Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Manchester United plc (MANU) vs Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) 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 | MANU | 0.7% revenue growth vs WBD's -4.8% |
| Value | WBD | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | WBD | 1.3% net margin vs MANU's -1.4% |
| Stability / Safety | MANU | Beta 0.72 vs WBD's 1.73 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | WBD | +145.8% vs MANU's +22.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | WBD | 0.5% ROA vs MANU's -0.5%, ROIC -9.7% vs -2.0% |
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.
Warner Bros. Discovery is a global media and entertainment conglomerate that produces and distributes content across film, television, and streaming platforms. It generates revenue primarily through three segments: Studios (film and TV production), Networks (cable and broadcast channels), and Direct-to-Consumer (streaming services like Max and discovery+). The company's key advantage is its massive content library and iconic franchises — including DC, Harry Potter, HBO originals, and Discovery's unscripted programming — which create a deep moat in an increasingly competitive streaming landscape.
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
MANU leads in 3 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WBD is the larger business by revenue, generating $37.9B annually — 57.8x MANU's $655M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 1.3% (WBD) to -1.4% (MANU).
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | WBDWarner Bros. Disc… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $655M | $37.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $238M | $16.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$9M | $485M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$135M | $4.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +64.8% | +44.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +2.8% | +1.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.4% | +1.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -20.6% | +10.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -4.2% | -6.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +115.1% | -2.1% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, MANU's 6.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WBD's 10.1x.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | WBDWarner Bros. Disc… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.0B | $76.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.8B | $110.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -70.46x | -6.10x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 6.76x | 10.09x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.13x | 1.94x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 11.93x | 1.98x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 26.83x | 17.23x |
Profitability & Efficiency
WBD delivers a 1.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $1 in annual profit, vs $-5 for MANU. WBD carries lower financial leverage with a 1.13x 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 WBD's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | WBDWarner Bros. Disc… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.8% | +1.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -0.5% | +0.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.0% | -9.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -2.1% | -10.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.33x | 1.13x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $559M | $34.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $86M | $5.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $645M | $39.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.62x | 1.85x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MANU five years ago would be worth $9,677 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,842 for WBD. Over the past 12 months, WBD leads with a +145.8% total return vs MANU's +22.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WBD at 21.7% vs MANU's -4.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | WBDWarner Bros. Disc… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +14.1% | -1.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.9% | +145.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -13.2% | +80.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -3.2% | -51.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.6% | +12.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -4.6% | +21.7% |
Risk & Volatility
MANU is the less volatile stock with a 0.72 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than WBD's 1.73 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | WBDWarner Bros. Disc… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.72x | 1.73x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $19.65 | $30.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.05 | $7.52 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +91.7% | +93.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.3 | 58.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 275K | 20.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MANU as "Hold" and WBD as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -0.3% upside for MANU (target: $18) vs -9.2% for WBD (target: $26).
| Metric | MANUManchester United… | WBDWarner Bros. Disc… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.95 | $25.59 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 10 | 31 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| 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% |
| Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD) | 100 | 104.24 | +4.2% |
Manchester United p… (MANU) returned -3% over 5 years vs Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD)'s -52%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | $515M | $667M | +29.3% |
| Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD) | $6.5B | $39.3B | +505.2% |
Manchester United plc's revenue grew from $515M (2016) to $667M (2025) — a 2.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | 7.1% | -5.0% | -170.2% |
| Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD) | 18.4% | -28.8% | -256.5% |
Manchester United plc's net margin went from 7% (2016) to -5% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD) | 28.8 | 15.3 | -46.9% |
Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. has traded in a 11x–29x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~-6x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester United p… (MANU) | 0.22 | -0.19 | -186.4% |
| Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD) | 1.96 | -4.62 | -335.7% |
Manchester United plc's EPS grew from $0.22 (2016) to $-0.19 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Manchester United plc generated $28M FCF in 2025 (+189% vs 2021). Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. generated $4B FCF in 2024 (+83% vs 2021).
MANU vs WBD: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MANU or WBD a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Manchester United plc (MANU) a "Hold" — 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — MANU or WBD?
Over the past 5 years, Manchester United plc (MANU) delivered a total return of -3.2%, compared to -51.6% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD). A $10,000 investment in MANU five years ago would be worth approximately $10K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MANU returned +34.6% versus WBD's +12.7%. 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 WBD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Manchester United plc (MANU) is the lower-risk stock at 0.72β versus Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.'s 1.73β — meaning WBD is approximately 141% more volatile than MANU relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 113% versus 3% for Manchester United plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — MANU or WBD?
Manchester United plc (MANU) is the more profitable company, earning -5.0% net margin versus -28.8% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. — meaning it keeps -5.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MANU leads at -2.8% versus -25.5% for WBD. 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 WBD?
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 WBD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Manchester United plc (MANU) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.72)). Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD) carries a higher beta of 1.73 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MANU: +34.6%, WBD: +12.7%), 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 WBD?
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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