Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) vs Universal Electronics Inc. (UEIC) 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 UEIC's -6.1% |
| Quality / Margins | UEIC | -5.6% net margin vs MSN's -79.0% |
| Stability / Safety | MSN | Beta 0.17 vs UEIC's 1.12, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MSN | -8.7% vs UEIC's -51.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | UEIC | -7.9% ROA vs MSN's -26.0%, ROIC -6.0% 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.
Universal Electronics is a technology company that designs and manufactures universal remote controls, smart home devices, and control systems for consumer electronics and home automation. It generates revenue primarily from selling pre-programmed remote controls to video service providers and OEMs (~60% of sales), integrated circuits with embedded control software (~25%), and cloud services and licensing for its control technology (~15%). The company's key advantage is its extensive universal device control database—covering over 500,000 devices—which creates significant switching costs for customers who rely on its compatibility ecosystem.
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
UEIC leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). MSN leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
UEIC is the larger business by revenue, generating $391M annually — 59.0x MSN's $7M. UEIC is the more profitable business, keeping -5.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MSN's -79.0%. On growth, UEIC holds the edge at -11.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | UEICUniversal Electro… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7M | $391M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$6M | $4M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$5M | -$22M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$3M | $28M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +2.4% | +28.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -88.6% | -3.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -79.0% | -5.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -47.8% | +7.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -52.8% | -11.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -32.0% | -2.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | UEICUniversal Electro… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $9M | $50M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8M | $73M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.91x | -2.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 26.57x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.82x | 0.13x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.41x | 0.32x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 7.88x |
Profitability & Efficiency
UEIC delivers a -15.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-15 in annual profit, vs $-28 for MSN. MSN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to UEIC's 0.32x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), UEIC scores 6/9 vs MSN's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | UEICUniversal Electro… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -28.1% | -15.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -26.0% | -7.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -30.7% | -6.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -23.0% | -8.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | 0.32x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$723,000 | $23M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $27M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $463,000 | $50M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -623.89x | -15.50x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MSN five years ago would be worth $2,709 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $622 for UEIC. Over the past 12 months, MSN leads with a -8.7% total return vs UEIC's -51.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MSN at -8.7% vs UEIC's -33.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | UEICUniversal Electro… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +10.5% | +3.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -8.7% | -51.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -23.8% | -70.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -72.9% | -93.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -54.4% | -92.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -8.7% | -33.3% |
Risk & Volatility
MSN is the less volatile stock with a 0.17 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than UEIC's 1.12 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | UEICUniversal Electro… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.17x | 1.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $0.85 | $8.07 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.28 | $2.69 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +49.4% | +46.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.5 | 45.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 79K | 59K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | MSNEmerson Radio Cor… | UEICUniversal Electro… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +3.9% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | 100 | 47.13 | -52.9% |
| Universal Electroni… (UEIC) | 100 | 9.1 | -90.9% |
Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) returned -73% over 5 years vs Universal Electroni… (UEIC)'s -94%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | $46M | $11M | -76.4% |
| Universal Electroni… (UEIC) | $651M | $395M | -39.4% |
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% |
| Universal Electroni… (UEIC) | 3.1% | -6.1% | -294.7% |
Emerson Radio Corp.'s net margin went from -2% (2016) to -44% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2021 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Electroni… (UEIC) | 29.7 | 104.5 | +251.9% |
Universal Electronics Inc. has traded in a 19x–201x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~-2x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) | -0.04 | -0.22 | -516.2% |
| Universal Electroni… (UEIC) | 1.38 | -1.85 | -234.1% |
Emerson Radio Corp.'s EPS grew from $-0.04 (2016) to $-0.22 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Emerson Radio Corp. generated $-4M FCF in 2025 (+11% vs 2021). Universal Electronics Inc. generated $6M FCF in 2024 (-72% vs 2021).
MSN vs UEIC: Frequently Asked Questions
6 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Which is the better long-term investment — MSN or UEIC?
Over the past 5 years, Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) delivered a total return of -72.9%, compared to -93.8% for Universal Electronics Inc. (UEIC). A $10,000 investment in MSN five years ago would be worth approximately $3K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MSN returned -54.4% versus UEIC's -92.9%. 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 UEIC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.17β versus Universal Electronics Inc.'s 1.12β — meaning UEIC is approximately 549% more volatile than MSN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 32% for Universal Electronics Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
03Which has better profit margins — MSN or UEIC?
Universal Electronics Inc. (UEIC) is the more profitable company, earning -6.1% net margin versus -43.9% for Emerson Radio Corp. — meaning it keeps -6.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: UEIC leads at -3.9% versus -52.1% for MSN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — UEIC leads at 28.9%, 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 UEIC?
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.
05Is MSN or UEIC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Emerson Radio Corp. (MSN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.17)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MSN: -54.4%, UEIC: -92.9%), 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.
06What are the main differences between MSN and UEIC?
Both stocks operate in the Technology 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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