Consumer Trends For Young Media Consumers Should Make These Companies Take Notice

Consumer demographic trends should make Thomson Reuters Corp (TSX:TRI)(NYSE:TRI) and Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX:CJR.B) consider the future of media.

A Pew Research Center study released in October 2016 revealed surprising facts when it pertained to preference for consuming news across demographic lines. Pew asked U.S. consumers aged 18 to 29 whether they prefer to listen, watch or read the news. The results showed that 42% of the bracket preferred “read,” 38% chose “watch,” and 19% would rather “listen” to get their news.

This was compared to 40% who preferred to read the news in the 30-49 demographic, 29% among those 50-64, and 27% in the 65+ age group. The study also showed of the consumers in the 18-29 demographic, 81% preferred to read their news online, and 37% of those who had a preference for watching also did so online. Even among listeners to news 30% preferred to do so online, much of which could be attributed to the rise of podcasts – digital audio files that users can download and listen to.

Thomson Reuters posts positive results on August 1

Thomson Reuters Corp (TSX: TRI)(NYSE:TRI) is a multinational mass media and information firm headquartered in Manhattan, New York City. The company posted earnings that beat expectations on Tuesday, August 1, and increased its profit target for 2017. For the second quarter Thomson Reuters reported a profit of $206 million – $0.27 per share, this was down from $350 million and $0.45 per share for Q2 2016. The decline was due to accounting revisions due to foreign exchange rates and a loss of earnings from the intellectual property and science business it sold in October.

Q2 revenue was reported at $2.8 billion which was relatively unchanged but represented a 2% growth factoring in foreign exchanges. Thomson Reuters has an Alexa rating, the algorithm to which traffic is calculated, of 500 globally and 262 in the United States.

Corus Entertainment Inc. boasts a big dividend yield

The share price of Corus Entertainment Inc. (TSX: CJR.B) has risen 10% in 2017 and saw a big spike in June after a terrific earnings report. Corus Entertainment is a Canadian media and broadcasting company. It owns Global Television Network and holds a large footprint in the children’s television market, owning YTV, Treehouse TV, Teletoon, and other localized channels like the Cartoon Network, Disney XD, Nickelodeon, and others.

Corus Entertainment reported profit of $66.7 million in its third quarter, boosted by the acquisition of said Global TV Network. It reported $461.6 million in revenue, up from $360 million in the same period last year. This was also aided by the purchase of Shaw Media in a $2.65 billion dollar deal in April of 2016.

Corus has fueled earnings with recent acquisitions, but a business model primarily concentrated on television, especially for a very young demographic, bring with it a great deal of long-term risk. For investors seeking income, Corus does offer a terrific 8.18% dividend yield.

Right now I prefer the heavily diversified media model of Thomson Reuters. The stock boasts a dividend of $0.43 per share with a 2.89% yield to boot.

Fool contributor Ambrose O'Callaghan has no position in any stocks mentioned.

More on Investing

customer uses bank ATM
Stocks for Beginners

Your GIC Is Maturing as Rates Rise: I Wouldn’t Automatically Lock It Up Again

A maturing GIC may offer an attractive guaranteed rate, but long-term investors could sacrifice considerably more growth by renewing automatically.

Read more »

A worker overlooks an oil refinery plant.
Stocks for Beginners

Canada Wants More Major Projects: This TSX Stock Already Has a $10.5 Billion Backlog

Canada’s major-project push is creating real contract opportunities for one increasingly busy TSX infrastructure builder.

Read more »

shopper checks her receipt
Dividend Stocks

Your OAS Increase May Not Keep Up With Your Real Retirement Costs

OAS is rising with headline inflation, but individual retirement expenses can increase much faster than the national average.

Read more »

The virtual button with the letters AI in a circle hovering above a keyboard, about to be clicked by a cursor.
Dividend Stocks

The Next AI Winners May Own Trusted Data: I’d Watch This Canadian Stock

As AI models become widely available, trusted professional data could become a more valuable competitive advantage.

Read more »

A meter measures energy use.
Energy Stocks

Bond Yields Are Pressuring Utility Stocks: This Selloff Could Be a 10-Year Opportunity

Higher government-bond yields pressure utility valuations, but long-term investors can use that competition to find better entry points.

Read more »

man in bowtie poses with abacus
Dividend Stocks

How Much Would You Need in a TFSA to Earn $500 a Month?

A $500 monthly TFSA income target requires $6,000 annually, and higher yields dramatically reduce the capital required.

Read more »

Woman in private jet airplane
Stocks for Beginners

Air Canada Spent $800 Million Buying Back Shares: Should You Buy Too?

Air Canada's enormous share repurchase could boost future per-share results, but it doesn't remove the risks of owning an airline.

Read more »

RRSP (Registered Retirement Savings Plan) on wooden blocks and Canadian one hundred dollar bills.
Stocks for Beginners

Your RRSP Could Be Too Large by 71: Here’s What I’d Do in My 60s

A large RRSP can eventually force substantial taxable withdrawals, making the years before 71 unusually valuable for tax planning.

Read more »