** Morningstar says it remains in the dark as to why QMS Media -- the centrepiece of Nine Entertainment’s NEC.AX A$850 million ($591 million) deal unveiled on Friday -- was singled out as the most judicious use of capital

** Investment research firm adds that while it does not dispute NEC's extensive due diligence process, it merely underscores that the acquisition is far from a bargain and carries notable execution risks

** NEC's projected synergies are largely theoretical, with half readily attainable through procurement efficiencies, the rest dependent on redirecting outdoor spend to QMS - Morningstar

** However, Morningstar says that NEC's shares trade at a deep discount to its intrinsic assessment, enough to absorb the QMS‑related risks, and that it backs the shift from legacy assets to more resilient sectors

** Stock up 3.2% YTD as of last close

($1 = 1.4391 Australian dollars)

(Reporting by Kumar Tanishk in Bengaluru; Editing by Hugh Lawson)

((Tanishk.Kumar@thomsonreuters.com; X: @thatstanishk http://www.x.com/thatstanishk;))