# MediaAlpha Inc. (MAX) fundamentals

Data as of 2026-09-08. NYSE, United States. Sector: Communication Services / Diversified Telecommunication Services. Price $12.05, market value $638 million.

## Valuation
- **P/E (trailing): 7.4×** (5-yr avg 34.8×, 3-yr avg 34.8×). MediaAlpha Inc. trades at 7.4× trailing earnings, well below its own five-year average of 34.8×: cheap by its own standards. The Communication Services median in the September 2026 study was 21.1×. Forward P/E is 7.2×, lower than trailing, so analysts expect earnings to grow.
- **PEG: 0.28**. A PEG of 0.28 means the P/E is low relative to expected earnings growth: the market is not paying much for that growth.
- **Price / sales: 0.5×**. Each dollar of revenue is priced at 0.5×, a low multiple typical of thin-margin businesses or out-of-favour stocks.
- **Price / book: 22.5×**. The shares trade at 22.5× book value; most of the value is in earnings power and intangibles rather than the balance sheet.
- **Free-cash-flow yield: 8.8%** (5-yr avg 5.8%). Free cash flow equals 8.8% of the market value, above its five-year average of 5.8%, so the shares are cheaper on cash than they have usually been. Above 5% is generally attractive.
- **Earnings yield: 13.4%**. The inverse of the P/E: 13.4% of the price is earned each year.

## Profitability
- **Operating margin: 6.9%**. 6.9% of revenue is left after running the business.
- **Net margin: 2.3%**. 2.3% of each dollar of sales reaches the bottom line.
- **Return on equity: 615.9%**. A 615.9% return on equity is extremely high; check whether buybacks or debt have shrunk the equity base, which flatters the ratio.
- **Return on invested capital: 60.2%**. Return on all capital, debt included, is 60.2%: comfortably above what that capital costs.
- **Return on assets: 25.3%**. Each dollar of assets produces 25.3% of profit.

## Growth
- **Revenue growth (1 yr): 28.8%** (3-yr 34.4%/yr, 5-yr 13.7%/yr). Revenue grew 28.8% over the last year, against 13.7% a year compounded over five years: growth is accelerating.
- **EPS growth (1 yr): 25.8%**. Earnings per share rose 25.8%, roughly in step with revenue.
- **Free-cash-flow growth (3 yr): 32.3%/yr**. Free cash flow has compounded at 32.3% a year over three years.

## Financial health
- **Debt to equity: 36.88**. Debt is 36.88 times equity, a leveraged balance sheet that needs steady cash flow to service.
- **Altman Z-score: 4.03**. A Z-score of 4.03 places the company in the safe zone for bankruptcy risk.
- **Piotroski F-score: 5/9**. 5 of 9 checks pass: mixed.

## Dividends
- **Dividend: none**. MediaAlpha Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

## Analyst view
- **Analyst consensus: buy** (7 analysts). 7 analysts cover MediaAlpha Inc.; the consensus is buy, with an average price target of $15.43 (+28% from the current price). Analyst opinion is shown for context; it is not part of the Fundamental Score.

## Price and momentum
- **Total return (1 yr): 0.6%** (YTD -6.9%, 3-mo 32.9%). The shares are up 0.6% over twelve months including dividends.
- **From 52-week high: -18.0%** (70.0% above the low). Trading 18% below its 52-week high.
- **200-day average: above**. The price sits above its 200-day moving average, the usual definition of an uptrend.
- **RSI (14-day): 40**. An RSI of 40 is neutral.
- **Beta (1 yr): 0.50** (volatility 51%). Beta of 0.50 against the S&P 500: the shares move much less than the market.

Live score and charts: https://foliofundamentals.com/analyzer?s=MAX · Page: https://foliofundamentals.com/stocks/max

Not investment advice.