Top 5 Media Companies To Watch For 2015

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For decades, the publishing business formed the core of the media world, providing millions of people with their primary sources of entertainment and information through books and newspapers. The advent of television created some competition for the industry, but it wasn't until the rise of the Internet that traditional publishers experienced more substantial declines. With the ease of dissemination of content through online channels, traditional publishing has had to seek a way to keep itself from becoming obsolete. Let's take a closer look at the publishing industry to see whether it still offers any promising investment opportunities.

What is the publishing industry?

The publishing industry includes three primary segments. The highest-profile companies in publishing focus on newspapers, with The�New York Times, News Corp. and its Wall Street Journal, and the now privately held Washington Post gaining international recognition for their respective publications.

Top 5 Media Companies To Watch For 2015: Gannett Co. Inc. (GCI)

Gannett Co., Inc. operates as a media and marketing solutions company in the United States and internationally. Its Publishing segment publishes 83 U.S. daily newspapers with affiliated online sites, including USA TODAY, a national, general-interest daily newspaper; USATODAY.com; USA WEEKEND, a magazine supplement for newspapers; Clipper Magazine, a direct mail advertising magazine; bi-weekly Nursing Spectrum and NurseWeek periodicals; and military and defense newspapers. This segment also includes 17 paid-for daily newspapers; approximately 200 weekly newspapers, magazines, and trade publications; and approximately 600 non-daily publications, as well as involves in commercial printing, newswire, marketing, and data services operations. The company?s Digital segment owns and operates CareerBuilder, an employment Web site, which offers online recruitment and career advancement services for employers, employees, recruiters, and job seekers; ShopLocal, which provides multicha nnel shopping and advertising services; Planet Discover, which offers hosted search and advertising services; PointRoll, which provides digital marketing services and technology; and Schedule Star, which offers scheduling solution for high school athletic departments. Its Broadcasting segment operates 23 television stations and affiliated Web sites, which produce local programming, such as news, sports, and entertainment programming. This segment also includes Captivate Network, a national news and entertainment network that delivers programming and full-motion video advertising on video screens located in elevators of office towers and select hotel lobbies in North America. The company has strategic business relationships with online affiliates, including Classified Ventures, ShopLocal.com, Topix, and Metromix LLC, as well as strategic marketing agreement with Microsoft. Gannett Co., Inc. was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in McLean, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang]

  Gannett Co. (GCI) �is projected to post earnings of 41 cents a share in the third quarter.

• [By The Part-time Investor]

  The following stocks met the criteria in January of 2008 and were put into the initial portfolio:

  Abbot Labs (ABT)Advanced data processing (ADP)Associated Banc-Corp (ASBC)Bank of America (BAC)BB&T Corp. (BBT)Bemis Company (BMS)Anheuser Busch (BUD)The Chubb Corporation (CB)Clorox (CLX)Comerica Inc. (CMA)Diebold Inc. (DBD)Emerson Electronics (EMR)First Dollar Corp. (FDO)First Third BanCorp. (FITB)Gannett Co, Inc. (GCI)General Electric (GE)Hershey (HSY)Illinois Tools Works (ITW)Johnson and Johnson (JNJ)Leggett and Platt (LEG)Eli Lilly (LLY)La-Z-Boy (LZB)McDonald's (MCD)Marsh and Ilsley (MI)M&T Bancorp (MTB)PepsiCo (PEP)Pfizer (PFE)Procter & Gamble (PG)Pentair Ltd. (PNR)Regions Financial Corp. (RF)Rohm and Haas (ROH)RPM International (RPM)Sherwin Williams (SHW)Sysco Corp. (SYY)UDR Inc. (UDR)

  Historical quotes were taken from Yahoo Finance. $10,000 was put into each position, to the nearest whole share, so a total of $349,262.89 was invested. From 1/15/08 through 5/16/13 all dividends were reinvested back into the stock that paid them. If a dividend cut was announced, that stock was sold on the ex-div date of the new, lower dividend.

• [By Mike Deane]

  Early on Monday morning, Gannett (GCI) had its price target raised to $35 from $34 at FBR Capital. The ratings company also affirmed that Gannett is a “Top Pick.”�

  Gannett, a publishing and broadcasting company that operates in the U.S. and the U.K., currently has a price of $29.76, and FBR’s new target suggests an 18% upside.

  FBR analyst William Bird had the following comments about GCI’s PT raise: “Based on our analysis, we estimate that Gannett’s spectrum is worth approximately $2.2 billion, or $9 per share, roughly doubling in value from the�acquisition�of BLC (i.e., pre-deal valuation of ~$1.1 billion). Separately, we are lowering our 2014 EPS estimate by $0.07 to reflect the previously announced sale of three stations to MDP (note: an expected midyear close means that the stations will not be in operating results from January 1, but the proceeds will not be received until midyear). We are increasing our price target to $35 from $34 to reflect shareholder accretion from the sale. We like Gannett’s improving business mix, growth profile, and ability to drive growth with its own propeller through higher retrans, synergies, and potential TV acquisitions.”

  Gannett stock was inactive in pre-market trading. So far this year, the company’s stock is up 0.61%.

Top 5 Media Companies To Watch For 2015: Time Warner Inc.(TWX)

Time Warner Inc. operates as a media and entertainment company in the United States and internationally. It operates in three segments: Networks, Filmed Entertainment, and Publishing. The Networks segment provides domestic and international networks, premium pay and basic tier television programming services, and digital media properties, which primarily consist of brand-aligned Websites. Its premium pay television services consist of the multi-channel HBO and Cinemax premium pay television services. This segment provides programming to cable system operators, satellite service distributors, telephone companies, and other distributors; sells advertising; and licenses original programming to domestic and international television networks. The Filmed Entertainment segment produces and distributes feature films, television and other programming, and videogames; distributes home video products; and licenses rights to its feature films, television programming, and characters. T he Publishing segment publishes magazines and books; and operates various Websites, as well as engages in marketing services and direct-marketing businesses. This segment publishes magazines on style and entertainment, lifestyle, news, and sports. The company?s brands include TNT, TBS, CNN, HBO, Cinemax, Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, People, Sports Illustrated, and Time. Time Warner Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Next week investors will be waiting for several key earnings reports including�Tesla Motors, Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA), Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX), CenturyLink, Inc. (NYSE: CTL), Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN)

• [By Tim Beyers, Steve Symington, and Leo Sun]

  Of course, the biggest reveals are always reserved for Saturday when Time Warner's (NYSE: TWX  ) DC Entertainment and Walt Disney's (NYSE: DIS  ) Marvel Studios take the stage at Comic-Con's famed 8,000-seat Hall H. What should investors be watching for today? We asked three of our top media and pop culture analysts to weigh in.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Time Warner provides media and entertainment through a variety of mediums to consumers and businesses all around the world. The company reported strong financial results that left investors pleased. The stock has tripled its prices in the last four years is currently trading near all-time highs. Earnings have been increasing while revenue figures have been mixed over the last four quarters, which has kept investors happy. Relative to its strong peers and sector, Time Warner has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for Time Warner to OUTPERFORM.

Best Consumer Stocks For 2015: Time Warner Cable Inc(TWC)

Time Warner Cable Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a cable operator in the United States. It offers video, high-speed data, and voice services over its broadband cable systems to residential and commercial customers. The company provides a range of video services, including on-demand, high-definition (HD), and digital video recorder (DVR) services; residential high-speed data services with connection to the Internet; wireless mobile broadband Internet services; and digital phone services to residential customers. It offers video programming tiers and music services; high-speed data, networking, and transport services; and commercial digital phone service to small and medium-sized businesses under the Time Warner Cable Business Class brand. Further, Time Warner Cable Inc. sells advertising to various national, regional, and local customers. As of June 30, 2011, the company served approximately 14.5 million residential and commercial customers in the New Yor k State, the Carolinas, Ohio, southern California, and Texas. Time Warner Cable Inc. is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Brugger]

  Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) , Comcast, and Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR  ) , have all been on the other side of the Internet subscriber fence. Phone companies such as AT&T�and Verizon began losing customers to these and other cable Internet providers some time ago, largely because of speed and connectivity issues. And now along comes Google Fiber with an alternative that blows the doors off anything Comcast, Time Warner, or Charter can offer, and often for the same or less money. If the cable industry isn't worried, it should be.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  In comparison, Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA  ) has 18.3 million broadband subscribers, AT&T (NYSE: T  ) has 16.4 million, Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) boasts 10.9 million, and Verizon (NYSE: VZ  ) enjoys 8.8 million subscribers.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Charter Communications Inc. (NASDAQ: CHTR) is reported to be preparing an offer to acquire larger competitor Time Warner Cable Inc. (NYSE: TWC) at a price below $135 a share. Time Warner has reportedly indicated that it would likely accept an offer north of $150 a share, so if Charter comes in with its low-ball (a bear hug) offer the primary reason is that it wants to get the ball rolling.

• [By Dan Moskowitz]

  Time Warner Cable (NYSE: TWC  ) �doesn't have the best reputation among its customers, but all that matters to investors is whether or not the company can make shareholders money through stock appreciation and dividend payments. Let's take a look at the Time Warner Cable situation and compare the company's potential to that of Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA  ) and Charter Communications (NASDAQ: CHTR  ) .

Top 5 Media Companies To Watch For 2015: Thomson Reuters Corp(TRI)

Thomson Reuters Corporation provides intelligent information for businesses and professionals worldwide. The company allows market participants to connect, access content, and trade in a secure environment through Thomson Reuters Eikon desktop, Thomson Reuters Elektron network, content integration and management technology, content feeds and databases, and transactions infrastructure solutions that support buy- and sell-side customers to trade in foreign exchange, fixed income and derivatives, equities, exchange-traded instruments, and commodities and energy markets. It also offers information, analytics, workflow, and technology solutions to buy-side and off-trading floor customers; access to liquidity in over-the-counter markets, trade execution, and connections for market participants and financial professionals? communities; and a suite of solutions offering informed outcomes to regulated industries and law firms. In addition, the company provides critical information , decision support tools, and software and services to legal, investigation, business, and government professionals; integrated tax compliance and accounting software and services for accounting and law firms, corporations, and government professionals; intellectual property and scientific resources that enable its customers to discover, develop, and deliver innovations; and data analytics, and performance benchmarking solutions and services to healthcare sector. Further, it offers coverage of global, regional, and national news in 20 languages covering politics, business, finance, entertainment, lifestyle, technology, health, science, and sports; and engages in advertising-supported direct-to-consumer publishing activities of Reuters.com and its network of Websites, mobile applications, and electronic out-of-home displays. The company was formerly known as The Thomson Corporation and changed its name to Thomson Reuters Corporation in April 2008. The company is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines feature an upgrade for Thomson Reuters Reuters (NYSE: TRI  ) , a new buy rating for Novavax (NASDAQ: NVAX  ) -- but for Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP  ) , a downgrade. Let's get that bad news out of the way first.

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Thomson Reuters (TRI)

  On Feb. 11, Thomson Reuters declared a dividend of $0.330 per share, representing 3.80% dividend yield for the company. This dividend is payable on March 17 to shareholders of the record at the close of business on Feb. 24, 2014.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI  ) has acquired Canadian trademark search, monitoring, and screening firm Onscope, Thomson announced Tuesday.

• [By Associated Press]

  Ron Brown, head of Elektron Analytics, a Thomson Reuters (NYSE: TRI  ) unit that sells news feeds that computers can read, said that the words "explosions" or "Obama" alone wouldn't have triggered selling. But add "White House," and it's a combination even the slowest computer couldn't miss.

Top 5 Media Companies To Watch For 2015: Comcast Corporation(CMCSA)

Comcast Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides entertainment, information, and communications products and services in the United States and internationally. Its Cable Communications segment provides video, high-speed Internet, and phone services to residential and business customers. As of June 30, 2011, its cable systems served approximately 22.5 million video customers, 17.5 million high-speed Internet customers, and 9.1 million phone customers. The company?s Cable Networks segment operates cable entertainment networks, such as USA Network, Syfy, E!, Bravo, Oxygen, Style, G4, Chiller, Sleuth, and Universal HD; news and information networks, including CNBC, MSNBC, and CNBC World; cable sports networks comprising Golf Channel and VERSUS; regional sports and news networks; international entertainment, and news and information networks, such as CNBC Europe, CNBC Asia, and Universal Networks International portfolio of networks; cable television production oper ations; and digital media properties consisting primarily of brand-aligned Websites and other Websites, such as DailyCandy, Fandango, and iVillage. Its Broadcast Television segment operates the U.S. broadcast networks, NBC and Telemundo; 10 NBC and 15 Telemundo owned local television stations; broadcast television productions; and related digital media properties. The company?s Filmed Entertainment segment operates Universal Pictures, which produces, acquires, markets, and distributes filmed entertainment and stage plays worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television, and other distribution platforms. Its Theme Parks segment operates Universal Studios Hollywood park and Wet ?n Wild water park, as well as licenses intellectual properties and provides services to third parties that own and operate Universal Studios Japan and Universal Studios Singapore. Comcast Corporation was founded in 1963 and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Anora Mahmudova]

  Investors welcomed better-than-expected results from Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) and Harley-Davidson, Inc. (HOG) , while a flurry of deal news in the health-care sector added to positive sentiment.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) is reportedly willing to pay big to become a player in streaming television, hoping to upend the cable industry. This could change the monopoly market conditions Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA  ) and Time Warner (NYSE: TWC  ) have built in cable and it may open up the industry for streaming companies like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) and Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) as well. Fool contributor Travis Hoium tell investors what he thinks of Intel's big bet in the video below.�