Sinclair Reports Q4 2025 Earnings with Strong Core Advertising Growth
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: 1 hour ago
0mins
Should l Buy SBGI?
Source: seekingalpha
- Strong Financial Performance: Sinclair reported total revenue of $3.2 billion for 2025, with adjusted EBITDA of $483 million, both exceeding guidance midpoints, reflecting effective execution in revenue growth and cost management.
- Advertising Revenue Growth: Core advertising revenue increased by 14% year-over-year in Q4, reaching $354 million, primarily driven by strong live sports content and the acquisition of Digital Remedy, enhancing the company's competitive position in the advertising market.
- Strategic Optimization Progress: The completion of 15 partner station acquisitions is expected to conclude by midyear, further enhancing the company's market position and operational efficiency through portfolio optimization.
- Positive Future Outlook: The guidance for 2026 projects total revenue between $3.4 billion and $3.54 billion, with core advertising revenue expected to reach $1.26 billion to $1.3 billion, demonstrating the company's confidence in stable market conditions and growth prospects.
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Analyst Views on SBGI
Wall Street analysts forecast SBGI stock price to rise
5 Analyst Rating
2 Buy
2 Hold
1 Sell
Hold
Current: 14.060
Low
15.00
Averages
19.20
High
27.00
Current: 14.060
Low
15.00
Averages
19.20
High
27.00
About SBGI
Sinclair, Inc. is a diversified media company and a provider of local news and sports. The Company operates through two segments: Local Media and Tennis. Its Local Media segment consists primarily of broadcast television stations, which the Company owns, operates or to which the Company provides services, and includes multicast networks and original content. The Tennis segment consists primarily of Tennis Channel, a cable network which includes coverage of most of tennis' top tournaments and original professional sport and tennis lifestyle shows; the Tennis Channel International subscription and streaming service; Tennis Channel streaming service; TennisChannel 2, a 24-hours a day free ad-supported streaming television channel, and Tennis.com. The Company owns, operates and/or provides services to approximately 185 television stations in 85 markets affiliated with all major broadcast networks. Its multicast networks include CHARGE, Comet, ROAR, and The Nest.
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.
- Strong Financial Performance: Sinclair reported total revenue of $3.2 billion for 2025, with adjusted EBITDA of $483 million, both exceeding guidance midpoints, reflecting effective execution in revenue growth and cost management.
- Advertising Revenue Growth: Core advertising revenue increased by 14% year-over-year in Q4, reaching $354 million, primarily driven by strong live sports content and the acquisition of Digital Remedy, enhancing the company's competitive position in the advertising market.
- Strategic Optimization Progress: The completion of 15 partner station acquisitions is expected to conclude by midyear, further enhancing the company's market position and operational efficiency through portfolio optimization.
- Positive Future Outlook: The guidance for 2026 projects total revenue between $3.4 billion and $3.54 billion, with core advertising revenue expected to reach $1.26 billion to $1.3 billion, demonstrating the company's confidence in stable market conditions and growth prospects.
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- Earnings Beat: Sinclair Broadcast reported a Q4 GAAP EPS of $1.55, exceeding expectations by $1.80, indicating strong profitability despite revenue challenges.
- Revenue Decline: The Q4 revenue of $836 million represents a 16.4% year-over-year decline, missing estimates, which may impact investor confidence moving forward due to market pressures.
- Future Outlook: For the twelve months ending December 31, 2026, local media total revenue is projected between $3.0 billion and $3.12 billion, with distribution and core advertising revenues showing potential growth, reflecting the company's optimistic outlook.
- Capital Expenditure Plans: Anticipated capital expenditures for 2026 are set between $75 million and $80 million, with net interest expenses projected at $300 million to $310 million, which will affect the company's cash flow and financial flexibility.
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- Investor Conference Schedule: Sinclair, Inc. will participate in two investor conferences in March 2026, namely the J.P. Morgan Global Leveraged Finance Conference and the Deutsche Bank 34th Annual Media, Internet and Telecom Conference, highlighting its commitment to investor engagement.
- Executive Participation: CFO Narinder Sahai will engage in a fireside chat at 3:00 PM ET during the J.P. Morgan conference, while CEO Chris Ripley and CFO Narinder Sahai will participate at 1:30 PM ET in the Deutsche Bank conference, enhancing direct interaction with investors.
- Live Webcasts Available: Live webcasts of both conferences will be publicly accessible and available for replay under the
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- Transformation Goals: E.W. Scripps aims to achieve annual enterprise EBITDA growth of $125 million to $150 million by 2028 through technology-driven cost savings and revenue growth measures, intending to enhance overall operational efficiency.
- Technology Utilization: The company plans to leverage artificial intelligence to optimize news gathering processes, alleviating administrative burdens on journalists, thereby allowing them to focus more on reporting and improving news quality and responsiveness.
- Financial Outlook: Scripps expects its financial performance in 2026 to be bolstered by significant events such as midterm elections and the Winter Olympics, further solidifying its advertising revenue in the local broadcast market.
- Industry Challenges: In the face of challenges within the traditional broadcasting sector, Scripps rejected a merger proposal from Sinclair, emphasizing sustainable growth through smaller transactions and internal restructuring, demonstrating a commitment to innovation in a competitive market.
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- Earnings Release Schedule: Sinclair, Inc. will report its Q4 2025 earnings at 4:00 p.m. ET on February 25, 2026, followed by a conference call at 4:30 p.m. ET, expected to provide key financial data and future outlook.
- Conference Call Participation: Participants must dial 888-506-0062 and enter code 752142 at least two minutes prior to the start time to ensure smooth access, with media members allowed to join in listen-only mode.
- Live Webcast and Replay: The conference call will be webcast live on Sinclair's website, with a replay available exclusively on the site after the call, ensuring investors and media can access relevant information at their convenience.
- Information Access Channels: Sinclair regularly uses its website to disseminate important information, allowing investors to access press releases and non-GAAP reconciliations at www.sbgi.net, enhancing transparency and ease of information retrieval.
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- Clear Acquisition Intent: Sinclair has reiterated its willingness to engage in merger discussions with E.W. Scripps, but Scripps has refused to communicate with its largest shareholder, indicating a strained relationship that may hinder future collaboration.
- Rejection of Acquisition Offer: Scripps rejected Sinclair's $7 per share cash and stock offer last month, indicating a preference for executing its standalone plan, which may prompt Sinclair to adopt more aggressive strategies moving forward.
- Shareholder Structure Impact: Sinclair has held over an 8% stake in Scripps since November, and may initiate a proxy fight for board seats, intensifying competition and confrontation between the two companies.
- Ongoing Business Review: Sinclair also stated that its strategic review of its broadcast business and the separation of Ventures will continue, indicating that the company is seeking internal optimization and strategic adjustments beyond the acquisition attempts.
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