Does ZD pay a dividend and is it safe?

Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) offers a 0% cash dividend yield ($0.00 annualized) and 1.8% total shareholder yield including buybacks. Roarable rates its payout coverage as REINVESTING IN GROWTH + BUYBACKS.

Stock Ratings / Communication Services / ZD / dividends

ATEX (76) IDT (81) NSSC (71) IHS (58) ⌘ Pro Terminal →

Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) Dividend Safety Gauge & 10-Year DRIP Compounder

$53.15 -2.99% NASDAQ • Live Quote vs Prior Daily Close (Synced Snapshot) EXT / AFTER-HRS: $52.76

Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) carries a Roarable Rating of C (Hold) with 62/100 RQD Confidence. The composite score sits in the neutral Hold band (59–69), meaning current holders don’t need to panic-sell while prospective buyers can wait for a move into the 70+ Buy zone.

ROARABLE C • HOLD / WATCH Cap $1.88B

📤 Share Live RQD Speedometer Card: 𝕏 Post Reddit StockTwits ⬇ Live SVG Card

⚡ INSTANT AI QUANT PREVIEW • $0 FREE TIER Click Any Pre-Computed AI Quant Specialist Briefing on ZD Below — or Connect Your Own ChatGPT / Claude

🤖 Mara Quenwick • AI Quant Lead (Click for Instant Brief) Is ZD stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

▼

As of 2026-11-03, Ziff Davis Inc. (NASDAQ: ZD) is rated C (Hold / HOLD) by Roarable's 5-pillar RQD engine with a composite confidence score of 62/100 at a spot price of $53.15 (-2.99% 1D, market cap $1.88B). Pillar breakdown: Fundamental Cash Engine 12/20, Institutional 13F & Options Flow 10/20, SEC Balance-Sheet Forensics 12/20, FRED Macro Regime Fit 14/20, and Executive Insider Alignment 14/20. Across 132 tracked Communication Services issuers, ZD ranks #28 in composite RQD confidence.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Ellis Vennor • AI Peer & Flow Quant (Click for Instant Brief) How does ZD compare to ATEX and IDT in the Communication Services sector?

▼

Within the Communication Services sector (Telecommunications Equipment), ZD carries a Roarable C (62/100 RQD), trailing P/E of 40.5x, gross margin of 85.8%, and ROIC of 7.6%. By comparison, ATEX (Anterix Inc.) holds a B+ grade (76/100 RQD, P/E N/A, ROIC 35.9%, cap $1.78B) and IDT (IDT Corporation (Class B)) posts a A- grade (81/100 RQD, P/E 25.0x, ROIC 61.2%, cap $2.04B). Among the 5-stock peer group, IDT leads on earnings multiple (25.0x) while IDT leads on capital efficiency (61.2% ROIC).

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 Gideon Ashmere • AI SEC 10-K Forensics (Click for Instant Brief) What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ZD?

▼

Per ZD's SEC EDGAR XBRL 10-K filing (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31, CIK 0001084048), Ziff Davis Inc. generated $1.45B in revenue (+3.5% YoY), $47.4M in net income, and $287.9M in free cash flow against $3.66B in total assets and $717.8M in total debt. Key quantitative strengths: Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction. Primary risk factors monitored: Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter. Institutional options positioning shows a 50% call / 50% put premium split.

✓ Pre-computed one-to-many AI Quant brief

🤖 AI Quant Disclosure: Roarable Analysts are proprietary AI Quant Specialists — not human financial advisors. Pre-computed one-to-many briefings above are free; interactive 1-on-1 Q&A, custom AI sifting/indicator alerts, and personal ChatGPT/Claude MCP connections require a $9.95/mo Pro account (currently waitlist-only).

INTERACTIVE SCENARIO DECK:

🛡️ Portfolio Crash X-Ray

EXT / AFTER-HRS: $52.76 (-0.73%)🧬 Cannibal Buyback (-1.80% YoY Shares)⚙️ Cash Engine: 12/20 (C-) • 19.8% FCF Margin

Verify 90D Bucket Audit →

📊 Historical Track Record: Scores of 62/100 (C) historically posted market-perform odds over rolling 90-day windows (+0.7% avg 90D alpha vs SPY • 54.3% hit rate — wait for RQD ≥ 70 breakout).

Audit Bucket Track Record →

RQD QUANT TACHOMETERHOLD / WATCH • C

Quant Analyst Panel Split (Battleground)

Cash

SEC

Whale

Impersonal quantitative research (0–100 RQD rubric) — not individualized investment advice. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Full Disclaimer

5-PILLAR RQD RADARRw C- · Rk C

Each axis scored 0–20

12M PRICE TARGET CONE+1.8% Base Target

WHALE OPTIONS SNAPSHOT: — (No Active Options Snapshot on file for ZD)Realized 20D OHLCV Swing Band: ±5.5%

Deterministic 5-Pillar Attribution (62/100 Composite)

🔍 WHY ZD SCORES 62/100 (C) — TOP 3 DRIVERS2 Bullish Pillars + #1 Risk Drag

▲ #1 Bullish Driver: Macro Regime Fit+14/20 pts (23% of score)

FRED Regime × Technicals: 81% of 52W Range • RSI-14 at 42.5 (NEUTRAL RANGE)

▲ #2 Bullish Driver: Insider Conviction & Share Dilution+14/20 pts (23% of score)

SEC Form 4 / 13F Thermometer: 70% Net Buy • Cannibal Buyback (-1.80% YoY Shares)

▼ #1 Drag / Risk Factor: Whale & Options Positioning10/20 pts (-10 pt drag)

Put hedging (50% put share) caps near-term gamma upside (-10 pts vs max)

📈 PAST 4 QUARTERS RQD vs SUBSEQUENT RETURNQ1 → Q2 → Q3 → Current

Q1 (-3Q)

Grade B$57.88-1.9% Next Q

Q2 (-2Q)

Grade B-$56.79+0.4% Next Q

Q3 (-1Q)

Grade C+$57.03-6.8% Next Q

Current

Grade C$53.15+0.7% Hist 90D α

Trajectory: B (70) → C (62)Full Audit →

⚔️ ADVERSARIAL OPPOSING CASE & FORENSIC KILL-SWITCH (WHY THE BULL/BEAR THESIS COULD FAIL)GIDEON ASHMERE // FORENSIC SHORT & KILL-SWITCH DOSSIER

⚔️ Adversarial Opposing Case: Why the ZD Bull Thesis Could Fail

Gideon Ashmere Forensic Desk →

Even with a 62/100 (C) score, ZD faces multiple-compression risk if 40.5x trailing P/E re-rate toward historical sector medians or if hyperscaler/enterprise customer concentration slows in upcoming 10-Q filings.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #1

Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #2

Recent SEC filings added new risk-factor disclosures that warrant keeping an eye on margins.

⚠️ Forensic Kill-Switch #3

Technical & Forensic Kill-Switch: A daily close below the 50D SMA ($56.48) or 200D SMA ($47.56) invalidates the momentum regime and cuts Target Base ($54.11) toward Bear Floor ($42.21).

🎲 LIVE PREDICTION MARKET ODDS TIED TO $ZD• $2.4M Crowd Pool • Kalshi / Polymarket Composite

Contract: “ZD Beats Next Quarter EPS Consensus (Dec 30, 2026) & Holds Above 200D SMA”

YES 62%NO 38%Trade / Inspect Odds →

CASH DIVIDEND + BUYBACK YIELD

1.8% Total Yield

0% Cash ($0.00/yr) + 1.8% Buybacks

PAYOUT SAFETY SPEEDOMETER

74/100 • REINVESTING IN GROWTH + BUYBACKS

FREE CASH FLOW PAYOUT RATIO

0% (100% Reinvested)

Retains cash flow for R&D and share repurchases

INTERACTIVE DRIP & SHAREHOLDER-YIELD COMPOUNDER (5.5% EST. ANNUAL)

$10,000 Compounded Over 10 Years → $17,081

Est. Year-10 Shareholder Yield: $307/yr

Starting Investment: $10,000

Compounding Horizon: 10 Years

$10.6K

Yr 1

$11.1K

Yr 2

$11.7K

Yr 3

$12.4K

Yr 4

$13.1K

Yr 5

$13.8K

Yr 6

$14.5K

Yr 7

$15.3K

Yr 8

$16.2K

Yr 9

$17.1K

Yr 10

ON-DEMAND RQD QUANT WORKSHOP • SPONSORED / PARTNER SPOTLIGHTHosted by Perry Belcher + Cash-Flow & Quality Compounder Desk

Cash-Fortress Compounders: Auditing Free Cash Flow & Yield Safety in ZD & A-Rated Leaders

✓12-month Bull/Base/Bear fair-value walkthrough on ZD and its top sector peer
✓Top Roarable A-Rated cash compounders with verified executive & 13F accumulation
✓Includes nightly RQD rating-change & forensic signal email alerts

RQD INSIDER CLUB WAITLIST$49/YR PLANNED

Want Custom AI PineScript / Python Indicators & Priority Rating-Change Alerts?

Join Founding VIP Waitlist (No Card Required) →$100K Arena

ZD // CANDLESTICK & AUTO-TRENDLINE WORKSTATION6M: +16.51%▼ SUPPORT BREAKDOWN

2026-11-03O $55.95H $55.95L $53.15C $53.15VOL 512.7K

RES: $63.33SUP: $55.28SMA50: $56.48SMA200: $47.56

PRIMARY-SOURCE FORENSICS, SECOND-ORDER LINKS & AI ANALYST DESK

ZD Dilution Monitor, Expectations Hurdle, Butterfly Connections & Policy Exposure

🦋 ZD Butterfly Map → + Track ZD →

Share Count & Dilution Monitor

Multi-year comparable XBRL diluted share count not disclosed (ETF or recent listing).

Reverse-DCF Expectations Hurdle

30.7%/yr Implied 5Y Growth

vs. +3.5% actual YoY revenue growth (assuming 9.25% cost of equity & 16.5x terminal multiple).

Ellis Vennor Setup Ledger

No active Ellis Vennor swing setup published on ZD today. View full Setup Ledger →

🦋 Documented & Second-Order Butterfly Connections Open Graph →

No direct multi-tier Butterfly edges indexed yet for ZD. Explore sector supply chains on /butterfly.

AI Analyst Theses, Washington Policy & Company Video

🎬 No recent verified company-specific video clip queued for ZD today (we never pad ticker pages with unrelated generic clips). Browse Macro Video Desk →

DETERMINISTIC MULTI-FACTOR EQUITY AUDIT • SEC EDGAR XBRL × RQD PEER BENCHMARK

📊 Quantitative Sector Peer Comparison, SEC Filing Delta & Investment FAQ (ZD)

Communication Services Rank #28 of 132 ⚔️ ATEX vs ZD Full Matrix →

1. Head-to-Head Communication Services Peer Comparison (ZD vs. ATEX, IDT, NSSC, IHS)

Industry: Telecommunications Equipment (81 Tracked Issuers)

Across 132 tracked Communication Services securities in the Roarable RQD universe, Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) ranks #28 by composite RQD confidence (62/100, grade C) and #57 by equity capitalization ($1.88B). Within this direct 5-issuer industry benchmark cohort, IDT leads on earnings valuation at 25.0x trailing P/E, while IDT leads on capital efficiency and profitability with 61.2% ROIC and 36.2% gross margin. IDT currently holds the highest overall quantitative score in the immediate peer group at 81/100 (A-) compared with ZD at 62/100 (C).

Ticker / Company	Roarable Grade	RQD Score	Trailing P/E	Gross Margin	ROIC	1D Change	Market Cap	Head-to-Head
ZD ACTIVE Ziff Davis Inc.	C	62/100	40.5x	85.8%	7.6%	-2.99%	$1.88B	Benchmark Subject
ATEX Anterix Inc.	B+	76/100	—	—	35.9%	-9.33%	$1.78B	/atex-vs-zd →
IDT IDT Corporation (Class B)	A-	81/100	25.0x	36.2%	61.2%	+0.31%	$2.04B	/idt-vs-zd →
NSSC NAPCO Security Technologies Inc.	B-	71/100	32.9x	55.6%	45.7%	-18.41%	$1.41B	/nssc-vs-zd →
IHS IHS Holding Limited	D+	58/100	—	—	—	+0.24%	$2.84B	/ihs-vs-zd →

2. Multi-Year SEC XBRL Revenue, Cash Flow & Balance-Sheet Trajectory (FY2023–FY2025)

SEC EDGAR 10-K • FILED 2025-12-31 • CIK 0001084048 ↗

In its most recent audited fiscal period (FY2025, filed 2025-12-31), Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) reported GAAP revenue of $1.45B (+3.5% vs. FY2024 revenue of $1.40B , and +6.4% cumulative change since FY2023) , GAAP net income of $47.4M, operating cash flow of $407.1M, and free cash flow of $287.9M (+1.5% YoY). On the balance sheet, ZD closed FY2025 with $3.66B in total assets against $717.8M in total debt (Altman Z-Score: 1.77, Piotroski F-Score: 7/9).

Fiscal Period	Filing Date	Revenue	Net Income	Operating Cash Flow	Free Cash Flow	Total Assets	Total Debt
FY2025 (FY)	2025-12-31	$1.45B	$47.4M	$407.1M	$287.9M	$3.66B	$717.8M
FY2024 (FY)	2024-12-31	$1.40B	$63.0M	$390.3M	$283.7M	$3.70B	$864.3M
FY2023 (FY)	2023-12-31	$1.36B	$41.5M	$320.0M	$320.0M	—	—

3. ZD Data-Verified Investor FAQ (RQD Rating, Sector Peers, SEC Forensics & Technicals)

✓ SCHEMA.ORG FAQPAGE JSON-LD ENABLED

Is ZD stock a Buy, Hold, or Sell right now according to Roarable's RQD model?

How does ZD compare to ATEX and IDT in the Communication Services sector?

What are the biggest fundamental strengths and SEC risk factors for ZD?

Where is ZD trading relative to its 50-day, 200-day, and 52-week technical levels?

ZD last traded at $53.15 (-2.99% on volume of 413,314 shares), positioning the stock -5.90% below its 50-day simple moving average ($56.48) and +11.75% above its 200-day simple moving average ($47.56). Across its 52-week range of $22.45 to $60.48, ZD sits at the 80.7% percentile with a 14-day RSI of 42.5 (NEUTRAL RANGE) and an implied next-earnings move of ±5.5% ($50.23 to $56.07).

Direct Sub-Reports: ZD RQD Cockpit ZD 12M Forecast ZD Earnings & Move ZD Dividends & DRIP ZD Insiders & 13F ZD Whale Options ZD Profit Sankey ZD News & Why

ROARABLE RATING BRIEF • RQD 62/100 (C) ✓ SEC XBRL & RQD VERIFIED

ZD — Ziff Davis Inc.: What the Facts Mean to a Prospective Investor

Methodology: RQD v6.2 Deterministic 5-Pillar & SEC XBRL Audit

Updated: 2025-12-31

1. Roarable Rating Brief: What This Means to a Prospective Investor

Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) earns a live Roarable RQD composite score of 62/100, corresponding to a C letter grade (Roarable Hold) at a spot price of $53.15 (-2.99% 1D, market capitalization $1.88B).

Fundamental Cash Engine (12/20): Anchored by return on invested capital (ROIC) of 7.6%, gross margin of 85.8%, operating margin of 12.6%, and free cash flow yield of 15.01%.
Whale 13F & Options Flow (10/20) + Insider Conviction (14/20): Tracks institutional 13F accumulation, CBOE options call/put positioning, and SEC Form 4 / Congressional PTR filings.
Macro Regime Fit (14/20) + Forensic Balance Sheet (12/20): Incorporates a 1.00x equity beta, Altman Z-Score of 1.77, Piotroski F-Score of 7/9, and Debt/Equity of 0.41x.

2. Business Model, Unit Margins & SEC Financial Trajectory

Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) is a NASDAQ-listed issuer classified under the Communication Services sector and the Telecommunications Equipment industry,. — for detailed product lines, customer base, or revenue mix. The profile identifies a market capitalization of $1.9B.8%, and operating margin of 12.6%.

In its latest audited SEC EDGAR 10-K filing for FY2025 (filed 2025-12-31), Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) reported $1.45B in annual revenue (up from $1.40B in FY2024, +3.5% YoY) and $47.4M in GAAP net income. Over the multi-year SEC filing window from FY2023 ($1.36B revenue, $41.5M net income) through FY2025, ZD scaled operating cash flow to $407.1M and free cash flow to $287.9M, backed by $3.66B in total assets against $717.8M in total debt.

3. Institutional Bull vs. Bear Thesis & Valuation Tradeoff

🐂 Primary Bull Case (C • RQD 62/100): Company leadership has skin in the game with net positive insider conviction. Free cash flow yield of 15.01% and institutional whale pillar of 10/20. With Fundamental Cash Engine at 12/20 and Institutional Whale Flow at 10/20, sustained execution supports upside toward the upper end of the $22.45 – $60.48 52-week range.
🐻 Primary Bear Case & Valuation Risk: Priced at 41x earnings—high expectations leave less room for a lukewarm quarter. Investors must weigh 40.5x trailing P/E and 7.3x EV/EBITDA against 12.6% operating margins and a 1.00x macro beta.

4. 2nd-Order Butterfly Ripples & Key Questions to Watch

Supply_chain is NONE, butterfly_links is empty, and proprietary_signals is empty. Upstream and downstream dependencies, sector correlations, and second-order bottlenecks cannot be mapped from the source data.

Key Question #1: Can ZD sustain or expand its 12.6% operating margin and 7.6% ROIC against Telecommunications Equipment peers over the next 4 quarters?
Key Question #2: Following FY2025 revenue of $1.45B and free cash flow of $287.9M, how will capital allocation balance growth reinvestment against $717.8M in total debt?
Key Question #3: How sensitive is ZD's 37.7x forward P/E multiple to Communication Services capital spending cycles and macro interest-rate shifts (Beta 1.00x)?

ZD Live News Feed, Press Releases & Catalyst Wire

Real-time company headlines, analyst actions, and sector developments for Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) • Click "Debate This Headline" to argue it in the Roar Pit below

💬 Jump to ZD Debate Forum (3) ↓

🟡 MARKET WIRE Yahoo Finance • 1d ago

Ziff Davis, Inc. (ZD) Stock Forecasts

Yahoo Finance report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Seeking Alpha • 1d ago

Ziff Davis: Buybacks Are Not An Operating Recovery (NASDAQ:ZD)

Seeking Alpha report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE MarketBeat • 1d ago

Ziff Davis (NASDAQ:ZD) Stock Crosses Above Two Hundred Day Moving Average - Here's Why

MarketBeat report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟢 CATALYST Simply Wall St • 1d ago

Does Antivirus Launch Change The Bull Case For Ziff Davis Stock?

Simply Wall St report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE The Globe and Mail • 1d ago

RBC Capital Keeps Their Buy Rating on Ziff Davis (ZD)

The Globe and Mail report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Stock Titan • 1d ago

Fifteen shoppers can each win $500 in RetailMeNot's birthday giveaway.

Stock Titan report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE MarketBeat • 1d ago

Ziff Davis, Inc. (NASDAQ:ZD) Stock Has Consensus Target Price of $60.67

MarketBeat report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🟡 MARKET WIRE Simply Wall St • 2d ago

Is Ziff Davis (ZD) Undervalued Following IPVanish's New Antivirus Launch?

Simply Wall St report covering Ziff Davis Inc. (ZD) market action, institutional positioning, and fundamental catalysts.

Read Full Source ↗

🔥 THE ROAR PIT • LIVE COMMUNITY DEBATE 3 Active Posts & Replies

ZD Bull vs. Bear Conversation Board — What's Your Call at $53.15?

🐂 67% BULLISH CONVICTION COMMUNITY TUG-OF-WAR ON ZD 🐻 33% BEARISH CONVICTION

AL AlphaFlow_Cap RQD DEBATE OPENER • Verified $100K Arena Trader 🐂 BULLISH 🎯 Target: $66.30 (+21.0%)

📌 Pinned Debate

A 15.01% FCF yield and rising revenue from $1.36B to $1.45B point to cash generation the market may not yet fully price in.

A 15.01% FCF yield and rising revenue from $1.36B to $1.45B point to cash generation the market may not yet fully price in.. When you look under the hood at ZD, Fundamental Cash Engine is 12/20 with 85.8% gross margins and 7.6% ROIC. Bears are staring in the rearview mirror while institutional 13F flow (10/20) has been quietly accumulating below $60.48. My 12M target is $66.30.

ArenaChamp_24 🐂 BULL

@BearTrap_Alert Fair point on 40.5x trailing P/E, but you're ignoring the forward operating leverage in Telecommunications Equipment. If gross margin (85.8%) holds, EPS grows into the multiple faster than bears think.

BE BearTrap_Alert RQD DEBATE OPENER • Cycle Peak Watcher 🐻 BEARISH 🎯 Target: $46.57 (-15.0%)

Spot @ $54.79

A 40.5x trailing P/E against a 3.3% net margin and an Altman Z of 1.77 leaves little margin for error if cash generation falters.

Here is the bear case nobody on the bull side wants to address on ZD: A 40.5x trailing P/E against a 3.3% net margin and an Altman Z of 1.77 leaves little margin for error if cash generation falters.. At 40.5x trailing P/E, even a small guidance miss in Telecommunications Equipment triggers a 12-15% air pocket.