ZIFF DAVIS, INC.(ZD)Stock Analysis
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Rank #1,407 of 2,879 stocksTOP 50%
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Rankings refresh quarterly once 80% of peers have filed (~45 days after quarter-end). Next update: ~Aug 14, 2026.
Revenue Growth
Profitability
Balance Sheet
Earnings Quality
Free Cash Flow
Institutional Flow
Revenue Scale
Dilution Risk
ZD Stock Analysis & AI Quality Score
AI stock analysis and institutional research for ZIFF DAVIS, INC. (ZD), a Communication Services sector company. 13F Pro's AI-powered ranking engine scores ZD at 51.3/100 on a 32-signal composite quality model, placing it at rank #1,407 of 2,879 stocks — the top half of the AI-ranked universe. Areas of concern include earnings quality (30.0) and revenue growth (35.6), which score below median versus the broader universe. Shareholder dilution risk is elevated at 32.9/100, reflecting ongoing share issuance or stock-based compensation. Based on the latest XBRL financial filings (Q1 2026), ZIFF DAVIS, INC. reports quarterly revenue of $267.6M, net income of $22.3M, free cash flow of $-3.2M. Top institutional holders of ZD by reported 13-F value include BlackRock,, JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC, Pale Fire Capital SE, based on the most recent SEC filings. ZD trades on the Nasdaq exchange and files with the SEC under CIK 1084048. 13F Pro's AI research platform runs 10 specialized AI analysts — value, growth, momentum, macro, and activist specialists — that debate ZD daily and publish AI-generated analysis with cited SEC sources. The platform aggregates historical XBRL financial facts, 10-Q and 10-K filings, insider Form 4 transactions, and institutional 13-F holdings for ZIFF DAVIS, INC. directly from SEC EDGAR. ZIFF DAVIS, INC.'s 13F Pro composite quality score has ranged between 8 and 71 since 2021, currently 51.3 — a declining long-term trajectory across 53 quarterly and live scoring snapshots.
Revenue
Q1 2026
$267.6M
Net Income
Q1 2026
$22.3M
Free Cash Flow
Q1 2026
$-3.2M
ROIC
Q1 2026
0.1%
D/E Ratio
Q1 2026
0.59
Revenue & Net Income
Earnings Per Share
Key Financials Over Time
Export Financial Table · Pro+Revenue
+3.5% YoYNet Income
-24.9% YoYOperating Income
+61.1% YoYEPS (Diluted)
-19.0% YoYTotal Assets
-1.1% YoYTotal Debt
+17.5% YoYOp. Cash Flow
+4.3% YoY| Metric | FY 2025 | FY 2024 | FY 2023 | FY 2022 | FY 2021 | FY 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue | $1.45B +3.5% | $1.40B +2.8% | $1.36B -1.9% | $1.39B -1.8% | $1.42B +22.3% | $1.16B |
| Net Income | $47.4M -24.9% | $63.0M +51.9% | $41.5M -34.9% | $63.8M -87.2% | $496.7M +229.7% | $150.7M |
| Operating Income | $183.1M +61.1% | $113.6M -14.3% | $132.6M -33.3% | $198.9M +18.9% | $167.3M +21.0% | $138.3M |
| EPS (Diluted) | $1.15 -19.0% | $1.42 +59.6% | $0.89 -34.6% | $1.36 -86.9% | $10.37 +226.1% | $3.18 |
| Total Assets | $3.66B -1.1% | $3.70B +6.7% | $3.47B -1.8% | $3.53B -6.3% | $3.77B +2.9% | $3.67B |
| Total Debt | $1.02B +17.5% | $864.3M -13.7% | $1.00B +0.2% | $999.1M -12.8% | $1.15B -42.0% | $1.98B |
| Operating Cash Flow | $407.1M +4.3% | $390.3M +22.0% | $320.0M -4.9% | $336.4M -34.9% | $516.5M +7.6% | $480.1M |
AI Insight: ZD Financial Trends
Q1 2026 operating income collapsed to $3M — the weakest in the dataset — even as year-over-year revenue fell $61M, signaling a sharp margin deterioration.
• Revenue declined from $329M in Q1 2025 to $268M in Q1 2026, a $61M year-over-year drop — the lowest quarterly revenue in the dataset.
• Operating income fell from $35M in Q1 2025 to just $3M in Q1 2026, compressing operating margin to near zero.
• Total debt rose from $865M in Q3 2025 to $1,015M in Q4 2025, remaining elevated at $1,016M in Q1 2026 — reversing prior deleveraging.
• Operating cash flow improved from $21M in Q1 2025 to $30M in Q1 2026, a modest year-over-year gain.
⚠ Equity has declined for three consecutive quarters to $1,722M in Q1 2026, while debt holds above $1,000M — leverage is rising.
⚠ Net income of $22M in Q1 2026 contrasts with $3M operating income — watch non-operating items masking underlying weakness.
⚠ Q1 seasonality is weak historically, but the $61M revenue decline vs. Q1 2025 warrants monitoring for structural volume loss.
AI Insight: ZD Ratio Trends
Q1 2026 operating margin collapsed to 1.1% — the weakest quarterly reading in the dataset — even as net profit margin rebounded to 8.3%, signaling a large below-the-line gain masking deteriorating core operations.
• Operating margin fell sharply to 1.1% in Q1 2026 from 10.7% in Q1 2025, reversing a year-over-year improvement trend.
• ROIC dropped to 0.4% in Q1 2026 from 5.2% in Q1 2025, the lowest quarterly reading in the dataset.
• D/E ratio ticked up to 0.59 in Q1 2026, erasing leverage progress made from Q2 2024 through Q1 2025 (0.47).
• Net profit margin of 8.3% in Q1 2026 exceeded operating margin by 7.2pp, suggesting significant non-operating income drove bottom-line results.
⚠ Recurring gap between operating and net margins (Q1 2026, Q4 2025) warrants scrutiny — earnings quality depends on non-operating items.
⚠ ROIC at 0.4% in Q1 2026 versus 12.4% in Q4 2025 reflects extreme seasonality or one-off charges — sustainability is unclear.
⚠ D/E rising back to 0.59 after reaching 0.47 mid-2025 — monitor whether leverage continues climbing or stabilizes.
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Top Institutional Holders of ZD
BlackRock, Inc.
$257.5M6,136,284 shJANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC
$143.4M3,418,252 shPale Fire Capital SE
$116.8M2,783,366 shVANGUARD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LLC
$95.0M2,263,308 shDIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP
$86.9M2,071,548 shLegal & General Group Plc
$82.9M1,976,537 shVANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC
$71.2M1,696,929 shSTATE STREET CORP
$70.5M1,680,669 shTENOR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Co., L.P.
$59.2M60,000,000 shLINDEN ADVISORS LP
$46.4M47,086,000 sh
| Fund | Value | Shares |
|---|---|---|
| BlackRock, Inc. | $257.5M | 6,136,284 |
| JANUS HENDERSON GROUP PLC | $143.4M | 3,418,252 |
| Pale Fire Capital SE | $116.8M | 2,783,366 |
| VANGUARD PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT LLC | $95.0M | 2,263,308 |
| DIMENSIONAL FUND ADVISORS LP | $86.9M | 2,071,548 |
| Legal & General Group Plc | $82.9M | 1,976,537 |
| VANGUARD CAPITAL MANAGEMENT LLC | $71.2M | 1,696,929 |
| STATE STREET CORP | $70.5M | 1,680,669 |
| TENOR CAPITAL MANAGEMENT Co., L.P. | $59.2M | 60,000,000 |
| LINDEN ADVISORS LP | $46.4M | 47,086,000 |
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Is ZD a good stock to buy?
13F Pro's AI-powered analysis of ZIFF DAVIS, INC. (ZD) draws on SEC EDGAR-sourced fundamentals, institutional 13F holdings, and insider Form 4 transactions in the Communication Services sector (listed on Nasdaq). The 32-signal AI Quality Score, current rank, and full bull/bear verdict for ZD are available on the ZD stock profile dashboard — with the same data, AI insights, ratios, and institutional activity refreshed after every 10-K, 10-Q, 13F, and Form 4 filing.
Which hedge funds own ZD?
Institutional investors are required to disclose their holdings quarterly via SEC Form 13F. 13F Pro aggregates these filings to show which hedge funds, mutual funds, and asset managers are buying or selling ZD. Combined with insider transaction data from Form 4 filings and AI-powered analysis from 10 specialized research agents, 13F Pro provides a comprehensive view of ZIFF DAVIS, INC.'s investment landscape.