Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST) vs Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | SBGI | 13.2% revenue growth vs NXST's -8.5% |
| Value | NXST | Lower P/E (9.9x vs 14.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | NXST | 2.2% net margin vs SBGI's -1.3% |
| Stability / Safety | NXST | Beta 0.85 vs SBGI's 0.86 |
| Dividends | SBGI | 6.1% yield, 11-year raise streak, vs NXST's 2.2% |
| Momentum (1Y) | NXST | +52.8% vs SBGI's +19.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NXST | 22.5% ROA vs SBGI's -0.8%, ROIC 19.1% vs 10.3% |
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
Nexstar Media Group is the largest local television broadcasting company in the U.S., operating stations and digital platforms that deliver news, entertainment, and advertising to communities nationwide. It generates revenue primarily from advertising sales — both local/regional spots and national network compensation — along with retransmission fees from cable and satellite providers for carrying its broadcast signals. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale and local market dominance, owning or operating stations that reach nearly two-thirds of U.S. television households, creating significant negotiating leverage with content distributors.
Sinclair is a major broadcast television company that owns and operates local TV stations across the United States. It generates revenue primarily through advertising sales on its stations — which account for roughly 80% of its income — with the remainder coming from carriage fees paid by cable and satellite providers to retransmit its signals. The company's key advantage is its extensive portfolio of local broadcast licenses — a regulated and scarce asset — which gives it significant leverage in retransmission fee negotiations and local advertising 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
NXST leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SBGI leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NXST and SBGI operate at a comparable scale, with $5.0B and $3.3B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 2.2% (NXST) to -1.3% (SBGI).
| Metric | NXSTNexstar Media Gro… | SBGISinclair, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $5.0B | $3.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.9B | $639M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $109M | -$45M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $743M | $211M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +36.4% | +48.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.2% | +10.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +2.2% | -1.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +15.0% | +6.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -13.3% | -15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -173.7% | -101.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 3.5x trailing earnings, SBGI trades at a 96% valuation discount to NXST's 83.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SBGI's 5.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than NXST's 5.8x.
| Metric | NXSTNexstar Media Gro… | SBGISinclair, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.6B | $388M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.6B | $4.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 83.67x | 3.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 9.91x | 14.33x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.11x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 5.77x | 4.96x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.54x | 0.11x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 2.09x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.25x | 27.75x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SBGI scores 6/9 vs NXST's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | NXSTNexstar Media Gro… | SBGISinclair, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | -16.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +22.5% | -0.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +19.1% | +10.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +15.3% | +10.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 8.30x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $0 | $3.6B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | — | $697M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $0 | $4.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.31x | 1.02x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NXST five years ago would be worth $19,290 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,475 for SBGI. Over the past 12 months, NXST leads with a +52.8% total return vs SBGI's +19.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NXST at 13.4% vs SBGI's 5.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NXSTNexstar Media Gro… | SBGISinclair, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +21.1% | +7.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +52.8% | +19.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +45.8% | +18.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +92.9% | -35.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +540.9% | -19.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +13.4% | +5.9% |
Risk & Volatility
NXST is the less volatile stock with a 0.85 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SBGI's 0.86 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NXST currently trades 98.7% from its 52-week high vs SBGI's 91.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NXSTNexstar Media Gro… | SBGISinclair, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.85x | 0.86x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $254.30 | $17.88 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $141.66 | $11.89 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.7% | +91.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 68.1 | 64.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 281K | 295K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NXST as "Buy" and SBGI as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 57.5% upside for SBGI (target: $26) vs -0.4% for NXST (target: $250). For income investors, SBGI offers the higher dividend yield at 6.11% vs NXST's 2.19%.
| Metric | NXSTNexstar Media Gro… | SBGISinclair, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $250.00 | $25.74 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 20 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.2% | +6.1% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 11 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $5.50 | $1.00 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.6% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexstar Media Group… (NXST) | 100 | 181.25 | +81.3% |
| Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) | 100 | 61.51 | -38.5% |
Nexstar Media Group… (NXST) returned +93% over 5 years vs Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI)'s -35%. A $10,000 investment in NXST 5 years ago would be worth $19,290 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexstar Media Group… (NXST) | $1.1B | $4.9B | +348.6% |
| Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) | $2.7B | $3.5B | +29.6% |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $4.9B (2025) — a 18.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexstar Media Group… (NXST) | 8.3% | 2.2% | -73.5% |
| Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) | 9.0% | 8.7% | -2.5% |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.'s net margin went from 8% (2016) to 2% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexstar Media Group… (NXST) | 7.8 | 67.7 | +767.9% |
| Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) | 6.6 | 3.4 | -48.5% |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. has traded in a 6x–68x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~84x. Sinclair, Inc. has traded in a 0x–30x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~3x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nexstar Media Group… (NXST) | 2.89 | 3 | +3.8% |
| Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) | 2.6 | 4.69 | +80.4% |
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.89 (2016) to $3.00 (2025) — a 0% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Nexstar Media Group, Inc. generated $743M FCF in 2025 (-30% vs 2021). Sinclair, Inc. generated $14M FCF in 2024 (-94% vs 2021).
NXST vs SBGI: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NXST or SBGI a better buy right now?
Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) offers the better valuation at 3.5x trailing P/E (14.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 — NXST or SBGI?
On trailing P/E, Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) is the cheapest at 3.5x versus Nexstar Media Group, Inc. at 83.7x. On forward P/E, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. is actually cheaper at 9.9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NXST or SBGI?
Over the past 5 years, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST) delivered a total return of +92.9%, compared to -35.3% for Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI). A $10,000 investment in NXST five years ago would be worth approximately $19K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NXST returned +540.9% versus SBGI's -19.3%. 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 — NXST or SBGI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST) is the lower-risk stock at 0.85β versus Sinclair, Inc.'s 0.86β — meaning SBGI is approximately 1% more volatile than NXST relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — NXST or SBGI?
Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) is the more profitable company, earning 8.7% net margin versus 2.2% for Nexstar Media Group, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NXST leads at 17.2% versus 15.5% for SBGI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SBGI leads at 51.7%, 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.
06Is NXST or SBGI more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST) trades at 9.9x forward P/E versus 14.3x for Sinclair, Inc. — 4.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SBGI: 57.5% to $25.74.
07Which pays a better dividend — NXST or SBGI?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) offers the highest yield at 6.1%, versus 2.2% for Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST).
08Is NXST or SBGI better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Nexstar Media Group, Inc. (NXST) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.85), 2.2% yield, +540.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NXST: +540.9%, SBGI: -19.3%), 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.
09What are the main differences between NXST and SBGI?
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: NXST is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SBGI is a small-cap deep-value stock. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 21%
- Dividend Yield > 0.8%
- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 29%
- Dividend Yield > 2.4%