DAVENPORT, Iowa, June  29, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lee Enterprises has been added as a member of the US small-cap Russell 2000® Index, effective at US market open on June 29 as part of the 2026 Russell indexes

Lee Enterprises added to membership of US small-cap Russell 2000 Index

Lee Enterprises Joins Russell 2000, Boosting Liquidity and Investor Visibility

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  <section data-block="information">
    <h3>Information</h3>
    <p>DAVENPORT, Iowa, June  29, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lee Enterprises has been added as a member of the US small-cap Russell 2000® Index, effective at US market open on June 29 as part of the 2026 Russell indexes</p>
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  <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
    <h3>AI Summary</h3>
    <p>Lee Enterprises was added to the Russell 2000 Index, effective at market open June 29, 2026. The inclusion is expected to boost liquidity and broaden its institutional shareholder base as index funds and ETFs rebalance into Russell benchmarks. Management says the milestone should increase visibility and support its long-term growth strategy.</p>
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  <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
    <h3>Key Points</h3>
    <ul><li>Lee Enterprises added to Russell 2000; inclusion effective June 29, 2026.</li><li>Semi-annual Russell reconstitution; growth and value indexes adjust.</li><li>Lee CFO cites increased liquidity and broader institutional shareholder base.</li><li>Investors may see higher trading activity via Russell-tracking funds.</li></ul>
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  <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
    <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
    <ul><li><strong>Lee Enterprises, Inc. (LEE)</strong>: Inclusion in Russell 2000 may attract index-tracking funds and boost liquidity.</li><li><strong>FTSE Russell (FTSE_RUSSELL)</strong>: Provider of Russell indexes; context for semi-annual reconstitution and methodology.</li><li><strong>London Stock Exchange Group plc (LSEG)</strong>: Parent company of FTSE Russell; potential indirect impact from index flows.</li></ul>
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  <section data-block="category">
    <h3>Industry News</h3>
    <p>Industry News. This is a corporate development with potential market impact via index-tracking flows and liquidity changes in a small-cap name.</p>
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  <section data-block="market-moving">
    <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
    <ul><li>Lee&#039;s Russell 2000 inclusion takes effect at open June 29, 2026.</li><li>ETF and passive fund rebalancing could drive short-term buying pressure.</li><li>Higher liquidity may support tighter bid-ask spreads and potential valuation re-rating.</li><li>Longer-term impact depends on execution of Lee&#039;s growth strategy.</li></ul>
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  <section data-block="key-facts">
    <h3>Key Facts</h3>
    <ul><li>Lee Enterprises (LEE) added to Russell 2000; effective June 29, 2026.</li><li>Inclusion based on membership in the Russell 3000 index.</li><li>Russell index reconstitution is semi-annual in 2026.</li><li>Lee operates in 114 markets across 25 states.</li><li>As of end-June 2025, about $12.2 trillion benchmarked to Russell US indexes.</li></ul>
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  <section data-block="trading-thesis">
    <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
    <p>Bullish: near-term liquidity and demand from index funds could lift LEE in 1–3 months.</p>
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<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/styles/gnw_nitf.css"></link><p align="justify">DAVENPORT, Iowa, June  29, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lee Enterprises has been added as a member of the US small-cap Russell 2000<sup>&#xAE;</sup> Index, effective at US market open on June 29 as part of the 2026 Russell indexes reconstitution. Membership in the Russell 2000<sup>&#xAE;</sup> Index, which remains in place for half a year beginning 2026, is based on membership in the broad-market Russell 3000<sup>&#xAE;</sup> Index. The stock also was automatically added to the appropriate growth and value indexes.</p>  <p>"Our inclusion in the Russell 2000<sup>&#xAE;</sup> Index is a reflection of our team’s hard work, execution, and strong financial performance," said Josh Rinehults, Lee’s Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. "We expect this milestone to enhance our visibility within the investment community, increase trading liquidity, and broaden our institutional shareholder base as we continue to execute our long-term growth strategy and drive increased value for our shareholders."</p>  <p>Russell indexes are widely used by investment managers and institutional investors for index funds and as benchmarks for active investment strategies. According to data as of the end of June 2025, about $12.2 trillion in assets are benchmarked against the Russell US indexes, which belong to FTSE Russell, the global index provider.</p>  <p align="justify">Fiona Bassett, CEO of FTSE Russell, an LSEG business, comments, "The Russell indexes have continuously adapted to the evolving dynamic US economy, and it’s crucial to fully recalibrate the suite of Russell US Indexes, ensuring the indexes maintain an accurate representation of the market. The transition to a semi-annual reconstitution frequency this year will ensure our indexes continue to represent the market and maintain the purpose of the index as a portfolio benchmark."</p>  <p>For more information on the Russell 2000<sup>&#xAE; </sup>Index and the Russell indexes reconstitution, go to the "Russell Reconstitution" section on the <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=2VFg52dqdJU2CvW-SJemHRYNRk4M6v_lv38tIzz84sl6hAw-VKXSqJKb5cEqpoUF9JANakGYFWNHi00fB67LiVxcwacYSmA-W-6n7V2AryQFj3yjGlTThGbpWE8sTbXK6LC45g-hoZokTxm5Qs6AuA==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FTSE Russell website</a>.</p>  <p><u>ABOUT LEE</u></p>  <p align="justify">Lee Enterprises is a leading provider of local news and information and a major subscription and advertising platform, with daily and weekly newspapers and rapidly expanding digital products serving 114 markets across 25 states. Our core commitment is to provide valuable, intensely local news and information to the communities we serve. Our markets include St. Louis, MO; Buffalo, NY; Omaha, NE; Richmond, VA; Lincoln, NE; Madison, WI; Davenport, IA; and Tucson, AZ. For more information about Lee, please visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=jfqIBaGUSyjMzBOMWUP6ttEbt5tpbMETrYoCrHqbHoPUTJAO7z1J00LFzc_yd5Ns2AUVEWuMGSDZWt28f4IUXA==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank"><u>www.lee.net</u>.</a></p>  <p><u>ABOUT FTSE Russell, an LSEG Business</u></p>  <p>FTSE Russell is a global index leader that provides innovative benchmarking, analytics and data solutions for investors worldwide. FTSE Russell calculates thousands of indexes that measure and benchmark markets and asset classes in more than 70 countries, covering 98% of the investable market globally. FTSE Russell index expertise and products are used extensively by institutional and retail investors globally. Approximately $21.20 trillion is benchmarked to FTSE Russell indexes. Leading asset owners, asset managers, ETF providers and investment banks choose FTSE Russell indexes to benchmark their investment performance and create ETFs, structured products and index-based derivatives. A core set of universal principles guides FTSE Russell index design and management: a transparent rules-based methodology is informed by independent committees of leading market participants. FTSE Russell is focused on applying the highest industry standards in index design and governance and embraces the IOSCO Principles. FTSE Russell is also focused on index innovation and customer partnerships as it seeks to enhance the breadth, depth and reach of its offering. FTSE Russell is wholly owned by LSEG. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=2VFg52dqdJU2CvW-SJemHabvIlYbRyYv3XJlgSyOYi2SIprrY-7qcR3bsB14HmvOpefD6gMavYQ-FUFDN9QEPCS2T3Ql0geHJyYQmrMoTd0=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">FTSE Russell</a>.</p>  <p>Contact:<br></br>IR@lee.net<br></br>(563) 383-2100</p> <img alt="" class="__GNW8366DE3E__IMG" src="https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=OTc1NDE5NSM3NjgzMTQwIzIwMDU4MDU="></img> <br></br><img alt="" src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/NWYxZGRhNzQtNDg0YS00YzM1LWI3NzEtZGIxNTYyNDcwY2VmLTEwMTczNzgtMjAyNi0wNi0yOS1lbg==/tiny/Lee-Enterprises-Inc-.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></img><p><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/6da5adc5-fe32-413c-a6cc-81533ee0188e"><img src="https://ml.globenewswire.com/media/6da5adc5-fe32-413c-a6cc-81533ee0188e/small/4in-leelogo-jpg.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="29" alt="Primary Logo"></img></a></p>

Lee Enterprises was added to the Russell 2000 Index, effective at market open June 29, 2026. The inclusion is expected to boost liquidity and broaden its institutional shareholder base as index funds and ETFs rebalance into Russell benchmarks. Management says the milestone should increase visibility and support its long-term growth strategy.

Lee Enterprises added to membership of US small-cap Russell 2000 Index

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