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SCHL vs NWSA
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Entertainment
SCHL vs NWSA — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing | Entertainment |
| Market Cap | $968M | $15.27B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $1.61B | $9.03B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $63M | $1.69B |
| Gross Margin | 52.3% | 34.9% |
| Operating Margin | 1.9% | 7.8% |
| Forward P/E | 22.0x | 25.8x |
| Total Debt | $375M | $2.94B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $124M | $2.40B |
SCHL vs NWSA — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scholastic Corporat… (SCHL) | 100 | 136.0 | +36.0% |
| News Corporation (NWSA) | 100 | 220.7 | +120.7% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: SCHL vs NWSA
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
SCHL is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability.
- Dividend streak 3 yrs, beta 0.77, yield 2.0%
- Lower P/E (22.0x vs 25.8x)
- 2.0% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs NWSA's 1.2%
NWSA carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 2.4%, EPS growth 350.0%, 3Y rev CAGR -6.6%
- 136.5% 10Y total return vs SCHL's 27.1%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.60, Low D/E 31.3%, current ratio 1.84x
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 2.4% revenue growth vs SCHL's 2.3% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (22.0x vs 25.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 18.7% margin vs SCHL's 3.9% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.60 vs SCHL's 0.77, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | 2.0% yield, 3-year raise streak, vs NWSA's 1.2% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +120.5% vs NWSA's -3.3% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 10.9% ROA vs SCHL's 3.8%, ROIC 6.8% vs 1.4% |
SCHL vs NWSA — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
SCHL vs NWSA — 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)
NWSA is the larger business by revenue, generating $9.0B annually — 5.6x SCHL's $1.6B. NWSA is the more profitable business, keeping 18.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SCHL's 3.9%. On growth, NWSA holds the edge at +8.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.6B | $9.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $111M | $469M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $63M | $1.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $22M | $572M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +52.3% | +34.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +1.9% | +7.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.9% | +18.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.4% | +6.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -1.9% | +8.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +19.6% | +6.1% |
Valuation Metrics
SCHL leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, SCHL's 9.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than NWSA's 11.2x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $968M | $15.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.2B | $15.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -581.25x | 13.06x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 22.03x | 25.75x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 9.26x | 11.17x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.60x | 1.81x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.17x | 1.64x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.45x | 21.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
NWSA leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
NWSA delivers a 18.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $18 in annual profit, vs $7 for SCHL. NWSA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.31x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SCHL's 0.40x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NWSA scores 7/9 vs SCHL's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.9% | +18.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.8% | +10.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +1.4% | +6.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +1.7% | +7.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.40x | 0.31x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $251M | $537M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $124M | $2.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $375M | $2.9B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.01x | 127.43x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
Evenly matched — SCHL and NWSA each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in SCHL five years ago would be worth $13,986 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $10,219 for NWSA. Over the past 12 months, SCHL leads with a +120.5% total return vs NWSA's -3.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NWSA at 17.3% vs SCHL's 3.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +34.8% | +3.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +120.5% | -3.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +12.3% | +61.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +39.9% | +2.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +27.1% | +136.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +3.9% | +17.3% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — SCHL and NWSA 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 SCHL's 0.77 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SCHL currently trades 92.2% from its 52-week high vs NWSA's 85.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.77x | 0.60x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $43.39 | $31.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.78 | $22.20 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +92.2% | +85.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 53.9 | 58.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 609K | 4.1M |
Analyst Outlook
SCHL leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SCHL as "Hold" and NWSA as "Buy". For income investors, SCHL offers the higher dividend yield at 2.05% vs NWSA's 1.20%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $32.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 4 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.0% | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 3 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.82 | $0.32 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +7.2% | +1.0% |
NWSA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). SCHL leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
SCHL vs NWSA: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SCHL or NWSA a better buy right now?
For growth investors, News Corporation (NWSA) is the stronger pick with 2.
4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 2. 3% for Scholastic Corporation (SCHL). News Corporation (NWSA) offers the better valuation at 13. 1x trailing P/E (25. 8x 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 — SCHL or NWSA?
On forward P/E, Scholastic Corporation is actually cheaper at 22.
0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SCHL or NWSA?
Over the past 5 years, Scholastic Corporation (SCHL) delivered a total return of +39.
9%, compared to +2. 2% for News Corporation (NWSA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NWSA returned +136. 5% versus SCHL's +27. 1%. 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 — SCHL or NWSA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), News Corporation (NWSA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
60β versus Scholastic Corporation's 0. 77β — meaning SCHL is approximately 28% 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 40% for Scholastic Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — SCHL or NWSA?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), News Corporation (NWSA) is pulling ahead at 2.
4% versus 2. 3% for Scholastic Corporation (SCHL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: News Corporation grew EPS 350. 0% year-over-year, compared to -117. 2% for Scholastic Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, SCHL leads at -0. 4% 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 — SCHL or NWSA?
News Corporation (NWSA) is the more profitable company, earning 14.
0% net margin versus -0. 1% for Scholastic Corporation — 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 1. 3% for SCHL. 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 SCHL or NWSA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Scholastic Corporation (SCHL) trades at 22.
0x forward P/E versus 25. 8x for News Corporation — 3. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
08Which pays a better dividend — SCHL or NWSA?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Scholastic Corporation (SCHL) offers the highest yield at 2. 0%, versus 1. 2% for News Corporation (NWSA).
09Is SCHL or NWSA 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, +136. 5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (NWSA: +136. 5%, SCHL: +27. 1%), 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 SCHL and NWSA?
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: SCHL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NWSA is a mid-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.
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- Sector: Communication Services
- Market Cap > $100B
- Gross Margin > 31%
- Dividend Yield > 0.8%
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