finance
- Inventory Contraction: Land listings in the U.S. have decreased by 23.6% since Q1 2019, a trend that has not significantly reversed post-pandemic, leading to persistent supply constraints that affect builders' development plans.
- Significant Price Increases: The median price per acre of land has surged by 76.6% since Q1 2019, with the Northeast experiencing the highest increase at 101%, reflecting structural constraints on land supply that intensify market competition.
- Raw Land Outperformance: Prices for raw land have risen by 86.5% since Q1 2019, compared to only 53.3% for build-ready lots, indicating stronger investor demand for raw land despite an overall market slowdown.
- Regional Disparities: The West has seen a year-over-year decline of 5.9% in land prices, contrasting sharply with other regions, highlighting a slowdown in construction activity and a return to pre-pandemic inventory levels, which may lead to increased future land development costs.
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Analyst Views on NWS
About NWS
News Corporation is a diversified media and information services company. Its Digital Real Estate Services segment consists of the Company's interest in REA Group and Move. REA Group is a digital media business specializing in property and property-related services on its Websites and mobile apps. Move is a provider of digital real estate services in the United States and primarily operates Realtor.com, a real estate information, advertising and services platform, its referral-based services, online tools and services to do-it-yourself landlords and tenants. Its Dow Jones segment includes Dow Jones, a global provider of news and business information, which distributes its content and data through a variety of media channels. Its Book Publishing segment consists of HarperCollins, a consumer book publisher with operations in 15 countries. Its News Media segment consists of News Corp Australia, News UK and the New York Post and includes The Australian, The Daily Telegraph, among others.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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- Strategic Transformation Discussion: During the Morgan Stanley Technology, Media & Telecom Conference, News Corporation discussed its Dow Jones strategy and business transformation, indicating proactive adjustments to adapt to the rapidly changing market environment, aimed at enhancing long-term competitiveness.
- Future Outlook: As the company continues to optimize its business model and strengthen its digital transformation, it is expected to further drive revenue growth and increase market share, reinforcing its leadership position in the media sector.
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See More
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- Sustained Profit Growth: News Corporation reported total revenue of $2.2 billion for Q3 2026, marking a 9% increase year-over-year, while EBITDA rose 18% to $343 million, demonstrating the company's strong performance in continuing operations and reinforcing its market position.
- Accelerated Share Buybacks: The company repurchased $193 million in shares during Q3, up from $172 million in Q2, bringing year-to-date repurchases to $459 million, indicating management's confidence in the company's intrinsic value and commitment to shareholder returns.
- Digital Subscription Price Adjustment: Dow Jones is optimizing yield by raising the full price for the Wall Street Journal digital subscription to $44.99, which is expected to further enhance digital direct subscription ARPU in Q4, thereby improving profitability in a competitive market.
- Optimistic AI Partnership Outlook: Management highlighted that the partnership with Meta will drive revenue growth, and ongoing negotiations with several companies are expected to positively impact future profitability, showcasing the company's strategic positioning in the AI sector.
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See More
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- Suburban Market Stability: Nearly 80% of new homes are located in suburban areas, with a mere 7.0% premium over existing suburban homes, indicating a competitive and stable suburban market that attracts more buyers.
- Soaring Urban New Build Prices: Miami's urban new construction has a median listing price of $2,578,695, reflecting a staggering 461.8% premium over urban existing homes, underscoring the high demand and construction challenges in urban areas.
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See More
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- Diverse Offerings: New titles like Gillian McAllister's 'Caller Unknown' and Christina Baker Kline's 'The Foursome' showcase varied narrative styles, potentially attracting different reader demographics and expanding HarperCollins' market share.
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