SSP
The E.W. Scripps Company Communication Services - Broadcasting Investor Relations →
The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) closed at $3.37 as of 2026-03-20, trading 31.0% below its 200-week moving average of $4.89. This places SSP in the extreme value zone. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from -19.5% last week. The 14-week RSI sits at 38, indicating neutral momentum.
A big spike in selling this week — 2.6x the usual volume, and the price dropped. Sometimes this kind of heavy selling marks the end of a decline. The idea is that the last reluctant holders have finally sold, leaving fewer sellers left to push the price lower.
Over the past 1920 weeks of data, SSP has crossed below its 200-week moving average 27 times. On average, these episodes lasted 23 weeks. Historically, investors who bought SSP at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +4.5%.
With a market cap of $300 million, SSP is a small-cap stock. Free cash flow yield is currently negative, meaning the company is burning cash. Return on equity stands at -7.9%. The stock trades at 0.4x book value.
Share count has increased 6.5% over three years, indicating dilution.
Over the past 33.2 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in SSP would have grown to $226, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. SSP has returned 2.5% annualized vs 10.4% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
In the past 12 months, corporate insiders have made 26 open-market purchases totaling $7,438,489. Multiple insiders purchased within a 30-day window — a cluster buy pattern that historically signals management confidence in the company's prospects. Notably, these purchases occurred while SSP is trading below its 200-week moving average — insiders are buying when the market is most pessimistic.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -70.9% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($M)
Revenue Annual revenue ($M) — business growth proxy
Total Debt Balance sheet debt ($M)
ROIC Return on invested capital (%)
FCF Yield Free cash flow / market cap (%) — Yartseva signal
Gross Margin Pricing power & competitive moat (%)
Shares Outstanding Buybacks vs dilution (millions)
Growth of $100: SSP vs S&P 500
Monthly data normalized to $100 at start. Vertical dashed lines mark 200-week MA touches.
What Happens After SSP Crosses Below the Line?
Across 24 historical episodes, buying SSP when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +13.0% after 12 months (median +6.0%), compared to +12.1% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 65% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +49.3% vs +20.4% for the index.
Each line shows $100 invested at the moment SSP crossed below its 200-week MA. Bold blue = stock average. Gray dashed = S&P 500 average over same periods.
Historical Touches
SSP has crossed below its 200-week MA 27 times with an average 1-year return of +4.5% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1990 | Jan 1990 | 1 | 1.2% | -13.4% | +203.1% |
| Apr 1990 | Jun 1990 | 8 | 21.3% | +15.8% | +236.7% |
| Jun 1990 | Feb 1991 | 32 | 30.3% | +2.2% | +205.2% |
| Dec 1991 | Dec 1991 | 1 | 1.6% | +32.0% | +211.6% |
| Oct 1998 | Oct 1998 | 1 | 1.2% | +30.2% | +35.6% |
| Feb 1999 | Mar 1999 | 2 | 2.1% | +7.7% | +30.9% |
| Dec 1999 | Dec 1999 | 1 | 1.4% | +41.1% | +21.9% |
| Feb 2000 | Mar 2000 | 4 | 3.9% | +48.0% | +21.0% |
| Mar 2006 | Apr 2006 | 5 | 3.4% | +0.4% | -44.1% |
| May 2006 | May 2006 | 1 | 0.9% | +1.3% | -44.1% |
| Jun 2006 | Aug 2006 | 10 | 8.5% | +0.2% | -43.9% |
| Feb 2007 | Apr 2008 | 61 | 18.1% | -6.1% | -44.7% |
| Jun 2008 | Mar 2010 | 89 | 93.5% | -80.6% | -44.7% |
| Jun 2010 | Jul 2010 | 4 | 6.4% | +35.3% | -23.3% |
| Aug 2010 | Aug 2010 | 3 | 3.3% | +4.8% | -23.9% |
| Aug 2011 | Aug 2011 | 1 | 0.8% | +44.3% | -22.4% |
| Sep 2011 | Oct 2011 | 3 | 8.7% | +53.8% | -21.6% |
| Mar 2016 | May 2016 | 8 | 5.4% | +51.3% | -69.7% |
| Aug 2016 | Aug 2016 | 2 | 3.9% | +16.0% | -69.9% |
| Sep 2016 | Nov 2016 | 11 | 24.2% | +5.0% | -71.2% |
| May 2017 | Jul 2017 | 8 | 3.8% | -25.1% | -73.3% |
| Jul 2017 | Aug 2017 | 3 | 0.8% | -23.3% | -74.0% |
| Sep 2017 | Sep 2017 | 3 | 5.8% | -10.8% | -72.6% |
| Oct 2017 | Jan 2019 | 65 | 37.5% | -8.8% | -73.7% |
| May 2019 | Dec 2020 | 85 | 65.3% | -54.8% | -72.7% |
| May 2022 | Aug 2022 | 13 | 21.2% | -50.1% | -70.3% |
| Aug 2022 | Ongoing | 187+ | 86.1% | Ongoing | -70.7% |
| Average | 23 | — | +4.5% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SSP below its 200-week moving average?
Yes. As of 2026-03-20, The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) is trading 31.0% below its 200-week moving average of $4.89. The current price is $3.37.
What is SSP's 200-week moving average price?
The E.W. Scripps Company's 200-week moving average is $4.89 as of 2026-03-20. This is the average weekly closing price over roughly the last 4 years, and it acts as a long-term trend line. When a stock drops below this level, it can signal that the price has fallen far enough from the long-term trend to attract value-oriented investors.
What happens when SSP drops below its 200-week moving average?
SSP has crossed below its 200-week moving average 27 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +4.5%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 23 weeks on average.
Is SSP a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about SSP as of 2026-03-20: The stock is below its 200-week moving average, which is the starting point for our analysis. The 14-week RSI is 38. Free cash flow is currently negative. Return on equity is -7.9%. Price-to-book is 0.4x. This is not a buy or sell recommendation — always do your own research.
How does SSP compare to the S&P 500?
Over the past 33.2 years, $100 invested in SSP would have grown to $226, compared to $2683 for the S&P 500. That's 2.5% annualized vs 10.4% for the index. SSP has underperformed the broader market over this period.
Not financial advice. This is an educational tool. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Do your own research before making investment decisions.
Data as of week of 2026-03-20