Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) vs Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWNB) 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 | MSN | 18.9% revenue growth vs BWNB's -1.4% |
| Quality / Margins | BWNB | -20.1% net margin vs MSN's -79.0% |
| Stability / Safety | MSN | Beta 0.17 vs BWNB's 0.50 |
| Dividends | BWNB | 0.8% yield; 1-year raise streak; MSN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | BWNB | +28.2% vs MSN's -8.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BWNB | -16.5% ROA vs MSN's -26.0%, ROIC 8.8% vs -30.7% |
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
Emerson Radio is a consumer electronics company that designs, sources, and markets houseware and audio products under its brand name. It generates revenue primarily from selling microwave ovens, compact refrigerators, and audio products through mass merchandisers and online marketplaces — supplemented by trademark licensing fees. The company's main advantage is its established Emerson brand recognition, which has been trusted in American households for over a century.
Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises is an industrial technology company that provides energy generation, emissions control, and environmental solutions to utilities, industrial facilities, and municipalities worldwide. It makes money through three main segments: Thermal (steam generation systems), Environmental (emissions control technologies), and Renewable (waste-to-energy and biomass systems) — with Thermal typically being the largest revenue contributor. The company's key advantage is its century-long expertise in steam generation and emissions control technologies, creating deep customer relationships and technical barriers to entry in specialized industrial markets.
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
BWNB leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BWNB is the larger business by revenue, generating $541M annually — 81.6x MSN's $7M. BWNB is the more profitable business, keeping -20.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MSN's -79.0%. On growth, BWNB holds the edge at -29.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | BWNBBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7M | $541M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$6M | $12M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$5M | -$108M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$3M | -$102M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +2.4% | +26.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -88.6% | +0.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -79.0% | -20.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -47.8% | -18.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -52.8% | -29.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -32.0% | +4.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | BWNBBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9M | $2.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8M | $2.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.91x | -30.45x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 69.15x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.82x | 3.31x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.41x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | BWNBBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -28.1% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -26.0% | -16.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -30.7% | +8.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -23.0% | +6.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$723,000 | $515M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $23M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $463,000 | $538M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -623.89x | -0.79x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BWNB five years ago would be worth $12,748 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,709 for MSN. Over the past 12 months, BWNB leads with a +28.2% total return vs MSN's -8.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BWNB at 9.5% vs MSN's -8.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | BWNBBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +10.5% | +2.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -8.7% | +28.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -23.8% | +31.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -72.9% | +27.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -54.4% | +27.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -8.7% | +9.5% |
Risk & Volatility
MSN is the less volatile stock with a 0.17 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BWNB's 0.50 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BWNB currently trades 98.3% from its 52-week high vs MSN's 49.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | BWNBBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.17x | 0.50x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $0.85 | $25.40 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.28 | $6.05 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +49.4% | +98.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.5 | 60.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 79K | 14K |
Analyst Outlook
BWNB is the only dividend payer here at 0.81% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | BWNBBabcock & Wilcox … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.20 |
| 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 | Jan 22 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | 100 | 44.13 | -55.9% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWNB) | 100.16 | 99.64 | -0.5% |
Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWNB) returned +27% over 5 years vs Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN)'s -73%. A $10,000 investment in BWNB 5 years ago would be worth $12,748 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | $46M | $11M | -76.4% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWNB) | $1.6B | $717M | -54.6% |
Emerson Radio Corp.'s revenue grew from $46M (2016) to $11M (2025) — a -14.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | -2.1% | -43.9% | -1973.3% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWNB) | -7.3% | -8.4% | -14.0% |
Emerson Radio Corp.'s net margin went from -2% (2016) to -44% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | -0.04 | -0.22 | -516.2% |
| Babcock & Wilcox En… (BWNB) | -11.5 | -0.82 | +92.9% |
Emerson Radio Corp.'s EPS grew from $-0.04 (2016) to $-0.22 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Emerson Radio Corp. generated $-4M FCF in 2025 (+11% vs 2021). Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I generated $-130M FCF in 2024 (-10% vs 2021).
MSN vs BWNB: Frequently Asked Questions
6 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Which is the better long-term investment — MSN or BWNB?
Over the past 5 years, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWNB) delivered a total return of +27.5%, compared to -72.9% for Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN). A $10,000 investment in BWNB five years ago would be worth approximately $13K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BWNB returned +27.5% versus MSN's -54.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
02Which is safer — MSN or BWNB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.17β versus Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I's 0.50β — meaning BWNB is approximately 191% more volatile than MSN relative to the S&P 500.
03Which has better profit margins — MSN or BWNB?
Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWNB) is the more profitable company, earning -8.4% net margin versus -43.9% for Emerson Radio Corp. — meaning it keeps -8.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BWNB leads at 3.5% versus -52.1% for MSN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BWNB leads at 24.7%, 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.
04Which pays a better dividend — MSN or BWNB?
In this comparison, BWNB (0.8% yield) pays a dividend. MSN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
05Is MSN or BWNB better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Babcock & Wilcox Enterprises, I (BWNB) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.50), 0.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BWNB: +27.5%, MSN: -54.4%), 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.
06What are the main differences between MSN and BWNB?
Both stocks operate in the Technology sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. BWNB pays a dividend while MSN 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.
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