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NWSA vs WBD
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Entertainment
NWSA vs WBD — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment | Entertainment |
| Market Cap | $14.93B | $68.18B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $8.85B | $37.30B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $1.08B | $727M |
| Gross Margin | 85.5% | 40.3% |
| Operating Margin | 12.1% | 2.5% |
| Forward P/E | 25.0x | 93.8x |
| Total Debt | $2.94B | $32.57B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $2.40B | $4.57B |
NWSA vs WBD — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| News Corporation (NWSA) | 100 | 213.9 | +113.9% |
| Warner Bros. Discov… (WBD) | 100 | 125.1 | +25.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: NWSA vs WBD
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
NWSA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.60, yield 1.2%
- Rev growth 2.4%, EPS growth 350.0%, 3Y rev CAGR -6.6%
- 122.0% 10Y total return vs WBD's -3.8%
WBD is the clearest fit if your priority is momentum.
- +222.7% vs NWSA's -4.8%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 2.4% revenue growth vs WBD's -5.1% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (25.0x vs 93.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 12.2% margin vs WBD's 1.9% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.60 vs WBD's 0.90, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 1.2% yield; 1-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +222.7% vs NWSA's -4.8% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 7.0% ROA vs WBD's 0.7%, ROIC 6.8% vs 1.5% |
NWSA vs WBD — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
NWSA vs WBD — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
NWSA leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
WBD is the larger business by revenue, generating $37.3B annually — 4.2x NWSA's $8.9B. NWSA is the more profitable business, keeping 12.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to WBD's 1.9%. On growth, NWSA holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $8.9B | $37.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.6B | $13.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.1B | $727M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $652M | $3.1B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +85.5% | +40.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +12.1% | +2.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.2% | +1.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +7.4% | +8.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.7% | -5.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -44.7% | +50.0% |
Valuation Metrics
NWSA leads this category, winning 5 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 12.7x trailing earnings, NWSA trades at a 87% valuation discount to WBD's 93.8x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, NWSA's 10.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WBD's 13.8x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $14.9B | $68.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $15.5B | $96.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 12.66x | 93.79x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 24.95x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 10.93x | 13.75x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.77x | 1.83x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.59x | 1.85x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.54x | 22.08x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NWSA leads this category, winning 9 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
NWSA delivers a 11.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $2 for WBD. NWSA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.31x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to WBD's 0.88x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NWSA scores 7/9 vs WBD's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.4% | +2.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.0% | +0.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.8% | +1.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.2% | +1.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.31x | 0.88x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $537M | $28.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.4B | $4.6B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.9B | $32.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 39.56x | 1.79x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
Evenly matched — NWSA and WBD each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in NWSA five years ago would be worth $10,462 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,503 for WBD. Over the past 12 months, WBD leads with a +222.7% total return vs NWSA's -4.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WBD at 26.4% vs NWSA's 16.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.4% | -4.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -4.8% | +222.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.4% | +102.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +4.6% | -25.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +122.0% | -3.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +16.1% | +26.4% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — NWSA and WBD each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
NWSA is the less volatile stock with a 0.60 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than WBD's 0.90 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WBD currently trades 90.7% from its 52-week high vs NWSA's 82.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.60x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $31.61 | $30.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.20 | $8.06 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +82.9% | +90.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.2 | 50.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.1M | 22.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NWSA as "Buy" and WBD as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 23.7% upside for NWSA (target: $32) vs 10.1% for WBD (target: $30). NWSA is the only dividend payer here at 1.24% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $32.40 | $29.94 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.2% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.32 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | 0.0% |
NWSA leads in 3 of 6 categories — strongest in Income & Cash Flow and Valuation Metrics. 2 categories are tied.
NWSA vs WBD: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NWSA or WBD a better buy right now?
For growth investors, News Corporation (NWSA) is the stronger pick with 2.
4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -5. 1% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD). News Corporation (NWSA) offers the better valuation at 12. 7x trailing P/E (25. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate News Corporation (NWSA) a "Buy" — based on 28 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 has the better valuation — NWSA or WBD?
On trailing P/E, News Corporation (NWSA) is the cheapest at 12.
7x versus Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. at 93. 8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NWSA or WBD?
Over the past 5 years, News Corporation (NWSA) delivered a total return of +4.
6%, compared to -25. 0% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NWSA returned +122. 0% versus WBD's -3. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — NWSA or WBD?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), News Corporation (NWSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
60β versus Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. 's 0. 90β — meaning WBD is approximately 51% more volatile than NWSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, News Corporation (NWSA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 31% versus 88% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — NWSA or WBD?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), News Corporation (NWSA) is pulling ahead at 2.
4% versus -5. 1% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. (WBD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: News Corporation grew EPS 350. 0% year-over-year, compared to 106. 3% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, WBD leads at 3. 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.
06Which has better profit margins — NWSA or WBD?
News Corporation (NWSA) is the more profitable company, earning 14.
0% net margin versus 1. 9% for Warner Bros. Discovery, Inc. — meaning it keeps 14. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NWSA leads at 11. 3% versus 3. 5% for WBD. 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.
07Is NWSA or WBD more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NWSA: 23.
7% to $32. 40.
08Which pays a better dividend — NWSA or WBD?
In this comparison, NWSA (1.
2% yield) pays a dividend. WBD does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is NWSA or WBD better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, News Corporation (NWSA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
60), 1. 2% yield, +122. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NWSA: +122. 0%, WBD: -3. 8%), 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.
10What are the main differences between NWSA 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.
In terms of investment character: NWSA is a mid-cap deep-value stock; WBD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. NWSA pays a dividend while WBD 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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