NEW YORK TIMES CO (NYT): Results of Operations and Financial Condition
NEW YORK TIMES CO (NYT) filed an SEC Form 8-K — Results of Operations and Financial Condition. The New York Times Company Reports Second-Quarter 2026 Results NEW YORK, August 5, 2026 – The New York Times Company (NYSE: NYT) announced today second -quarter 2026 results. Key Highlights • Digital-only subscription revenues grew 16.4 percent year-over-year, driven by growth in
How this was made
The 30-second read
Why it matters
Digital-only subscription momentum (net adds and ARPU) and digital advertising strength supported revenue growth, while operating cost inflation constrained GAAP margin. Special items related to generative AI litigation and pension withdrawal affect comparability.
Market read
A fresh earnings datapoint with detailed subscriber, ARPU, revenue, cost, and EPS metrics that can drive near-term positioning in NYT and the broader digital subscription media group.
What to watch
The filing highlights generative AI litigation costs and a pension plan withdrawal charge as special items; traders may normalize earnings differently when assessing sustainable margin.
The New York Times Company Reports Second-Quarter 2026 Results
Total revenues increased 11.2 percent, digital-only subscription revenues increased 16.4 percent, and digital advertising revenues increased 20.7 percent. Adjusted operating profit increased 16.1 percent and adjusted operating profit margin increased by approximately 90 basis points despite a 10.0 percent increase in adjusted operating costs.
Key metrics
as reported| Metric | Value | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total revenuesGAAP | $762.5 million | – | 11.2 % |
| Total subscription revenuesGAAP | $537.9 million | – | 11.7 percent |
| Digital-only subscription revenuesGAAP | $407.9 million | – | 16.4 % |
| Print subscription revenuesGAAP | $130.0 million | – | decreased 0.8 percent |
| Total advertising revenuesGAAP | $149.1 million | – | 11.3 percent |
| Digital advertising revenuesGAAP | $114.0 million | – | 20.7 % |
| Print advertising revenuesGAAP | $35.2 million | – | decreased 11.1 percent |
| Affiliate, licensing and other revenuesGAAP | $75.5 million | – | 7.1 percent |
| Total subscribersother | 13,350 (in thousands) | – | – |
| Digital-only subscribersother | 12,800 (in thousands) | – | – |
| Digital-only subscribers quarterly net additionsother | 280 (in thousands) | – | – |
| Digital-only ARPUother | $9.94 | – | 3.1 % |
| Total operating costsGAAP | $644.4 million | – | 11.2 % |
| Adjusted operating costsnon-GAAP | $607.2 million | – | 10.0 % |
| Cost of revenueGAAP | $367.8 million | – | 8.6 percent |
| Sales and marketing costsGAAP | $85.5 million | – | 23.6 percent |
| Product development costsGAAP | $70.4 million | – | 10.0 percent |
| General and administrative costsGAAP | $85.8 million | – | 3.9 percent |
| Operating profitGAAP | $118.0 million | – | 10.8 percent |
| Operating profit marginGAAP | 15.5 % | – | flat year-over-year |
| Adjusted operating profitnon-GAAP | $155.3 million | – | 16.1 percent |
| Adjusted operating profit marginnon-GAAP | 20.4 % | – | approximately 90 basis points |
| Interest income and other, netGAAP | $10.8 million | – | – |
| Income tax expenseGAAP | $31.8 million | – | – |
| Effective income tax rateGAAP | 25.4 percent | – | – |
| Diluted earnings per shareGAAP | $0.57 | – | $0.07 increase year-over-year |
| Adjusted diluted earnings per sharenon-GAAP | $0.69 | – | $0.11 increase year-over-year |
| Diluted sharesGAAP | 163.0 | – | – |
| Generative AI Litigation CostsGAAP | $4.6 million | – | – |
| Generative AI Litigation Costs after taxGAAP | $3.4 million, or $0.02 per share | – | – |
| Charge in connection with withdrawal from a multiemployer pension planGAAP | $9.2 million | – | – |
| Charge in connection with withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan after taxGAAP | $6.8 million, or $0.04 per share | – | – |
| Net cash provided by operating activitiesGAAP | $286.5 million | – | – |
| Free cash flownon-GAAP | $265.7 million | – | – |
Segments
| Segment | Revenue | q/q | y/y |
|---|---|---|---|
| Digital-only subscription revenuesHigher average digital-only subscribers and higher digital-only ARPU. | $407.9 million | – | 16.4 percent |
| Print subscription revenuesLower single-copy and domestic home-delivery revenues. | $130.0 million | – | decreased 0.8 percent |
| Digital advertising revenuesStrong marketer demand and growth in advertising supply. | $114.0 million | – | 20.7 percent |
| Print advertising revenuesNo driver was provided. | $35.2 million | – | decreased 11.1 percent |
| Affiliate, licensing and other revenuesHigher Wirecutter affiliate referral revenues, which benefited from a shift in the timing of a marketing promotion by one of the Company's partners. | $75.5 million | – | 7.1 percent |
What drove it
- Digital-only subscriber growth and higher digital-only ARPU drove digital-only subscription revenue growth.
- Digital-only ARPU was driven primarily by subscribers transitioning from promotional to higher prices and price increases on certain tenured subscribers.
- Digital advertising revenue growth reflected strong marketer demand and growth in advertising supply.
- Higher Wirecutter affiliate referral revenues benefited from a shift in the timing of a marketing promotion by one of the Company's partners.
- Higher compensation and benefits expenses relating to journalism increased cost of revenue.
- Higher marketing and promotion expenses and higher advertising compensation and benefits expenses increased sales and marketing costs.
Concerns
- Print subscription revenues decreased 0.8 percent due to lower single-copy and domestic home-delivery revenues.
- Print advertising revenues decreased 11.1 percent.
- Total operating costs increased 11.2 percent and included $4.6 million of Generative AI Litigation Costs and a $9.2 million multiemployer pension-plan withdrawal charge.
- Sales and marketing costs increased 23.6 percent, primarily due to higher marketing and promotion expenses and higher advertising compensation and benefits expenses.
What to watch
- Digital-only subscriber additions, which were approximately 280,000 compared with the end of the first quarter of 2026.
- Digital-only ARPU, which increased 3.1 percent to $9.94.
- Digital advertising revenues, which increased 20.7 percent.
- The progression of print subscription and print advertising revenues, which decreased 0.8 percent and 11.1 percent, respectively.
- Operating-cost growth relative to revenue growth, including compensation and benefits expenses, marketing and promotion costs, Generative AI Litigation Costs and the multiemployer pension-plan withdrawal charge.
Balance sheet and cash flow
- As of June 30, 2026, the Company had cash and marketable securities of $1.22 billion, an increase of $48.5 million from $1.17 billion as of December 31, 2025.
- The Company has a $400 million unsecured revolving line of credit.
- As of June 30, 2026, there were no outstanding borrowings under this credit facility, and the Company did not have other outstanding debt.
- Net cash provided by operating activities in the first six months of 2026 was $286.5 million compared with $212.7 million in the same period of 2025.
- Free cash flow in the first six months of 2026 was $265.7 million compared with $193.2 million in the same period of 2025.
Analysis
The reported quarter showed broad revenue growth led by digital operations. Total revenues increased 11.2 percent to $762.5 million. Digital-only subscription revenues increased 16.4 percent to $407.9 million as higher average digital-only subscribers and higher digital-only ARPU offset continued pressure in print subscription revenues, which decreased 0.8 percent to $130.0 million. The Company ended the quarter with approximately 13.35 million total subscribers, including approximately 12.80 million digital-only subscribers, after adding approximately 280,000 net digital-only subscribers from the end of the first quarter of 2026.
Digital monetization also improved. Digital-only ARPU increased 3.1 percent to $9.94, driven primarily by promotional subscribers transitioning to higher prices and price increases on certain tenured subscribers. Advertising was a second major growth contributor: digital advertising revenues increased 20.7 percent to $114.0 million on strong marketer demand and greater advertising supply. Total advertising revenues increased 11.3 percent to $149.1 million, although print advertising revenues decreased 11.1 percent to $35.2 million. Affiliate, licensing and other revenues increased 7.1 percent to $75.5 million, aided by higher Wirecutter affiliate referral revenues and timing of a partner marketing promotion.
Costs rose alongside revenue investment. Total operating costs increased 11.2 percent to $644.4 million, while adjusted operating costs increased 10.0 percent to $607.2 million. The reported cost base included $4.6 million of Generative AI Litigation Costs and a $9.2 million charge related to withdrawal from a multiemployer pension plan. Higher journalism compensation and benefits affected cost of revenue, while higher marketing and promotion expenses and advertising compensation and benefits drove a 23.6 percent increase in sales and marketing costs.
GAAP operating profit increased 10.8 percent to $118.0 million and the GAAP operating profit margin was flat year-over-year at 15.5 percent. Adjusted operating profit increased 16.1 percent to $155.3 million, while adjusted operating profit margin increased to 20.4 percent from 19.5 percent. Diluted EPS increased to $0.57 from $0.50, and adjusted diluted EPS increased to $0.69 from $0.58. Interest income and other, net increased to $10.8 million, primarily due to higher cash and marketable securities balances.
Liquidity remained substantial. Cash and marketable securities were $1.22 billion as of June 30, 2026, and the Company reported no outstanding borrowings under its $400 million unsecured revolving line of credit and no other outstanding debt. First-half operating cash flow was $286.5 million and first-half free cash flow was $265.7 million. The supplied filing text contains no forward guidance, so the next reported outlook and the persistence of digital subscriber, ARPU, advertising, print-revenue and cost trends are the principal disclosed items to monitor.
Management, verbatim
Q2 was another strong quarter for The Times, driven by the consistent execution of our strategy. Our results reflect the increasingly rare and valuable nature of our products, and the durability of our business model. By continuing to invest in independent, high-quality journalism and market-leading lifestyle products—and leaning into our opportunity in video—we’re becoming even more essential to even more people. 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
Not in the filing
stated, not guessed- Forward guidance for revenue, gross margin, operating expenses, tax rate and other metrics.
- Previous-period outlook and prior-guidance comparisons.
- GAAP net income.
- Gross profit and gross margin.
- Quarterly operating cash flow and quarterly free cash flow.
- Capital-return information, including share repurchases and dividends.
- Revenue, cost and profit by reportable operating segment.
- Prior-quarter comparisons expressed as percentage changes for reported metrics.
- The remainder of the filing text following the incomplete sentence regarding first-six-month 2025 operating cash flow.
AlphAI analysis generated from the company’s SEC earnings filing (Form 8-K Item 2.02, or Form 6-K for a foreign private issuer). Every figure was cross-checked against the filing text; consensus estimates, price targets and share-price reactions are not shown because they are not in the filing. AI-generated research, not investment advice.
Background
This is an SEC Form 8-K (Item 2.02) with NYT’s Q2 2026 operating results and a press release exhibit.
Ticker impact
NYT reported Q2 2026 results, including 16.4% growth in digital-only subscription revenue and $0.57 GAAP diluted EPS.
Near-term bias modestly positive, with traders likely focusing on digital-only net adds, ARPU trajectory, and cost growth versus margin expansion.
The filing provides multiple directional datapoints (digital-only subscribers +280k QoQ, digital-only ARPU +3.1% YoY, operating profit +10.8% YoY, adjusted operating profit +16.1% YoY) that can drive earnings-multiple repricing, while cost inflation and print ad weakness temper the upside.
Market effects
Media and subscription publishers may see read-across on digital-only ARPU durability and cost discipline versus ad cyclicality.
Primarily US-listed media sentiment; limited direct regional spillover beyond US equity tape.
Low global macro linkage; more relevant to US digital news and advertising demand expectations.
Counterpoint
Adjusted profitability improved, but GAAP operating profit margin was flat and print advertising declined, suggesting the quality of growth may be increasingly dependent on digital mix.
Key entities
- issuerThe New York Times Company
Reported Q2 2026 results on digital subscriptions, advertising, costs, operating profit, and EPS in an SEC 8-K.
- executiveMeredith Kopit Levien
CEO quoted on strategy execution, video opportunity, and business model durability.
