Gambling, Resorts & Casinos
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MSC vs LVS
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Gambling, Resorts & Casinos
MSC vs LVS — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Gambling, Resorts & Casinos | Gambling, Resorts & Casinos |
| Market Cap | $115M | $35.32B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $695M | $13.74B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-59M | $1.84B |
| Gross Margin | 52.2% | 26.7% |
| Operating Margin | 10.1% | 24.6% |
| Forward P/E | — | 16.0x |
| Total Debt | $2.05B | $16.14B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $109M | $3.84B |
MSC vs LVS — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio City Interna… (MSC) | 100 | 16.8 | -83.2% |
| Las Vegas Sands Cor… (LVS) | 100 | 111.0 | +11.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: MSC vs LVS
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
MSC is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night.
- Rev growth 8.7%, EPS growth 38.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 291.8%
- Lower volatility, beta -0.48, current ratio 0.73x
- Lower D/E ratio (357.3% vs 8.3%)
LVS carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for long-term compounding and defensive.
- 49.4% 10Y total return vs MSC's -84.5%
- Beta 1.09, yield 2.3%, current ratio 1.14x
- 15.2% revenue growth vs MSC's 8.7%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 15.2% revenue growth vs MSC's 8.7% | |
| Quality / Margins | 13.4% margin vs MSC's -8.5% | |
| Stability / Safety | Lower D/E ratio (357.3% vs 8.3%) | |
| Dividends | 2.3% yield; 2-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +40.6% vs MSC's -6.1% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 8.5% ROA vs MSC's -2.1%, ROIC 16.9% vs 2.0% |
MSC vs LVS — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
MSC vs LVS — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LVS leads this category, winning 4 of 5 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LVS is the larger business by revenue, generating $13.7B annually — 19.8x MSC's $695M. LVS is the more profitable business, keeping 13.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MSC's -8.5%. On growth, LVS holds the edge at +25.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $695M | $13.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $277M | $4.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$59M | $1.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $2.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +52.2% | +26.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +10.1% | +24.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -8.5% | +13.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +16.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.9% | +25.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +21.4% | +73.5% |
Valuation Metrics
MSC leads this category, winning 4 of 4 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, MSC's 7.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LVS's 10.3x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $115M | $35.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.1B | $47.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.93x | 22.65x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 16.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.27x | 10.29x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.17x | 2.71x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.20x | 19.07x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 21.35x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LVS leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
LVS delivers a 95.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $96 in annual profit, vs $-10 for MSC. MSC carries lower financial leverage with a 3.57x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LVS's 8.34x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LVS scores 7/9 vs MSC's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -9.9% | +95.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.1% | +8.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.0% | +16.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.6% | +19.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.57x | 8.34x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.9B | $12.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $109M | $3.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.0B | $16.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.54x | 4.25x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LVS leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in LVS five years ago would be worth $9,782 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,966 for MSC. Over the past 12 months, LVS leads with a +40.6% total return vs MSC's -6.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LVS at -3.4% vs MSC's -26.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -32.2% | -17.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -6.1% | +40.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -60.4% | -9.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -80.3% | -2.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -84.5% | +49.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -26.6% | -3.4% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — MSC and LVS each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
MSC is the less volatile stock with a -0.48 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LVS's 1.09 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LVS currently trades 75.5% from its 52-week high vs MSC's 36.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | -0.48x | 1.09x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.63 | $70.45 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.13 | $37.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +36.1% | +75.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.9 | 41.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 8K | 3.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MSC as "Buy" and LVS as "Buy". LVS is the only dividend payer here at 2.26% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $69.70 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | 49 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +2.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.20 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +6.3% |
LVS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). MSC leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
MSC vs LVS: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MSC or LVS a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Las Vegas Sands Corp.
(LVS) is the stronger pick with 15. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 7% for Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC). Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) offers the better valuation at 22. 6x trailing P/E (16. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC) a "Buy" — based on 1 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — MSC or LVS?
Over the past 5 years, Las Vegas Sands Corp.
(LVS) delivered a total return of -2. 2%, compared to -80. 3% for Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LVS returned +49. 4% versus MSC's -84. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — MSC or LVS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC) is the lower-risk stock at -0.
48β versus Las Vegas Sands Corp. 's 1. 09β — meaning LVS is approximately -328% more volatile than MSC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 8% for Las Vegas Sands Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — MSC or LVS?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Las Vegas Sands Corp.
(LVS) is pulling ahead at 15. 2% versus 8. 7% for Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Studio City International Holdings Limited grew EPS 38. 0% year-over-year, compared to 19. 9% for Las Vegas Sands Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, MSC leads at 291. 8% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — MSC or LVS?
Las Vegas Sands Corp.
(LVS) is the more profitable company, earning 12. 5% net margin versus -8. 5% for Studio City International Holdings Limited — meaning it keeps 12. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LVS leads at 23. 7% versus 10. 2% for MSC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MSC leads at 36. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Which pays a better dividend — MSC or LVS?
In this comparison, LVS (2.
3% yield) pays a dividend. MSC does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is MSC or LVS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Studio City International Holdings Limited (MSC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.
48)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MSC: -84. 5%, LVS: +49. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between MSC and LVS?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: MSC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; LVS is a mid-cap high-growth stock. LVS pays a dividend while MSC does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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