Analyst Ratings February 12, 2026

Rosenblatt Starts Coverage of USA TODAY Co. with Buy Rating, Sees Large Upside from AI and Platform Deals

Analyst house assigns $10 target as strategic partnerships and potential licensing deals underpin bullish thesis

By Avery Klein TDAY
Rosenblatt Starts Coverage of USA TODAY Co. with Buy Rating, Sees Large Upside from AI and Platform Deals
TDAY

Rosenblatt Securities began coverage of USA TODAY Co. (NYSE: TDAY) with a Buy recommendation and a $10.00 price target, identifying AI-related licensing opportunities and platform partnerships as key drivers for valuation upside. The stock is trading near its 52-week peak and has delivered notable six-month gains, while the firm flagged both a digital transformation opportunity and potential antitrust-related recoveries from Google as elements of its bullish view.

Key Points

  • Rosenblatt initiated coverage of USA TODAY Co. (NYSE: TDAY) with a Buy rating and a $10.00 price target, implying more than 60% upside from recent trading levels.
  • The firm cited potential AI large language model licensing deals and platform-driven revenue as primary upside catalysts, and noted possible antitrust damages from Google as an additional positive factor.
  • USA TODAY Co. announced a multi-year strategic partnership with Meta to surface content from USA TODAY and over 200 local network publications within Meta’s apps and AI news-related queries, reinforcing the company’s digital distribution strategy.

Rosenblatt Securities has launched coverage of USA TODAY Co., assigning a Buy rating and setting a $10.00 price objective, the broker-dealer said on Thursday. The company’s shares (NYSE: TDAY) were trading at $6.17 at the time of the report, slightly below a 52-week high of $6.22.

The $10.00 target implies potential upside of more than 60% relative to the recent trading level cited by Rosenblatt. The firm pointed to several catalysts that underpin its positive stance, with a focus on technology-driven revenue opportunities and the publisher’s ongoing digital transition.

Rosenblatt flagged forthcoming "Google/AI-driven paydays" as a meaningful potential source of market-capitalization expansion for the publisher. Specifically, the report referenced the prospect of AI large language model licensing arrangements that could alter the company’s traffic economics - a dynamic the firm summarized as having the potential to "transform zero click fears into click plus upside."

In addition to licensing prospects, Rosenblatt called out potential antitrust damages from Google as another element contributing to its constructive outlook for the media company. The firm also highlighted what it described as "call optionality" tied to USA TODAY’s path toward becoming a majority-digital enterprise, suggesting that the shift could reinforce the company’s core growth trajectory if executed as anticipated.

Separately, USA TODAY Co. has disclosed a multi-year strategic partnership with Meta. Under this collaboration, content from USA TODAY, more than 200 USA TODAY Network local publications, and USA TODAY Sports wires will be made available across Meta’s family of apps and devices. As a consequence, Meta’s AI news-related queries will incorporate information and links from USA TODAY and its network outlets, an arrangement intended to help users discover content aligned with their interests. Rosenblatt and market observers view the deal as an extension of USA TODAY Co.’s efforts to broaden its digital footprint and reach.


  • Trading context: TDAY was quoted at $6.17, just under its 52-week high of $6.22.
  • Performance: InvestingPro data show a roughly 50.12% price return for TDAY over the prior six months.
  • Analyst thesis: Rosenblatt expects AI licensing opportunities and platform partnerships to provide material upside, and also cites possible antitrust recoveries as supportive to valuation.

The picture painted in Rosenblatt’s initial coverage centers on a combination of event-driven upside and structural digital transition, with the firm stressing several discrete levers - licensing, platform distribution, and potential legal recoveries - that could influence the company’s market value.

Risks

  • "Zero click" concerns - the report references fears that AI-driven results could reduce direct clicks; Rosenblatt’s thesis depends on licensing arrangements transforming that dynamic into incremental traffic and revenue. This risk primarily affects the media and digital advertising sectors.
  • Antitrust outcomes - Rosenblatt cites potential antitrust damages from Google as a positive factor, but the realization and magnitude of any legal recoveries are uncertain. This uncertainty impacts media companies and litigation-sensitive technology sectors.
  • Execution of digital transition - the upside noted by Rosenblatt depends on USA TODAY Co.’s successful transformation into a majority-digital enterprise; execution risk could affect the company’s growth trajectory and advertising/ subscription revenue streams, with repercussions for the media and digital content markets.

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