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Lee Enterprises, Inc. (LEE) — WACC Analysis

WACC Breakdown

Lee Enterprises, Inc. (LEE) has a weighted average cost of capital (WACC) of 7.7%. The cost of equity is 8.5%, derived from a beta of 0.66 and a risk-free rate of 5.2%. The after-tax cost of debt is 7.4%. The capital structure is 26.2% equity and 73.8% debt.

Interpretation

A WACC of 7.7% suggests that the market views Lee Enterprises, Inc. as relatively low-risk, with a lower cost of financing.

Investors can compare LEE's WACC of 7.7% against industry peers to gauge its relative financing costs. A beta of 0.66 reflects the stock's volatility relative to the broader market.

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VALUATION

LEE WACC: 7.67% for Lee Enterprises, Inc.

Current inputs imply a 8.49% cost of equity and a 7.38% pre-tax cost of debt. Use this discount rate as a starting point for DCF validation.

[01]Current Market Data
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WACC Calculation Process
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Market Data Loaded
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Company Data Fetched
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Beta Calculated (5Y)
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Inputs Auto-Populated
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WACC Calculated
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Step 2: Enter Ticker Symbol
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Step 4: Review Auto-Populated WACC Inputs

Values are automatically populated from real data. You can adjust them manually if needed.

4.30%
1.000
4.23%
5.00%
21.00%
70.00%
Debt: 30.00%Equity: 70.00%

Please enter a valid company ticker to calculate WACC

Lee Enterprises, Inc. Common Stock (LEE) WACC Results
Weighted Average Cost of Capital
7.67%
Cost of Equity
8.49%
Risk-Free Rate5.22%
Beta0.66
Market Risk Premium4.23%
Cost of Debt
7.38%
Pre-Tax Cost of Debt7.38%
Tax Rate0.00%
Tax Shield0.00%
Capital Structure
Equity: 26.22%($161.62M)
Debt: 73.78%($454.71M)
Equity Component
2.23%
26.22% × 8.49%
Debt Component
5.45%
73.78% × 7.38%

Lee Enterprises, Inc. (LEE) WACC in context

Lee Enterprises, Inc. (LEE) currently screens with an estimated WACC of 7.67%. That blends a 8.49% cost of equity, a 7.38% pre-tax cost of debt, and a 26.22% equity weight into the discount rate you would typically use in a DCF model.

screens as a relatively low discount rate, which usually supports higher DCF values.

What LEE WACC implies

A 7.67% discount rate screens as a relatively low discount rate, which usually supports higher DCF values.

How this page calculates LEE

This page combines CAPM-based cost of equity with SEC-derived debt and capital structure inputs. The current beta is 0.66 and equity accounts for 26.22% of capital.

What to do next

Validate business quality on the company page, then carry the same discount-rate assumptions into the DCF page to test fair value sensitivity.

Disclaimer: This is not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC EDGAR and Polygon.io. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Always conduct your own research before making investment decisions.

LEE WACC: 7.67% — Lee Enterprises, Inc. Cost of Capital (October 2026) | DeepViews