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NEW York Times Co.: Q2 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q2 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 5 August 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised, 5 new, 3 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Digital subscription revenue up 16.4%: Digital-only subscription revenues were $407.9 million, up 16.4 percent, from more average digital-only subscribers and higher digital-only ARPU. Source
  • Adjusted operating profit up 16.1%: Operating profit was $118.0 million, up 10.8 percent, and adjusted operating profit was $155.3 million, up 16.1 percent. Source
  • Net digital additions of 280,000: The company added about 280,000 net digital-only subscribers versus the end of the first quarter, compared with about 310,000 added in the first quarter. Source
  • Digital advertising up 20.7 percent: Digital advertising revenues were $114.0 million, up 20.7 percent, which the company attributed to marketer demand and growth in advertising supply. Source
  • Adjusted operating costs up 10.0 percent: Adjusted operating costs rose 10.0 percent to $607.2 million, mainly from journalism compensation and higher marketing and promotion costs. Source
  • Free cash flow up to $265.7 million: Free cash flow for the first six months was $265.7 million, against $193.2 million a year earlier, and operating cash flow was $286.5 million. Source
  • Pension withdrawal produced $9.2 million charge: The charge, $6.8 million after tax or $0.04 per share, relates to withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan and is excluded from adjusted operating profit. Source

“Q2 was another strong quarter for The Times, driven by the consistent execution of our strategy.”

Meredith Kopit Levien, president and chief executive officer, The New York Times Company

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Digital-only subscription revenues Sourcethird quarter of 2026 vs third quarter of 2025increase 12 - 15%New
Total subscription revenues Sourcethird quarter of 2026 vs third quarter of 2025increase 9 - 11%New
Total advertising revenues Sourcethird quarter of 2026 vs third quarter of 2025increase high-single-to-low-double-digitsNew
Affiliate, licensing and other revenues Sourcethird quarter of 2026 vs third quarter of 2025increase low-to-mid-single-digitsNew
Adjusted operating costs Sourcethird quarter of 2026 vs third quarter of 2025increase 8 - 9%New
Depreciation and amortization Source2026 (pre-tax)approximately $85 millionRaised from approximately $80-$85 million
Acquired intangible assets amortization (within depreciation and amortization) Source2026 (pre-tax)approximately $25-$30 millionKept
Interest income and other, net Source2026 (pre-tax)approximately $45-$50 millionRaised from approximately $40-$45 million
Capital expenditures Source2026 (pre-tax)approximately $35-$45 millionKept
Cash tax payments Sourcefiscal year ending December 31, 2026approximately $60 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • New guidance: Third-quarter 2026 guidance was given for revenue lines and adjusted operating costs, compared with third-quarter 2025. The prior guidance covered second-quarter 2026. Source
  • Guidance raised: Interest income and other, net for 2026 moved to approximately $45 to $50 million from approximately $40 to $45 million in the prior update. Source
  • Guidance raised: Depreciation and amortization for 2026 moved to approximately $85 million from a prior range of $80 to $85 million. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Digital subscription revenue up 16.4%: Digital-only subscription revenues were $407.9 million, up 16.4 percent, from more average digital-only subscribers and higher digital-only ARPU. Source
  • Total revenue rose 11.2 percent: Total revenues were $762.5 million, up 11.2 percent from $685.9 million, with subscription revenues up 11.7 percent and advertising revenues up 11.3 percent. Source
  • Adjusted operating profit up 16.1%: Operating profit was $118.0 million, up 10.8 percent, and adjusted operating profit was $155.3 million, up 16.1 percent. Source
  • Diluted EPS rose to $0.57: Diluted EPS was $0.57, up from $0.50, and adjusted diluted EPS was $0.69, up from $0.58 a year earlier. Source

Subscribers and pricing

  • Net digital additions of 280,000: The company added about 280,000 net digital-only subscribers versus the end of the first quarter, compared with about 310,000 added in the first quarter. Source
  • Digital ARPU up 3.1 percent: Digital-only ARPU rose 3.1 percent to $9.94, driven mainly by subscribers moving off promotional rates and by price increases on certain tenured subscribers. Source
  • Print subscription revenue declined: Print subscription revenues fell 0.8 percent to $130.0 million, mainly from lower single-copy and domestic home-delivery revenues. Source

“Our results reflect the increasingly rare and valuable nature of our products, and the durability of our business model.”

Meredith Kopit Levien, president and chief executive officer, The New York Times Company

Advertising and affiliate revenue

  • Digital advertising up 20.7 percent: Digital advertising revenues were $114.0 million, up 20.7 percent, which the company attributed to marketer demand and growth in advertising supply. Source
  • Print advertising fell 11.1 percent: Print advertising revenues were $35.2 million, down 11.1 percent from a year earlier. Source
  • Affiliate revenue helped by timing: Affiliate, licensing and other revenues were $75.5 million, up 7.1 percent, mainly from Wirecutter referrals that benefited from a partner's promotion timing shift. Source

Operating costs

  • Adjusted operating costs up 10.0 percent: Adjusted operating costs rose 10.0 percent to $607.2 million, mainly from journalism compensation and higher marketing and promotion costs. Source
  • Sales and marketing up 23.6 percent: Sales and marketing costs rose 23.6 percent to $85.5 million, primarily from higher marketing and promotion expenses and higher advertising compensation and benefits. Source
  • Cost of revenue up 8.6 percent: Cost of revenue rose 8.6 percent to $367.8 million, mainly from journalism compensation and benefits; product development rose 10.0 percent and general and administrative rose 3.9 percent. Source

“In a rapidly changing media landscape, we believe we are well positioned to continue building a larger, more profitable company.”

Meredith Kopit Levien, president and chief executive officer, The New York Times Company

Margins, interest and tax

  • Adjusted margin up about 90 basis points: Adjusted operating profit margin was 20.4 percent, up about 90 basis points, while operating profit margin was flat at 15.5 percent. Source
  • Interest income rose on cash balances: Interest income and other, net was $10.8 million, up from $9.8 million, reflecting higher cash and marketable securities balances. Source
  • Effective tax rate 25.4 percent: The effective income tax rate was 25.4 percent, compared with 25.7 percent a year earlier; the company attributed the rate above the federal statutory rate mainly to state and local taxes. Source

Cash flow and shareholder returns

  • Free cash flow up to $265.7 million: Free cash flow for the first six months was $265.7 million, against $193.2 million a year earlier, and operating cash flow was $286.5 million. Source
  • Share repurchases of $35.4 million: The company repurchased 473,691 Class A shares for about $35.4 million in the quarter, and about $239.7 million remained authorized as of July 31, 2026. Source
  • Cash and securities of $1.22 billion: Cash and marketable securities were $1.22 billion at June 30, 2026; the $400 million revolving credit line had no borrowings and there was no other debt. Source
  • Dividend per share rose to $0.23: Dividends declared were $0.23 per share, up from $0.18 a year earlier, the same as the first quarter. Source
  • Capital spending near $10 million: Capital expenditures were about $10 million in the second quarter of 2026, the same as in the second quarter of 2025. Source

Pension charge and litigation costs

  • Pension withdrawal produced $9.2 million charge: The charge, $6.8 million after tax or $0.04 per share, relates to withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan and is excluded from adjusted operating profit. Source
  • Generative AI litigation costs rose: Pre-tax litigation costs tied to generative AI lawsuits were $4.6 million, up from $3.5 million, and are excluded from adjusted results as special items. Source

Coming up, as management said on 5 August 2026

  • Third-quarter guidance to follow: Management's next guidance update covers revenues and adjusted operating costs for the third quarter of 2026 against the third quarter of 2025. Source
  • Cash tax benefit fades after 2026: Management said most of the 2026 cash tax benefit is not expected to recur beyond fiscal 2026. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
Total subscribers Source13.35 million
Digital-only subscribers Source12.80 million
Net digital-only subscriber additions Source280 thousand
Print subscribers Source550 thousand
Digital-only ARPU Source$9.94

Risks management discussed

  • Regulatory: Lawsuits alleging unauthorized use of journalism in generative AI development drew $4.6 million of pre-tax costs in the quarter. Source
  • Financial: Withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan produced a $9.2 million charge, excluded from adjusted measures. Source
  • External: Affiliate revenue growth in the quarter depended in part on the timing of a marketing promotion run by one of the company's partners. Source
  • Operational: Journalism compensation and benefits were the main driver of the rise in adjusted operating costs. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.