News Corp Stock Price, News & Analysis

In June 2022, the U.S. median rental price reached $1,876, a 14.1% increase year-over-year, while starter homeownership costs surged to an average of 29.9% ($561) above rents. This widening gap of 25.5 percentage points from January to June highlights the impact of higher mortgage rates, which increased over two percentage points in the same period. An analysis indicates that more than 75% of the largest U.S. metros favored renting over buying, with significant disparities in major tech cities. The trend underscores a shift in housing affordability, favoring renters over first-time buyers.

Private Equity News has unveiled a brand refresh and published its annual list of "The Rising Stars of Private Equity" recognizing 25 young professionals excelling in the European private equity sector. Despite challenging economic conditions, many nominees received promotions and increased responsibilities. The publication offers a revamped digital experience and a new monthly format, doubling its size. This recognition highlights significant achievements within the private equity community and is considered a prestigious accolade.

In June 2022, U.S. active home inventory rose by 18.7% year-over-year, reaching its highest historical increase. The national median listing price also hit a record high of $450,000, up 16.9% from last year. New listings surged by 4.5%, driven by sellers entering the market at pre-COVID levels. The share of larger homes (over 1,750 sq. ft.) in new listings increased, contributing to higher overall asking prices despite cooling demand. Pending listings, however, fell by 16.3%, indicating a slowdown in home sales.

The U.S. median rental price reached a record high of $1,849 in May 2022, marking a 26.6% increase since 2019. Despite a 15.5% year-over-year growth in rents for the tenth consecutive month, this rise is the smallest since September 2021, suggesting a potential cooling trend. Notably, rental markets in Miami and Orlando experienced significant spikes of 45.8% and 28.4%, respectively. The report highlights a concerning affordability challenge as rising inflation continues to strain renters' finances.

Realtor.com® has updated its 2022 housing forecast, expecting a 15.0% increase in existing home inventory due to a deceleration in buyer demand, with home sales projected to drop by 6.7% compared to 2021. Rising inflation and mortgage rates, now averaging 5.5%, are impacting affordability as home prices are expected to rise by 6.6%, more than double the original forecast. Despite these challenges, the market may provide buyers opportunities later in the year as inventory rebounds.

News Corp announced that Almar Latour, CEO of Dow Jones and Publisher of The Wall Street Journal, will speak at the Credit Suisse 24th Annual Communications Conference on June 15, 2022, at 9:30 am ET. The conference will be virtual, and interested parties can access the live webcast through the News Corp website. A replay will be available after the event. News Corp is a diversified media and information services company operating across various sectors, including digital real estate and news services.

On June 8, 2022, Move, Inc., a subsidiary of News Corp, announced the acquisition of UpNest, a platform connecting home sellers with local real estate agents. This strategic move aims to enhance Realtor.com®'s services by providing more choices for sellers and agents. UpNest has enabled approximately 1 million agent proposals since its launch, showcasing strong market demand. The integration is expected to strengthen Realtor.com's seller strategy and expand its customer base. Financial terms of the deal remain undisclosed.

News Corp announced significant growth targets for REA Group, aiming for double-digit revenue and EBITDA growth driven by enhanced products and services. The company showcased its leadership with Realestate.com.au, achieving 127 million average monthly visits and highlighted new initiatives like Premiere+ in residential marketing. REA targets leadership in property data and financial services sectors, particularly in India. The Digital Real Estate Services segment generated $1.3 billion, up 32% year-over-year, contributing 33% to News Corp's EBITDA.

In May 2022, the U.S. housing market showed signs of recovery, with active inventory increasing by 8.0% year-over-year for the first time since June 2019. However, the median national home price surged to a record $447,000, reflecting a 17.6% rise compared to last year. Despite the uptick in inventory, homes sold more quickly, with the average time on the market dropping by a week to 31 days. Key contributors to the changing landscape include rising new listings and moderating buyer demand, although the increase in larger homes continues to keep prices high.