Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Manchester United plc (MANU) vs Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) 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 | BATRA | 10.5% revenue growth vs MANU's 0.7% |
| Quality / Margins | MANU | -1.4% net margin vs BATRA's -3.2% |
| Stability / Safety | BATRA | Beta 0.48 vs MANU's 0.72, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MANU | +22.9% vs BATRA's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MANU | -0.5% ROA vs BATRA's -1.4%, ROIC -2.0% vs 1.0% |
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
Manchester United is a global football club that generates revenue through three main streams: commercial sponsorships and merchandising (roughly 45%), broadcasting rights (roughly 35%), and matchday operations at Old Trafford stadium (roughly 20%). Its primary competitive advantage is its massive global brand recognition — built over decades of success — which attracts lucrative sponsorship deals and a worldwide fanbase that purchases merchandise and media content.
Atlanta Braves Holdings is a professional sports franchise that owns and operates the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball team and its surrounding real estate development. The company generates revenue primarily from baseball operations — including ticket sales, media rights, and sponsorships — and from The Battery Atlanta mixed-use development, which includes retail, dining, and entertainment venues. Its key competitive advantage is the unique combination of a historic MLB franchise with a successful real estate ecosystem that creates multiple revenue streams beyond traditional sports operations.
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
BATRA leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). MANU leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BATRA and MANU operate at a comparable scale, with $732M and $655M in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -1.4% (MANU) to -3.2% (BATRA). On growth, BATRA holds the edge at +17.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | BATRAAtlanta Braves Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $655M | $732M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $238M | $92M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$9M | -$23M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$135M | -$120M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +64.8% | +19.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.8% | +2.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | -3.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -20.6% | -16.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.2% | +17.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +115.1% | -109.7% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, MANU's 6.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than BATRA's 35.1x.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | BATRAAtlanta Braves Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.0B | $2.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.8B | $3.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -70.46x | -130.84x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 6.76x | 35.07x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.13x | 3.43x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 11.93x | 5.74x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 26.83x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BATRA delivers a -4.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-4 in annual profit, vs $-5 for MANU. BATRA carries lower financial leverage with a 1.56x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MANU's 3.33x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MANU scores 5/9 vs BATRA's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | BATRAAtlanta Braves Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.8% | -4.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.5% | -1.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.0% | +1.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -2.1% | +1.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.33x | 1.56x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $559M | $726M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $86M | $112M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $645M | $837M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.62x | 0.95x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BATRA five years ago would be worth $16,198 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $9,677 for MANU. Over the past 12 months, MANU leads with a +22.9% total return vs BATRA's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BATRA at 12.2% vs MANU's -4.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | BATRAAtlanta Braves Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +14.1% | +12.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.9% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -13.2% | +41.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -3.2% | +62.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.6% | +143.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -4.6% | +12.2% |
Risk & Volatility
BATRA is the less volatile stock with a 0.48 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MANU's 0.72 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BATRA currently trades 95.9% from its 52-week high vs MANU's 91.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | BATRAAtlanta Braves Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.72x | 0.48x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $19.65 | $50.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.05 | $38.67 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +91.7% | +95.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.3 | 72.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 275K | 53K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MANU as "Hold" and BATRA as "Buy".
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | BATRAAtlanta Braves Ho… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.95 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 10 | 5 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | 100 | 97.24 | -2.8% |
| Atlanta Braves Hold… (BATRA) | 100 | 168.3 | +68.3% |
Atlanta Braves Hold… (BATRA) returned +62% over 5 years vs Manchester United p… (MANU)'s -3%. A $10,000 investment in BATRA 5 years ago would be worth $16,198 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | $515M | $667M | +29.3% |
| Atlanta Braves Hold… (BATRA) | $262M | $732M | +179.6% |
Manchester United plc's revenue grew from $515M (2016) to $667M (2025) — a 2.9% CAGR. Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc.'s revenue grew from $262M (2016) to $732M (2025) — a 12.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | 7.1% | -5.0% | -170.2% |
| Atlanta Braves Hold… (BATRA) | -23.7% | -3.2% | +86.5% |
Manchester United plc's net margin went from 7% (2016) to -5% (2025). Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc.'s net margin went from -24% (2016) to -3% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | 0.22 | -0.19 | -186.4% |
| Atlanta Braves Hold… (BATRA) | -1.25 | -0.37 | +70.4% |
Manchester United plc's EPS grew from $0.22 (2016) to $-0.19 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.25 (2016) to $-0.37 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Manchester United plc generated $28M FCF in 2025 (+189% vs 2021). Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. generated $-120M FCF in 2025 (-544% vs 2021).
MANU vs BATRA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MANU or BATRA a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 — MANU or BATRA?
Over the past 5 years, Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) delivered a total return of +62.0%, compared to -3.2% for Manchester United plc (MANU). A $10,000 investment in BATRA five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BATRA returned +143.9% versus MANU's +34.6%. 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 — MANU or BATRA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.48β versus Manchester United plc's 0.72β — meaning MANU is approximately 48% more volatile than BATRA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 156% versus 3% for Manchester United plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — MANU or BATRA?
Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) is the more profitable company, earning -3.2% net margin versus -5.0% for Manchester United plc — meaning it keeps -3.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BATRA leads at 2.3% versus -2.8% for MANU. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MANU leads at 82.3%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — MANU or BATRA?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
06Is MANU or BATRA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Atlanta Braves Holdings, Inc. (BATRA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.48), +143.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BATRA: +143.9%, MANU: +34.6%), 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.
07What are the main differences between MANU and BATRA?
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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