Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) vs Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock (PSKY) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PSKY | -0.5% revenue growth vs AMCX's -4.5% |
| Value | AMCX | Lower P/E (4.4x vs 9.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | PSKY | -0.9% net margin vs AMCX's -6.0% |
| Stability / Safety | PSKY | Beta 0.56 vs AMCX's 0.96 |
| Dividends | PSKY | 0.4% yield; AMCX pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMCX | +3.7% vs PSKY's -10.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PSKY | -0.6% ROA vs AMCX's -3.3%, ROIC -14.7% vs 12.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
AMC Networks is a cable and streaming entertainment company that operates a portfolio of television networks and subscription streaming services. It generates revenue primarily from affiliate fees paid by cable/satellite providers for its networks (roughly 60% of revenue) and advertising sales (about 30%), with the remainder coming from streaming subscriptions and content licensing. The company's key advantage is its portfolio of strong, recognizable cable brands—particularly AMC with its acclaimed original programming—which provides leverage in carriage negotiations and attracts loyal audiences.
Paramount Skydance Corporation is a major media and entertainment company that operates television networks, produces films and TV shows, and runs streaming services. It generates revenue through advertising on its TV networks and streaming platforms, subscription fees from its Paramount+ and other streaming services, and licensing content from its film and television studios. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive content library — including iconic franchises like Star Trek and Mission: Impossible — and its multi-platform distribution ecosystem that spans broadcast, cable, and streaming.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
PSKY leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AMCX leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
PSKY is the larger business by revenue, generating $28.7B annually — 12.4x AMCX's $2.3B. PSKY is the more profitable business, keeping -0.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMCX's -6.0%. On growth, PSKY holds the edge at -0.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AMCXAMC Networks Inc. | PSKYParamount Skydanc… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.3B | $28.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $686M | $2.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$140M | -$272M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $267M | $308M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +51.0% | +30.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -3.0% | +6.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -6.0% | -0.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +1.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -6.3% | -0.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.4% | — |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AMCXAMC Networks Inc. | PSKYParamount Skydanc… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $86M | $10.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $86M | $22.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | — | -1.09x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.38x | 9.06x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 0.07x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.04x | 0.37x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 0.52x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 0.28x | 22.27x |
Profitability & Efficiency
PSKY delivers a -2.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-2 in annual profit, vs $-12 for AMCX. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PSKY scores 6/9 vs AMCX's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | AMCXAMC Networks Inc. | PSKYParamount Skydanc… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -12.2% | -2.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -3.3% | -0.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.1% | -14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | -15.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $0 | $11.1B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | — | $3.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $14.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.95x | 1.57x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PSKY five years ago would be worth $1,996 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,147 for AMCX. Over the past 12 months, AMCX leads with a +3.7% total return vs PSKY's -10.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PSKY at -21.1% vs AMCX's -30.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AMCXAMC Networks Inc. | PSKYParamount Skydanc… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.7% | -22.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +3.7% | -10.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -67.0% | -50.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.5% | -80.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.6% | -65.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -30.9% | -21.1% |
Risk & Volatility
PSKY is the less volatile stock with a 0.56 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMCX's 0.96 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMCX currently trades 73.9% from its 52-week high vs PSKY's 48.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AMCXAMC Networks Inc. | PSKYParamount Skydanc… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.96x | 0.56x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $10.18 | $20.86 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.41 | $9.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +73.9% | +48.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 40.3 | 35.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 425K | 6.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AMCX as "Hold" and PSKY as "Sell". Consensus price targets imply 32.9% upside for PSKY (target: $14) vs 6.4% for AMCX (target: $8). PSKY is the only dividend payer here at 0.43% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | AMCXAMC Networks Inc. | PSKYParamount Skydanc… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Sell |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $8.00 | $13.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 40 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.04 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) | 100 | 26.47 | -73.5% |
| Paramount Skydance … (PSKY) | 100 | 45.74 | -54.3% |
Paramount Skydance … (PSKY) returned -80% over 5 years vs AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX)'s -89%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) | $2.8B | $2.3B | -16.1% |
| Paramount Skydance … (PSKY) | $13.2B | $29.2B | +121.9% |
AMC Networks Inc.'s revenue grew from $2.8B (2016) to $2.3B (2025) — a -1.9% CAGR. Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock's revenue grew from $13.2B (2016) to $29.2B (2025) — a 9.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) | 9.8% | 8.4% | -14.4% |
| Paramount Skydance … (PSKY) | 9.6% | -21.2% | -321.2% |
AMC Networks Inc.'s net margin went from 10% (2016) to 8% (2025). Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock's net margin went from 10% (2016) to -21% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) | 7.5 | 3.8 | -49.3% |
| Paramount Skydance … (PSKY) | 67 | 10.5 | -84.3% |
AMC Networks Inc. has traded in a 4x–92x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~4x. Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock has traded in a 4x–67x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-1x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) | 3.74 | 0 | -100.0% |
| Paramount Skydance … (PSKY) | 2.81 | -9.32 | -431.7% |
AMC Networks Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.74 (2016) to $0.00 (2025) — a -100% CAGR. Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock's EPS grew from $2.81 (2016) to $-9.32 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
AMC Networks Inc. generated $306M FCF in 2025 (+203% vs 2021). Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock generated $489M FCF in 2025 (-18% vs 2021).
AMCX vs PSKY: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AMCX or PSKY a better buy right now?
Analysts rate AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) a "Hold" — based on 40 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 — AMCX or PSKY?
Over the past 5 years, Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock (PSKY) delivered a total return of -80.0%, compared to -88.5% for AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX). A $10,000 investment in PSKY five years ago would be worth approximately $2K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PSKY returned -65.4% versus AMCX's -88.6%. 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 — AMCX or PSKY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock (PSKY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.56β versus AMC Networks Inc.'s 0.96β — meaning AMCX is approximately 71% more volatile than PSKY relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — AMCX or PSKY?
AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) is the more profitable company, earning 8.4% net margin versus -21.2% for Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock — meaning it keeps 8.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMCX leads at 5.8% versus -18.0% for PSKY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMCX leads at 51.0%, 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.
05Is AMCX or PSKY more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, AMC Networks Inc. (AMCX) trades at 4.4x forward P/E versus 9.1x for Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock — 4.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PSKY: 32.9% to $13.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — AMCX or PSKY?
In this comparison, PSKY (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. AMCX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is AMCX or PSKY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Paramount Skydance Corporation Class B Common Stock (PSKY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.56)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PSKY: -65.4%, AMCX: -88.6%), 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 AMCX and PSKY?
Both stocks operate in the Communication Services sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 18%
- Dividend Yield > 0.5%