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NEW YORK - Fox News Channel (FNC), a division of Fox Corporation (FOXA) which has achieved a perfect Piotroski Score of 9 according to InvestingPro data, surpassed ABC and CBS in weekday primetime viewership during the third quarter of 2025, according to Nielsen data released in a company statement. The company's strong market position is reflected in its impressive 50% stock return over the past year.
FNC averaged 2.93 million viewers and 299,000 in the 25-54 demographic during weekday primetime, ahead of ABC (2.75 million) and CBS (2.1 million), while trailing NBC (2.99 million). The network recorded its third-highest third quarter in history, marking 95 consecutive quarters as the top-rated cable news network in primetime. This success has contributed to Fox Corporation's robust financial health, with revenue reaching $16.3 billion in the last twelve months. Get deeper insights into Fox Corporation's performance metrics and 10+ additional ProTips with an InvestingPro subscription.
In contrast, competitors CNN and MSNBC experienced significant declines. CNN recorded its lowest-rated quarter ever in the 25-54 demographic with 61,000 viewers in total day and 87,000 in primetime. MSNBC hit demographic lows in total day (41,000) and primetime (66,000) dating back to the late 1990s.
For September, "Hannity" led the 25-54 demographic with 391,000 viewers, while "Jesse Watters Primetime" topped primetime viewership with 3.5 million total viewers. "Gutfeld!" dominated the late-night landscape with 2.9 million viewers, outperforming broadcast competitors including "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" (2.1 million) and "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" (1.5 million).
"The Five" continued its streak as cable news' most-watched program for the 16th consecutive quarter, averaging 3.7 million viewers and surpassing several broadcast sports programs including NBC's coverage of The Ryder Cup.
FNC's "Special Report with Bret Baier" outperformed "CBS Evening News" in the 25-54 demographic for the week of September 8, and beat the broadcast program in nearly 20 key markets including Washington D.C., Chicago, and Philadelphia.
Year-to-date, FNC remains the leader in television with weekday primetime viewers (3.3 million), ahead of CBS (3.1 million), ABC (3.1 million) and NBC (3 million). This market leadership has helped drive Fox Corporation's strong financial performance, with the stock trading near its 52-week high and maintaining healthy profit margins of 35.5%. For comprehensive analysis including Fair Value estimates and detailed financial metrics, explore Fox Corporation's Pro Research Report, available exclusively on InvestingPro.
In other recent news, Fox Corporation reported impressive fourth-quarter fiscal 2025 results, with adjusted earnings per share of $1.27, surpassing analyst estimates of $0.99. The company's revenue reached $3.29 billion, exceeding the consensus forecast of $3.12 billion, marking a 6% increase compared to the same period last year. Advertising revenues grew by 7%, driven by digital growth from the Tubi AVOD service and stronger news ratings. In addition to these financial results, Fox Corporation announced a resolution to the Murdoch Family Trust legal proceedings, which involved a secondary offering of Class B common stock. The resolution led to Prudence MacLeod, Elisabeth Murdoch, and James Murdoch ceasing to be beneficiaries in any trust holding shares in Fox or News Corporation. On the analyst front, Guggenheim raised its price target for Fox to $68 from $62, citing strong ratings and advertising momentum for live sports content. Furthermore, Fox and ESPN announced a bundled streaming package for $39.99 per month, set to start on October 2, offering extensive sports content to subscribers. These developments highlight the company's strategic moves and financial performance, providing investors with key insights.
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