BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	3 Months Ended
Dec. 28, 2025
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES	BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES The accompanying unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission for quarterly reports. In the opinion of management, these financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Lee Enterprises, Incorporated and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 28, 2025, and our results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K. Our fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in September. Fiscal year 2026 ends September 27, 2026, and fiscal year 2025 ended September 28, 2025. Fiscal year 2026 and 2025 includes 52 weeks of operations. Because of seasonal and other factors, the results of operations for the three months ended December 28, 2025, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The Consolidated Financial Statements include our accounts and those of our wholly owned subsidiaries, as well as our 82.5% interest in INN Partners, L.C. (“BLOX Digital" formerly "TownNews”). Our 50% interest in TNI Partners ("TNI") and our 50% interest in Madison Newspapers, Inc. ("MNI") are accounted for using the equity method and are reported at cost, plus our share of undistributed earnings since acquisition less, for TNI, amortization of intangible assets. New accounting pronouncements not yet adopted In December 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2025-11 which focuses on various interim reporting improvements. The ASU is effective for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. We are still evaluating the guidance but we do not expect it will fundamentally change our interim reporting. In December 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board FASB issued ASU 2025-12 which the FASB's "Codification Improvements" update, making various technical corrections and clarifications to existing United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), improving consistency and usability for preparers by refining guidance and making standards easier to apply. The ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026. We are currently evaluating the updated guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. In November 2023, the FASB issued guidance, ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures which enhances annual income tax disclosures. ASU 2023-09 requires disaggregated information about a reporting entity's effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. ASU 2023-09 will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. We are currently evaluating the guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40) - Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (“ASU 2024-03”), and in January 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-01, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Clarifying the Effective Date (“ASU 2025-01”). ASU 2024-03 requires additional disclosure of the nature of expenses included in the statement of operations as well as disclosures about specific types of expenses included in the expense captions presented in the statement of operations. ASU 2024-03, as clarified by ASU 2025-01, is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Both early adoption and retrospective application are permitted. We expect to enhance annual expense disclosures based on the new requirements. In May 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-03, Business Combinations (Topic 805) and Consolidation (Topic 810) - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Determining the Accounting Acquirer in the Acquisition of a Variable Interest Entity. This update is effective for the annual period beginning after December 15, 2026, as well as interim periods within that period. We are currently evaluating the updated guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements. In July 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-05, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets, which provides new optional guidance relating to the estimation of expected credit losses on current accounts receivable and current contract assets. This ASU permits entities to apply a practical expedient when estimating credit losses and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2025, and interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods, with early adoption permitted, and should be applied prospectively. We are currently evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

The accompanying unaudited interim Consolidated Financial Statements included herein have been prepared pursuant to the rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission for quarterly reports. In the opinion of management, these financial statements contain all adjustments (consisting of only normal recurring items) necessary to present fairly the financial position of Lee Enterprises, Incorporated and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of December 28, 2025, and our results of operations and cash flows for the periods presented. The Consolidated Financial Statements should be read in conjunction with the Consolidated Financial Statements and Notes thereto included in the Company's 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K.

Our fiscal year ends on the last Sunday in September. Fiscal year 2026 ends September 27, 2026, and fiscal year 2025 ended September 28, 2025. Fiscal year 2026 and 2025 includes 52 weeks of operations. Because of seasonal and other factors, the results of operations for the three months ended December 28, 2025, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

The Consolidated Financial Statements include our accounts and those of our wholly owned subsidiaries, as well as our 82.5% interest in INN Partners, L.C. (“BLOX Digital" formerly "TownNews”).

Our 50% interest in TNI Partners ("TNI") and our 50% interest in Madison Newspapers, Inc. ("MNI") are accounted for using the equity method and are reported at cost, plus our share of undistributed earnings since acquisition less, for TNI, amortization of intangible assets.

In December 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board ("FASB") issued Accounting Standards Update ("ASU") 2025-11 which focuses on various interim reporting improvements. The ASU is effective for interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2027. We are still evaluating the guidance but we do not expect it will fundamentally change our interim reporting.

In December 2025, the Financial Accounting Standards Board FASB issued ASU 2025-12 which the FASB's "Codification Improvements" update, making various technical corrections and clarifications to existing United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles ("GAAP"), improving consistency and usability for preparers by refining guidance and making standards easier to apply. The ASU is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026. We are currently evaluating the updated guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In November 2023, the FASB issued guidance, ASU 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740): Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures which enhances annual income tax disclosures. ASU 2023-09 requires disaggregated information about a reporting entity's effective tax rate reconciliation as well as information on income taxes paid. ASU 2023-09 will be effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2024. We are currently evaluating the guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In November 2024, the FASB issued ASU 2024-03, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40) - Disaggregation of Income Statement Expenses (“ASU 2024-03”), and in January 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-01, Income Statement - Reporting Comprehensive Income - Expense Disaggregation Disclosures (Subtopic 220-40): Clarifying the Effective Date (“ASU 2025-01”). ASU 2024-03 requires additional disclosure of the nature of expenses included in the statement of operations as well as disclosures about specific types of expenses included in the expense captions presented in the statement of operations. ASU 2024-03, as clarified by ASU 2025-01, is effective for annual periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2027. Both early adoption and retrospective

In May 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-03, Business Combinations (Topic 805) and Consolidation (Topic 810) - Amendments to SEC Paragraphs Pursuant to Determining the Accounting Acquirer in the Acquisition of a Variable Interest Entity. This update is effective for the annual period beginning after December 15, 2026, as well as interim periods within that period. We are currently evaluating the updated guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.

In July 2025, the FASB issued ASU 2025-05, Financial Instruments - Credit Losses (Topic 326): Measurement of Credit Losses for Accounts Receivable and Contract Assets, which provides new optional guidance relating to the estimation of expected credit losses on current accounts receivable and current contract assets. This ASU permits entities to apply a practical expedient when estimating credit losses and is effective for annual reporting periods beginning after December 15, 2025, and interim reporting periods within those annual reporting periods, with early adoption permitted, and should be applied prospectively. We are currently evaluating the provisions of the updated guidance and assessing the impact on the Consolidated Financial Statements.