Created in 1996 by Australian-born media magnate Rupert Murdoch, Fox News is the most-watched television news and opinion channel in the United States. It's been roundly criticized for its blending of news and entertainment, but it's been a massive financial success, accounting for 70% of profits for the Fox Corp. (FOXA -0.26%)(FOX +0.04%).
You can't invest in Fox News directly, but we'll tell you about how it fits into the scheme of things and how you can get exposure to the channel's stock.
NASDAQ: FOXA
Key Data Points
What is Fox News?
Fox News has been the top-rated television news channel every year since 2002, and for good reason. More than 90% of its viewers identify themselves as Republicans or Republican-leaning voters. The channel began life with 17 million cable subscribers, paying distributors as much as $11 per customer to carry the channel. By 2024, it had 67 million subscribers.
Although Fox News is a global organization that's broadcast into more than 40 countries, it's very much a U.S.-focused channel. Its viewership not only skews conservative but considerably older. A 2019 Pew Research Center survey found that almost 70% of people who said Fox News was their main source of political information were 50 or older.
The news channel has been part of Fox Corp. since 2019. The company was created after the sale of 21st Century Fox to Walt Disney (DIS -1.07%). Unlike other news giants, Fox is controlled by a single family, with the elder Murdoch and his children controlling roughly 40% of all shares.
The Murdoch media empire is roughly divided into two units: News Corp (NWSA -0.49%)(NWS -0.48%), which controls the family-owned newspapers in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand, and Fox Corp., which includes the broadcast assets such as FOX News Media, FOX Sports, FOX Entertainment, FOX Television Stations, and Tubi Media Group.
Murdoch stepped down as chairman of Fox Corp. and News Corp in September 2023, when he was 92. He was succeeded by Lachlan, his oldest son from his second marriage, who had risen to executive chairman and chief executive officer of Fox Corp. after its 2019 creation in the wake of the Disney deal. (A family trust that would have given Lachlan permanent control of the Fox empire has been tangled up in litigation by three of his siblings with voting rights. A Nevada judge blocked the elder Murdoch's attempt to modify the trust in mid-2025.)
Because Fox News is a subsidiary of Fox Corp., it's not possible to buy stock that focuses only on the broadcast news operation. Although the Fox News Channel is clearly the crown jewel of the Fox Corp., other units account for almost one-third of the parent company's profits.
How to invest in Fox News
1. Open your brokerage app: Log in to your brokerage account where you handle your investments.
2. Search for the stock: Enter the ticker or company name into the search bar to bring up the stock's trading page.
3. Decide how many shares to buy: Consider your investment goals and how much of your portfolio you want to allocate to this stock.
4. Select order type: Choose between a market order to buy at the current price or a limit order to specify the maximum price you're willing to pay.
5. Submit your order: Confirm the details and submit your buy order.
6. Review your purchase: Check your portfolio to ensure your order was filled as expected and adjust your investment strategy accordingly.
Stock
Should I invest in Fox News?
Here are some reasons you might consider passing on Fox News stock:
- You don't agree with the company's political views.
- You think the company faces a decline because of the average age of its Fox News viewers.
- You believe television news will continue to decline as an information source.
- You doubt the ability of a second generation of Murdochs to succeed.
- You think Fox Corp. shares are trading at unrealistically high prices
- Your portfolio already has enough media stocks.
On the other hand, you may want to go ahead and buy Fox Corp. stock if:
- You think U.S. television news viewers are becoming more conservative.
- You believe it's essential to have a conservative television news channel.
- You think television news will continue to be a major source of political information.
- You'd like to balance your portfolio with a media stock.
- You think Fox Corp. stock is undervalued.
As with any other investment, there's a short answer to why you might consider investing in this stock: It depends. Factors that might affect your decision include the level of your portfolio diversification, personal risk tolerance, company and industry knowledge, and your assessment of Fox Corp.'s competitive position.
Is Fox News profitable?
Fox Corp. reported $346 million in net income during its third quarter of fiscal 2025, a significant decrease from the $666 million recorded during the third quarter of 2023, due to higher operating expenses.
Fox Corp. is recovering from an $800 million settlement with Dominion Voting to settle defamation claims in April 2023, tacitly acknowledging that its news arm made false election fraud claims in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election. A lawsuit by Smartmatic, also a voting machine manufacturing company, is still pending; the company is seeking $2.7 billion in damages.
The company posted $4.37 billion in revenue for the third quarter, which ended March 31, 2025. The figure was a 27% increase from the third quarter of 2024; the company attributed most of the increase to its telecast of the National Football League's Super Bowl.
Fox had been attempting to boost revenue through a joint streaming sports service with Disney's ESPN and ABC networks, as well as Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD +0.98%) channels TNT and TBS. The three giants scrapped the plan in January 2025, as the U.S. Department of Justice is reviewing the deal for antitrust concerns; analysts had estimated the venture would control about $14.4 billion of the $26.7 billion spent on U.S. sports rights. Fox announced in May 2025 that it would launch Fox One, its own streaming service, before the NFL season begins in the fall.
Does Fox pay a dividend?
Fox pays a semiannual dividend. As of June 2025, the trailing-12-month dividend was $0.54 per share, a yield of about 1%, which is slightly worse than the 1.3% for the S&P 500.
The company also has an aggressive $7 billion share repurchase program. Fox announced at the end of the third quarter that it had bought back $6.35 billion of its outstanding shares.
ETFs with Fox exposure
Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) allow investors to acquire the equivalent of a large, diversified stock portfolio through a single ticker that behaves like a stock. ETFs are excellent options for people who don't have time to research individual stocks to buy for a portfolio and would prefer a passive investment approach. As a member of the S&P 500, several exchange-traded funds hold Fox Corp. stock.
Exchange-Traded Fund (ETF)
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The bottom line on Fox
Investing in Fox isn't exactly for the faint of heart. The news channel has been criticized for its devotion to President Donald Trump. Its future success is also heavily dependent on a second generation of leadership and its ability to compete for lucrative sports rights.
Despite its issues, Fox News may still emerge as a decent financial investment, especially during hotly contested election cycles. Its share buyback program has benefited investors, and its sports-focused streaming plan might still win even more eyeballs.
As with any other stock, investors who are interested in Fox shares should consider their personal risk tolerance, portfolio diversification strategy, and whether Fox fits into their own investment thesis. As always, a buy-and-hold strategy is the wisest course of action.
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