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DSX vs SBLK
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Marine Shipping
DSX vs SBLK — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Marine Shipping | Marine Shipping |
| Market Cap | $337M | $3.10B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $219M | $1.04B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $24M | $84M |
| Gross Margin | 42.1% | 33.0% |
| Operating Margin | 21.8% | 13.6% |
| Forward P/E | 4.5x | 8.0x |
| Total Debt | $638M | $1.07B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $125M | $500M |
DSX vs SBLK — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX) | 100 | 197.8 | +97.8% |
| Star Bulk Carriers … (SBLK) | 100 | 528.5 | +428.5% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: DSX vs SBLK
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
DSX carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 1.45, yield 9.1%
- Rev growth -12.9%, EPS growth -86.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 2.1%
- Beta 1.45, yield 9.1%, current ratio 2.58x
SBLK is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding and sleep-well-at-night.
- 8.8% 10Y total return vs DSX's 58.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.73, Low D/E 43.8%, current ratio 1.78x
- Beta 0.73 vs DSX's 1.45, lower leverage
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -12.9% revenue growth vs SBLK's -17.6% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (4.5x vs 8.0x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 11.2% margin vs SBLK's 8.1% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.73 vs DSX's 1.45, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 9.1% yield, vs SBLK's 1.1% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +90.9% vs SBLK's +83.4% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 2.2% ROA vs DSX's 2.1%, ROIC 3.2% vs 4.3% |
DSX vs SBLK — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
DSX leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SBLK is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.0B annually — 4.8x DSX's $219M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 11.2% (DSX) to 8.1% (SBLK). On growth, SBLK holds the edge at -2.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $219M | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $93M | $311M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $24M | $84M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $209M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +42.1% | +33.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.8% | +13.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.2% | +8.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +26.0% | +20.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.8% | -2.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +172.5% | +58.3% |
Valuation Metrics
DSX leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 36.8x trailing earnings, SBLK trades at a 19% valuation discount to DSX's 45.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, DSX's 8.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SBLK's 11.9x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $337M | $3.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $850M | $3.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 45.75x | 36.85x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 4.48x | 8.02x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.75x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.19x | 11.90x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.48x | 2.98x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.63x | 1.27x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 5.68x | 14.78x |
Profitability & Efficiency
DSX leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
DSX delivers a 4.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $3 for SBLK. SBLK carries lower financial leverage with a 0.44x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DSX's 1.26x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), DSX scores 6/9 vs SBLK's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +4.9% | +3.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.1% | +2.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.3% | +3.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.4% | +4.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.26x | 0.44x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $513M | $572M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $125M | $500M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $638M | $1.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.40x | 2.08x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
SBLK leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in SBLK five years ago would be worth $19,702 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,598 for DSX. Over the past 12 months, DSX leads with a +90.9% total return vs SBLK's +83.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SBLK at 17.2% vs DSX's -2.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +60.7% | +40.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +90.9% | +83.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -7.7% | +61.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +26.0% | +97.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +58.9% | +875.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -2.6% | +17.2% |
Risk & Volatility
SBLK leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SBLK is the less volatile stock with a 0.73 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than DSX's 1.45 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.45x | 0.73x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $2.77 | $27.20 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.38 | $14.79 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.1% | +98.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 64.3 | 71.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 682K | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
DSX leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates DSX as "Hold" and SBLK as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 11.5% upside for DSX (target: $3) vs 7.8% for SBLK (target: $29). For income investors, DSX offers the higher dividend yield at 9.09% vs SBLK's 1.11%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $3.00 | $29.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 24 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +9.1% | +1.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.24 | $0.30 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +3.2% |
DSX leads in 4 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). SBLK leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
DSX vs SBLK: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is DSX or SBLK a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Diana Shipping Inc.
(DSX) is the stronger pick with -12. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -17. 6% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK). Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK) offers the better valuation at 36. 8x trailing P/E (8. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 has the better valuation — DSX or SBLK?
On trailing P/E, Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
(SBLK) is the cheapest at 36. 8x versus Diana Shipping Inc. at 45. 7x. On forward P/E, Diana Shipping Inc. is actually cheaper at 4. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — DSX or SBLK?
Over the past 5 years, Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
(SBLK) delivered a total return of +97. 0%, compared to +26. 0% for Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SBLK returned +875. 7% versus DSX's +58. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — DSX or SBLK?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
(SBLK) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 73β versus Diana Shipping Inc. 's 1. 45β — meaning DSX is approximately 98% more volatile than SBLK relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 44% versus 126% for Diana Shipping Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — DSX or SBLK?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Diana Shipping Inc.
(DSX) is pulling ahead at -12. 9% versus -17. 6% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Star Bulk Carriers Corp. grew EPS -73. 9% year-over-year, compared to -86. 3% for Diana Shipping Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, DSX leads at 2. 1% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — DSX or SBLK?
Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
(SBLK) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 1% net margin versus 5. 6% for Diana Shipping Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DSX leads at 25. 8% versus 13. 5% for SBLK. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DSX leads at 57. 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.
07Is DSX or SBLK more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Diana Shipping Inc.
(DSX) trades at 4. 5x forward P/E versus 8. 0x for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. — 3. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DSX: 11. 5% to $3. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — DSX or SBLK?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Diana Shipping Inc. (DSX) offers the highest yield at 9. 1%, versus 1. 1% for Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (SBLK).
09Is DSX or SBLK better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Star Bulk Carriers Corp.
(SBLK) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 73), 1. 1% yield, +875. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SBLK: +875. 7%, DSX: +58. 9%), 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.
10What are the main differences between DSX and SBLK?
Both stocks operate in the Industrials sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: DSX is a small-cap income-oriented stock; SBLK is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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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