Quarterly earnings results are a good time to check in on a company’s progress, especially compared to its peers in the same sector. Today we are looking at EchoStar (NASDAQ:SATS) and the best and worst performers in the media & entertainment industry.
Simply put, traditional media like linear TV is losing eyeballs and as a result, ad dollars as well. On the other hand, digital media such as streaming and social media are taking share of audience and ad spend. AI-driven content creation and digital advertising are continuing to evolve, which benefits companies in the sector that invest behind these themes. On the other hand, headwinds include growing regulatory scrutiny on AI-generated content, with many publishers balking at anything that gets no human oversight. Additional areas to navigate for companies in the space include the phasing out of third-party cookies, which could make traditional ways of tracking the online behavior of consumers (a secret sauce in digital marketing) much less effective.
The 16 media & entertainment stocks we track reported a mixed Q4. As a group, revenues missed analysts’ consensus estimates by 0.7% while next quarter’s revenue guidance was 0.9% below.
While some media & entertainment stocks have fared somewhat better than others, they have collectively declined. On average, share prices are down 1.7% since the latest earnings results.
EchoStar (NASDAQ:SATS)
Following its 2023 acquisition of DISH Network, EchoStar (NASDAQ:SATS) provides satellite communications, pay-TV services, wireless networks, and broadband solutions across consumer and enterprise markets.
EchoStar reported revenues of $3.80 billion, down 4.3% year on year. This print exceeded analysts’ expectations by 1.3%. Overall, it was an exceptional quarter for the company with a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.
EchoStar Total Revenue
The market was likely pricing in the results, and the stock is flat since reporting. It currently trades at $116.32.
With thousands of digital and traditional displays lighting up America’s highways, city streets, and airports, Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE:CCO) operates billboards, street furniture, and airport displays, connecting advertisers with millions of consumers across the US.
Clear Channel Outdoor reported revenues of $461.5 million, up 8.2% year on year, outperforming analysts’ expectations by 2.8%. The business had a stunning quarter with EPS in line with analysts’ estimates and a solid beat of analysts’ revenue estimates.
Clear Channel Outdoor Total Revenue
However, the results were likely priced into the stock as it’s traded sideways since reporting. Shares currently sit at $2.40.
Originally known as InterActiveCorp and built through Barry Diller’s strategic acquisitions since the 1990s, People (NASDAQ:PPLI) operates a portfolio of category-leading digital businesses including Dotdash Meredith, Angi, and Care.com, focusing on digital publishing, home services, and caregiving platforms.
People reported revenues of $422.9 million, down 12.2% year on year, falling short of analysts’ expectations by 17.1%. It was a disappointing quarter as it posted a significant miss of analysts’ revenue and EPS estimates.
People delivered the weakest performance against analyst estimates and slowest revenue growth in the group. As expected, the stock is down 9% since the results and currently trades at $41.12.
With over 2,400 hours of local news produced weekly and 640 broadcast channels reaching millions of American homes, Sinclair (NASDAQ:SBGI) operates a network of 185 local television stations across 86 U.S. markets, producing news programming and distributing content from major networks.
Sinclair reported revenues of $807 million, up 4% year on year. This number beat analysts’ expectations by 2%. It was an exceptional quarter as it also recorded a beat of analysts’ EPS and revenue estimates.
The stock is down 10.4% since reporting and currently trades at $13.94.
Originally launched as a way to make grocery shopping more rewarding for budget-conscious consumers, Ibotta (NYSE:IBTA) is a mobile shopping app that allows consumers to earn cash back on everyday purchases by completing tasks and submitting receipts.
Ibotta reported revenues of $82.48 million, down 2.5% year on year. This result surpassed analysts’ expectations by 1.9%. Aside from that, it was a slower quarter as it recorded a significant miss of analysts’ EPS estimates.
The stock is down 13.2% since reporting and currently trades at $32.12.
Late in 2025 into early 2026, there was hand-wringing around artificial intelligence. For software companies, the fear was that AI would erode pricing power and compress margins as new tools made it easier to replicate what once required expensive enterprise platforms. Crypto investors had their own version of the same anxiety: if AI agents could trade, allocate capital, and manage wallets autonomously, what exactly was the long-term value of today’s crypto infrastructure?
These concerns triggered a noticeable rotation away from these sectors and into safer havens. But markets rarely dwell on one narrative for long. Spring 2026 came, and the focus shifted abruptly from technological disruption to geopolitical risk. The US’ conflict with Iran became the dominant driver of market psychology, and when geopolitics takes center stage, the script changes quickly. Investors stop debating growth rates and start worrying about oil supply, inflation, and global stability.
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