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SBGI vs SSP
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Broadcasting
SBGI vs SSP — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Entertainment | Broadcasting |
| Market Cap | $991M | $552M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.17B | $2.15B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-112M | $-101M |
| Gross Margin | 44.8% | 33.7% |
| Operating Margin | 5.5% | 7.5% |
| Forward P/E | 12.3x | 18.7x |
| Total Debt | $4.52B | $2.73B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $866M | $28M |
SBGI vs SSP — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) | 100 | 75.9 | -24.1% |
| The E.W. Scripps Co… (SSP) | 100 | 54.0 | -46.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: SBGI vs SSP
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
SBGI carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 0.75, yield 7.0%
- Rev growth -10.7%, EPS growth -134.3%, 3Y rev CAGR -6.9%
- -28.9% 10Y total return vs SSP's -66.5%
SSP is the clearest fit if your priority is momentum.
- +95.8% vs SBGI's -3.3%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -10.7% revenue growth vs SSP's -14.3% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (12.3x vs 18.7x) | |
| Quality / Margins | -3.5% margin vs SSP's -4.7% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.75 vs SSP's 1.50 | |
| Dividends | 7.0% yield; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +95.8% vs SBGI's -3.3% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | -2.0% ROA vs SSP's -2.0%, ROIC 2.8% vs 3.1% |
SBGI vs SSP — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
SBGI vs SSP — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SBGI leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
SBGI and SSP operate at a comparable scale, with $3.2B and $2.2B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -3.5% (SBGI) to -4.7% (SSP). On growth, SBGI holds the edge at -16.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.2B | $2.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $475M | $237M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$112M | -$101M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $115M | $7M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +44.8% | +33.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.5% | +7.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -3.5% | -4.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | +0.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -16.7% | -23.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -40.8% | -155.4% |
Valuation Metrics
SBGI leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, SBGI's 9.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SSP's 285.5x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $991M | $552M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $3.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -8.81x | -2.50x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.28x | 18.72x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.74x | 285.46x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.31x | 0.26x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.65x | 0.33x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 8.62x | 84.68x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SSP leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
SSP delivers a -7.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-8 in annual profit, vs $-34 for SBGI. SSP carries lower financial leverage with a 2.19x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SBGI's 12.21x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SSP scores 3/9 vs SBGI's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -34.3% | -7.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.0% | -2.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.8% | +3.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.9% | +3.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 12.21x | 2.19x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.7B | $2.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $866M | $28M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4.5B | $2.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.76x | 0.55x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
SBGI leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in SBGI five years ago would be worth $5,686 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,312 for SSP. Over the past 12 months, SSP leads with a +95.8% total return vs SBGI's -3.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SBGI at 1.7% vs SSP's -16.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -5.2% | +18.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -3.3% | +95.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +5.3% | -40.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -43.1% | -76.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -28.9% | -66.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.7% | -16.1% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — SBGI and SSP each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SBGI is the less volatile stock with a 0.75 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SSP's 1.50 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SSP currently trades 86.8% from its 52-week high vs SBGI's 79.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.75x | 1.50x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.88 | $5.39 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.89 | $2.02 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +79.3% | +86.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 46.3 | 60.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 491K | 715K |
Analyst Outlook
SSP leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SBGI as "Buy" and SSP as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 19.9% upside for SBGI (target: $17) vs -16.7% for SSP (target: $4). SBGI is the only dividend payer here at 7.04% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.00 | $3.90 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 20 | 8 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +7.0% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.00 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
SBGI leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). SSP leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
SBGI vs SSP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SBGI or SSP a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) is the stronger pick with -10. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 3% for The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP). Analysts rate Sinclair, Inc. (SBGI) a "Buy" — based on 20 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 — SBGI or SSP?
Over the past 5 years, Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) delivered a total return of -43. 1%, compared to -76. 9% for The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SBGI returned -28. 9% versus SSP's -66. 5%. 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 — SBGI or SSP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 75β versus The E. W. Scripps Company's 1. 50β — meaning SSP is approximately 100% more volatile than SBGI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 12% for Sinclair, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — SBGI or SSP?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) is pulling ahead at -10. 7% versus -14. 3% for The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sinclair, Inc. grew EPS -134. 3% year-over-year, compared to -285. 1% for The E. W. Scripps Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, SSP leads at -4. 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.
05Which has better profit margins — SBGI or SSP?
Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) is the more profitable company, earning -3. 5% net margin versus -4. 7% for The E. W. Scripps Company — meaning it keeps -3. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SSP leads at 7. 5% versus 4. 9% for SBGI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SBGI leads at 36. 1%, 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 SBGI or SSP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) trades at 12. 3x forward P/E versus 18. 7x for The E. W. Scripps Company — 6. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SBGI: 19. 9% to $17. 00.
07Which pays a better dividend — SBGI or SSP?
In this comparison, SBGI (7.
0% yield) pays a dividend. SSP does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is SBGI or SSP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Sinclair, Inc.
(SBGI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 75), 7. 0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SBGI: -28. 9%, SSP: -66. 5%), 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 SBGI and SSP?
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: SBGI is a small-cap income-oriented stock; SSP is a small-cap quality compounder stock. SBGI pays a dividend while SSP 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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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 26%
- Dividend Yield > 2.8%
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