IHRT vs FOX vs DIS vs NWSA

For growth investors, Fox Corporation (FOX) is the stronger pick with 16.

6% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 3% for iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT). Fox Corporation (FOX) offers the better valuation at 11. 5x trailing P/E (12. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT) a "Buy" — based on 10 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.

On trailing P/E, Fox Corporation (FOX) is the cheapest at 11.

5x versus The Walt Disney Company at 15. 9x. On forward P/E, Fox Corporation is actually cheaper at 12. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, Fox Corporation (FOX) delivered a total return of +59.

0%, compared to -75. 0% for iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NWSA returned +136. 5% versus IHRT's -68. 5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Fox Corporation (FOX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

51β versus iHeartMedia, Inc. 's 1. 82β — meaning IHRT is approximately 253% more volatile than FOX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, News Corporation (NWSA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 31% versus 60% for Fox Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Fox Corporation (FOX) is pulling ahead at 16.

6% versus 0. 3% for iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: News Corporation grew EPS 350. 0% year-over-year, compared to 54. 3% for iHeartMedia, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, FOX leads at 5. 3% 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.

News Corporation (NWSA) is the more profitable company, earning 14.

0% net margin versus -12. 2% for iHeartMedia, Inc. — meaning it keeps 14. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: FOX leads at 19. 8% versus -0. 5% for IHRT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NWSA leads at 100. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Fox Corporation (FOX) trades at 12.

2x forward P/E versus 25. 8x for News Corporation — 13. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FOX: 39. 8% to $79. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

News Corporation (NWSA) offers the highest yield at 1. 2%, versus 0. 2% for iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Fox Corporation (FOX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

51), 1. 1% yield, +104. 9% 10Y return). iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT) carries a higher beta of 1. 82 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (FOX: +104. 9%, IHRT: -68. 5%), 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.

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.

In terms of investment character: IHRT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; FOX is a mid-cap high-growth stock; DIS is a mid-cap deep-value stock; NWSA is a mid-cap deep-value stock. FOX, DIS, NWSA pay a dividend while IHRT 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.