SSP
The E.W. Scripps Company Communication Services - Broadcasting Investor Relations →
The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) closed at $2.81 as of 2026-07-31, trading 33.5% below its 200-week moving average of $4.22. This places SSP in the extreme value zone. The stock is currently moving closer to the line, down from -29.7% last week. With a 14-week RSI of 22, SSP is in oversold territory.
Trading volume is running at 0.8x of its 14-week average, which is in the normal range. The balance between buying and selling volume (1.00 ratio) is neutral — neither side is clearly dominating.
Over the past 1939 weeks of data, SSP has crossed below its 200-week moving average 28 times. On average, these episodes lasted 22 weeks. Historically, investors who bought SSP at the start of these episodes saw an average one-year return of +2.5%.
Return on equity stands at -7.7%. The stock trades at 0.3x book value.
Share count has increased 6.5% over three years, indicating dilution.
Over the past 33.6 years, a hypothetical investment of $100 in SSP would have grown to $188, compared to $3098 for the S&P 500. SSP has returned 1.9% annualized vs 10.8% for the index, underperforming the broader market over this period.
In the past 12 months, corporate insiders have made 28 open-market purchases totaling $7,700,764. Multiple insiders purchased within a 30-day window — a cluster buy pattern that historically signals management confidence in the company's prospects. Notably, these purchases occurred while SSP is trading below its 200-week moving average — insiders are buying when the market is most pessimistic.
Free cash flow has been declining at a -70.9% compound annual rate. A deteriorating cash flow trend warrants extra scrutiny — the stock may be cheap for a reason.
Business Health
Annual financials — how the underlying business has performed over the past several years.
Cash Flow Free cash flow & net income ($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 25 historical episodes, buying SSP when it crossed below its 200-week moving average produced an average return of +1.6% after 12 months (median +6.0%), compared to +12.0% for the S&P 500 over the same periods. 61% of those episodes were profitable after one year. After 24 months, the average return was +9.3% 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.
Bean Score Experimental
The Bean Score measures how far a stock's free cash flow yield has deviated from its own quarterly baseline, normalized by the stock's historical behavior. Between earnings dates, FCF is constant — so the score is purely a function of stock price. The levels below show at what prices SSP would reach each dislocation threshold.
Dislocation Price Levels
Prices where SSP's Bean Score would hit each σ threshold. Valid until next earnings report: 2026-08-06.
| Level | σ | Price | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deep Value | +2σ | $2.79 | Unusually cheap — potential buy zone |
| Value | +1σ | $3.13 | Cheap vs. own history |
| Fair Value | +0σ | $3.57 | Historical mean behavior |
| Expensive | -1σ | $4.15 | Expensive vs. own history |
| Deep Expensive | -2σ | $4.95 | Unusually expensive — potential trim zone |
Quarterly FCF & Yield Trailing twelve-month free cash flow and yield at each quarter end
Signal Accuracy Collecting Data
The Bean Score system is accumulating weekly data to validate signal accuracy. After 13+ weeks of history, this section will display win rates and average returns for each σ threshold crossing — answering the question: "When this score says cheap or expensive, does the price subsequently move in the expected direction?"
Theoretical framework — not backtested or forward-tested. The Bean Score uses trailing twelve-month free cash flow yield as a dislocation identifier. It measures whether the market has pushed a stock's yield unusually far from its own baseline behavior. These levels are reference points for identifying potential swing trade opportunities, not buy/sell signals. FCF values update quarterly with earnings; between reports, all movement is price-driven.
Dislocation Scores Experimental
Each score measures deviation from SSP's own historical baseline — the same idea as the Bean Score, applied to different fundamentals. Positive means cheaper or more dislocated than this stock's norm. Scores marked σ are normalized by the stock's own variability; pp values are simple deltas from its recent baseline.
Theoretical framework — not backtested. These scores describe how unusual today's readings are for this specific company. They are starting points for research, not buy or sell signals. Annual-statement scores (buyback, accruals, FCF vs history) rest on only ~4 yearly data points and are deltas, not sigmas.
Historical Touches
SSP has crossed below its 200-week MA 28 times with an average 1-year return of +2.5% after recovery.
| Crossed Below | Recovered | Weeks | Max Depth | 1-Year Return | Return Since Touch |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1990 | Jan 1990 | 1 | 1.2% | -13.4% | +152.7% |
| Apr 1990 | Jun 1990 | 8 | 21.3% | +15.8% | +180.8% |
| Jun 1990 | Feb 1991 | 32 | 30.3% | +2.2% | +154.5% |
| Dec 1991 | Dec 1991 | 1 | 1.6% | +32.0% | +159.8% |
| Oct 1998 | Oct 1998 | 1 | 1.2% | +30.2% | +13.0% |
| Feb 1999 | Mar 1999 | 2 | 1.8% | +7.7% | +8.8% |
| Dec 1999 | Dec 1999 | 1 | 1.4% | +41.1% | +1.6% |
| Feb 2000 | Mar 2000 | 4 | 4.0% | +48.0% | +0.9% |
| Mar 2006 | Apr 2006 | 5 | 3.4% | +0.4% | -53.4% |
| May 2006 | May 2006 | 1 | 0.9% | +1.3% | -53.4% |
| Jun 2006 | Aug 2006 | 10 | 8.5% | +0.2% | -53.2% |
| Feb 2007 | Apr 2008 | 61 | 18.1% | -5.8% | -53.9% |
| Jun 2008 | Mar 2010 | 89 | 91.4% | -80.6% | -53.9% |
| Jun 2010 | Jul 2010 | 4 | 7.0% | +35.3% | -36.0% |
| Aug 2010 | Aug 2010 | 3 | 3.8% | +4.8% | -36.6% |
| Aug 2011 | Aug 2011 | 1 | 1.3% | +44.3% | -35.3% |
| Sep 2011 | Oct 2011 | 3 | 9.2% | +53.8% | -34.6% |
| Mar 2016 | May 2016 | 8 | 5.4% | +51.3% | -74.7% |
| Aug 2016 | Aug 2016 | 2 | 3.9% | +16.0% | -74.9% |
| Sep 2016 | Nov 2016 | 11 | 24.2% | +5.0% | -76.0% |
| May 2017 | Jul 2017 | 8 | 3.8% | -25.1% | -77.7% |
| Jul 2017 | Aug 2017 | 3 | 0.8% | -23.3% | -78.3% |
| Sep 2017 | Sep 2017 | 3 | 5.8% | -10.8% | -77.1% |
| Oct 2017 | Jan 2019 | 65 | 37.5% | -8.8% | -78.1% |
| May 2019 | Dec 2020 | 85 | 65.3% | -54.8% | -77.2% |
| May 2022 | Aug 2022 | 13 | 21.2% | -50.1% | -75.2% |
| Aug 2022 | Apr 2026 | 190 | 86.1% | -50.2% | -75.6% |
| May 2026 | Ongoing | 13+ | 38.1% | Ongoing | -38.1% |
| Average | 22 | — | +2.5% | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SSP below its 200-week moving average?
Yes. As of 2026-07-31, The E.W. Scripps Company (SSP) is trading 33.5% below its 200-week moving average of $4.22. The current price is $2.81.
What is SSP's 200-week moving average price?
The E.W. Scripps Company's 200-week moving average is $4.22 as of 2026-07-31. 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 28 times in our data. On average, buying at that moment produced a one-year return of +2.5%. These dips have historically been decent entry points. These episodes lasted 22 weeks on average.
Is SSP a good value right now?
Here's what our data says about SSP as of 2026-07-31: The stock is below its 200-week moving average, which is the starting point for our analysis. The 14-week RSI is 22 (oversold). Return on equity is -7.7%. Price-to-book is 0.3x. 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 33.6 years, $100 invested in SSP would have grown to $188, compared to $3098 for the S&P 500. That's 1.9% annualized vs 10.8% 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 2026-07-31