DHX Media (DHXM)
DHX Media (NASDAQ:DHXM) has had an ugly one-year period as a stock, down 47%. Debt continues to be a problem for DHX Media, with a debt-equity ratio of 108%! $550 million in long-term debt as of the most recent quarter doesn’t help … but at $1.99, with a market cap around $219 million, there is some reason for optimism.
First, DHX added the Peanuts intellectual property to its portfolio in a deal with Iconix Brand Group (NASDAQ:ICON). That adds to the existing portfolio of Teletubbies, Inspector Gadget, Yo Gabba Gabba! and YouTube content provider WildBrain. DHX then sold 39% of Peanuts to Sony (NYSE:SNE), allowing it to reduce debt while bringing a high-quality partner on board.
A strategic review continues, as DHX looks to further drive cost savings and reduce debt. And in a cord-cutting world where content may become increasingly valuable, the company should have some options.
This is a high-risk play, as the long decline in its chart shows. ICON has dropped over 99% in the past five years due to too much debt and too weak a portfolio. But DHX should be able to avoid that fate . and potentially drive nice gains in DHXM stock.
