iHeartMedia: Record Political Ad Spending In H2 2026 To Drive EBITDA

Sorrento Research 147 Followers Follow Summary iHeartMedia, Inc. is maintained at BUY, with the investment case weighted toward a 2H26 rebound driven by record political ad spending. IHRT’s Digital Audio Group, led by its #1 podcast platform, delivers superior EBITDA margins (34%) and is a key forward earnings driver. 2Q26 results saw higher non-cash marketing spend depress EBITDA, but management reaffirmed 17% YoY EBITDA growth guidance for 2026 and $200M programmatic revenue. Valuation is near a technical bottom (7.6x EV/EBITDA); leverage is expected to improve to mid-5x in 2026, supported by cost savings and stronger free cash flow. Alistair Berg/DigitalVision via Getty Images Summary I last wrote on iHeartMedia, Inc. ( IHRT ) on July 20 with a BUY rating . Since that time, the stock is -47% as the call has not worked in my favor. 2Q26 results were negatively impacted This article was written by Sorrento Research 147 Followers Follow I am a specialist in global equities after having been a sellside analyst outside of the US for 13 years. In addition, I have also spent time covering US hardware and semiconductor stocks on the sellside while working in the US. I have covered the casino, automotive, industrial, consumer and technology sectors. I have also worked on the buyside as a fund manager in long only and as an analyst in hedge funds all covering Asian equities where I have developed a keen understanding of Asian companies and economies with a focus on China. From a global equities perspective, I enjoy covering companies globally by examining key metrics such as financial statements strength, valuation upside, and conducting proper analysis of the competitive advantages of the company. Throughout my career, I have found and written on undiscovered small cap companies which have increased in equity value by multiple times. I would like to write for Seeking Alpha where my goal is to help investors cut through the noise and to focus on fundamentals and the company’s competitive outlook instead of the momentum trade. Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have no stock, option or similar derivative position in any of the companies mentioned, and no plans to initiate any such positions within the next 72 hours. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article. Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.