Newsmax Soars on Wall Street: Media Company Rings NYSE Bell After Meteoric IPO Surge

By: Fern Sidman

In a dramatic and high-profile moment on Wall Street, Newsmax cemented its arrival as a major financial and media force Thursday morning by ringing the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange—just days after completing a jaw-dropping initial public offering (IPO) that sent its stock soaring and stunned financial observers. The cable news network, long known for its appeal to conservative audiences, is now commanding investor attention on a scale few could have predicted.

According to the information in a report that appeared on Barrett Media, the bell-ringing event was led by Newsmax founder and CEO Chris Ruddy, who was joined by a cadre of the network’s marquee on-air talent including Greg Kelly, Rob Schmitt, Carl Higbie, Rob Finnerty, and Greta Van Susteren. Adding political gravity to the occasion, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani—a longtime ally of conservative media—was also in attendance.

Newsmax debuted on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NMAX on Tuesday, opening at $10 per share. Within just 24 hours, the stock experienced an astonishing rally, surging to a peak of $279.99 per share on Wednesday. The stock’s performance not only drew Wall Street’s attention but also transformed Ruddy—who controls more than 80% of the company’s voting shares—into a newly minted billionaire, seemingly overnight.

As Barrett Media reported, Ruddy struck a reflective and mission-driven tone in his remarks to the assembled crowd at the Exchange.

“I’ve always said in my life that life is a pilgrimage,” Ruddy said. “We go from the beginning until the end, and then we go to God. But it’s the journey along the way and the people you meet on the pilgrimage that make it so interesting and exciting. And I think the people on our pilgrimage believe that we have a special mission…”

He continued, emphasizing Newsmax’s commitment to its audience: “…to give the American people, this special country, the information they need to make great decisions that will affect the world, shape the future, and improve our freedoms. Not just for us, but for people all over the world.”

The Barrett Media report said that Ruddy concluded his speech with a nod to the historic moment: “It’s a momentous time for me personally, but also I think for all of you. And I hope for the country.”

The celebration at the NYSE marks a dramatic evolution for a company that began modestly in 2014 with a single show. Barrett Media reported that host Carl Higbie, who has been with Newsmax since its early days, spoke live on-air Thursday about the network’s journey from its scrappy origins to a multimillion-dollar media powerhouse.

“It’s huge,” Higbie told correspondent Christian Thompson during the live bell-ringing coverage on Newsmax. “It’s like a second bite at the apple here on Thursday. The stock was incredibly successful. It’s been something to be a part of this since we first went on air in 2014. I was here onin  the single show they had. It means a lot to be here and see where it’s come today.”

The network’s IPO success represents more than a financial milestone—it also reflects the growing economic power of ideologically driven media platforms. As per the information contained in the Barrett Media report, Newsmax has carved out a distinct identity as a right-leaning alternative to legacy cable news giants, and it has built a loyal viewership around its unfiltered, populist programming.

The Barrett Media report noted that Newsmax’s presence at the NYSE was not just a corporate victory lap but a symbolic moment for the network’s audience and mission. With its live coverage of the bell-ringing and celebratory posts across social media, Newsmax made clear that its financial achievement is also a cultural one.

The network’s on-air personalities shared behind-the-scenes images and videos of the moment, giving viewers a window into the company’s meteoric rise and reaffirming the deep bond between Newsmax’s talent and its viewer base.

Despite the euphoric tone and explosive market debut, analysts will be closely watching how NMAX performs in the coming weeks. Questions remain about whether the sky-high valuation can be sustained and how Newsmax plans to use its new capital to expand its reach, invest in content, and potentially disrupt an already crowded conservative media landscape.

Nonetheless, for Chris Ruddy and his team, this week’s events mark the culmination of years of persistence—and the beginning of a bold new chapter.