News Corporation (NWSA)
News Corporation is a global media giant that owns a vast collection of newspapers, book publishers, and digital real estate platforms.
Is News Corporation a good stock for a UK beginner?
The honest version: There's no rating here and nothing for sale. In its favour: Owns highly recognisable and trusted media brands. Worth weighing: Earnings have recently seen a decline. Below, we lay out what it does, what its numbers mean, and the honest risks, so you can decide for yourself.
Over about 2 years to 2026-07-31. This is the share price only - reinvesting the dividends would add to it. And it's the USD return - as a UK investor your actual £ return also moves with the exchange rate. Past performance is not a guide to the future, and it could just as easily have fallen.
How much has News Corporation actually fallen?
Over the last 2 years of daily prices, News Corporation fell as much as −28% from a high to a later low. Drops of this size are a normal part of owning a share - worth knowing in advance, so a dip doesn't come as a shock.
Worst peak-to-trough fall in the daily closing price over the period we hold. Past falls are not a forecast - it can fall further, or recover.
Based on beta - how much the price swings versus the whole market. Bumpier isn't bad; it just means a rougher ride, which matters more the sooner you might need the money.
Prices move on results, news and the mood of the whole market - no single headline explains a day, and a quiet week is usually just noise, not a signal.
New digital ventures become major profit contributors.
Structural decline in legacy media outweighs digital gains.
What does News Corporation do?
News Corp operates a diverse portfolio including iconic brands like The Times, The Wall Street Journal, and HarperCollins, alongside digital property sites. Subscriptions, advertising space, and books sold to audiences around the world are what bring in the revenue. The real test is how successfully they transition their traditional print businesses into profitable digital-first models.
On our factor screen it looks strongest on income and quality, and weakest on growth.
- ✓Pays a dividend - about 0.7% a year
- ✓Growing - revenue up about 9% over the year
- !High P/E of 35 - big growth is already priced in
- ✓Low debt - a sturdier balance sheet
- Owns highly recognisable and trusted media brands
- Diverse revenue streams across print, digital, and books
- Strong gross margins suggest efficient core operations
- Continued shift of advertising budgets away from traditional print
- Economic downturns often lead to reduced consumer spending on media
- Rising costs for paper and distribution impacting profitability
What do News Corporation's numbers mean?
How much money does News Corporation make?
Revenue and profit by quarter, and how much of each sale turns into profit.
Does News Corporation pay a dividend?
Yes - News Corporation currently pays a dividend of about 0.7% a year (the yearly payout as a share of the price). A dividend is a slice of profit handed to shareholders; the yield moves as the price moves, and a company can cut or stop it.
What do the numbers say about News Corporation's dividend?
There's no rating here, and we don't judge whether the dividend will continue - that would be advice. Here are the figures income investors usually look at, and what each one means, so you can weigh it up yourself.
Figures are from the latest available data and can be distorted by one-off results. Past payments don't predict future ones, and a dividend can be cut at any time. This lays out the numbers to help you understand them - it is not a view on what will happen.
When does News Corporation report earnings, and how did recent quarters go?
News Corporation is next scheduled to report on about 2026-08-05 - dates can move, and we don't predict results; this just tells you when to look.
Each quarter a company reports its results against what analysts expected. ‘Beating’ or ‘missing’ is about that expectation, not whether the business is doing well in absolute terms.
| Reported | Expected EPS: The earnings per share analysts expected for the quarter - the average of their forecasts. 'Beating' or 'missing' is measured against this number. | Actual EPS | vs expected |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-05-07 | $0.20 | $0.21 | Beat +5% |
| 2026-02-05 | $0.37 | $0.40 | Beat +7% |
| 2025-11-06 | $0.19 | $0.22 | Beat +17% |
| 2025-08-05 | $0.18 | $0.19 | Beat +6% |
| 2025-05-08 | $0.13 | $0.17 | Beat +28% |
| 2025-02-05 | $0.31 | $0.33 | Beat +6% |
Across the last 6 quarters here, News Corporation came in ahead of what analysts expected 6 times. One quarter is noise, not a trend.
See who else reports over the next two weeks →
Reported vs expected earnings per share (EPS) from published results; the expectation is the analyst consensus, not our view. Report dates are estimates that can move.
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Verizon Communications Inc.What are the scenarios for News Corporation?
An illustrative range for the year ahead, with the assumption behind each case — not a prediction or a price target.
What are the pros and cons of News Corporation?
How many points the write-up makes each way — a balance check, not a score or verdict.
- Owns highly recognisable and trusted media brands
- Diverse revenue streams across print, digital, and books
- Strong gross margins suggest efficient core operations
- Earnings have recently seen a decline
- Heavy reliance on traditional media which faces long-term pressure
- Low dividend yield: The yearly dividend as a percentage of the share price - roughly the income you'd earn from dividends alone. compared to some other mature companies
- Continued shift of advertising budgets away from traditional print
- Economic downturns often lead to reduced consumer spending on media
- Rising costs for paper and distribution impacting profitability
The write-up's own warning lights — if these start happening, the case above changes.
- A significant, sustained turnaround in print advertising revenue
- A major acquisition that fundamentally changes the business model
Built from public filings & market prices, checked for an education-only tone, and never a price target. How we make these →
This plain-English summary was auto-generated on 2026-08-02 from public data and checked for an education-only, no-advice tone (the figures above carry their own, usually fresher, 'as of' date). It's information, never a recommendation.