10 Best Debt Free Mid Cap Stocks to Buy Now

8. The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 47

Enterprise Value: $7.13 billion

Market Capitalization: $8.00 billion

​The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) is a global media organization primarily known for publishing “The New York Times”, a leading daily newspaper available in print and digital formats. The company’s portfolio includes other media properties such as “The New York Times International Edition”, the sports news site “The Athletic”, and the product review website “Wirecutter”. Beyond news, it offers subscription-based lifestyle products, including cooking guides, games, and audio content. The company operates a digital subscription model, with over 11 million total subscribers as of early 2025.

The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) has demonstrated strong engagement metrics with 50 million to 100 million weekly users and 150 million registered users. The company has been recognized as having the most engaged news site in terms of time spent, according to Comscore. Its bundle strategy has been successful, with bundled subscribers approaching 48% of the digital subscriber base, showing better retention, engagement, and monetization. The Times has focused on expanding its content delivery through multiple formats, including increased video content, audio capabilities, and enhanced live journalism coverage.

The New York Times Company (NYSE:NYT) maintains a strong competitive advantage in non-news categories through its scale and quality, with 20,000-plus tested recipes in cooking, 550 people in The Athletic’s newsroom, and 150 people conducting product reviews for Wirecutter. The Times has successfully implemented format innovations while maintaining its commitment to revenue growth, AOP growth, margin expansion, and strong free cash flow for 2025. The company’s advertising business shows potential for growth, particularly in games and sports categories, which have strong cultural relevance and marketer interest. The majority of subscription starts continue to come organically rather than through paid media, demonstrating the strength of the company’s core value proposition. With close to zero debt on the balance sheet and 47 hedge funds owning the stock, NYT is one of the best debt free stocks to buy now.