Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR) vs Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE) 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 | MSGE | -1.7% revenue growth vs SPHR's -9.9% |
| Quality / Margins | MSGE | 5.1% net margin vs SPHR's -9.5% |
| Stability / Safety | MSGE | Beta 0.99 vs SPHR's 1.65 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SPHR | +172.8% vs MSGE's +82.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MSGE | 2.8% ROA vs SPHR's -2.4%, ROIC 8.5% vs -5.0% |
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
Sphere Entertainment Co. is a live entertainment company that produces concerts, sporting events, and theatrical shows across iconic venues like Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall. It generates revenue primarily from ticket sales and event hosting at its venues — roughly 70% from live events — supplemented by its global network of dining and nightlife venues under brands like Tao and Hakkasan. The company's moat lies in its ownership of legendary, irreplaceable entertainment venues in prime locations and its portfolio of exclusive content like the Radio City Rockettes Christmas Spectacular.
Madison Square Garden Entertainment is a live entertainment company that produces and hosts concerts, sporting events, and theatrical productions in iconic venues like Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall. It generates revenue primarily from ticket sales, venue rentals, and food/beverage concessions at its events — supplemented by operating high-end dining and nightlife venues under brands like Tao and Marquee. The company's key advantage is its ownership of legendary, irreplaceable venues in prime New York City locations that attract top-tier talent and command premium pricing.
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
MSGE leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SPHR leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SPHR and MSGE operate at a comparable scale, with $1.1B and $1.0B in trailing revenue. MSGE is the more profitable business, keeping 5.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SPHR's -9.5%.
| Metric | SPHRSphere Entertainm… | MSGEMadison Square Ga… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $1.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $24M | $195M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$101M | $52M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $173M | $207M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +24.5% | +46.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -22.1% | +13.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.5% | +5.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +16.3% | +20.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.2% | +12.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +5.1% | +24.4% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, MSGE's 20.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than SPHR's 53.0x.
| Metric | SPHRSphere Entertainm… | MSGEMadison Square Ga… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $817M | $2.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.8B | $3.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -20.95x | 82.00x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 52.74x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 53.03x | 20.62x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.80x | 2.71x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.77x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 27.41x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MSGE delivers a 144.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $144 in annual profit, vs $-5 for SPHR. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MSGE scores 6/9 vs SPHR's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SPHRSphere Entertainm… | MSGEMadison Square Ga… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.7% | +144.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.4% | +2.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -5.0% | +8.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -6.3% | +11.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.63x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $959M | $1.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $560M | $43M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.5B | $1.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -2.48x | 3.08x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SPHR five years ago would be worth $23,473 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,752 for MSGE. Over the past 12 months, SPHR leads with a +172.8% total return vs MSGE's +82.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SPHR at 62.1% vs MSGE's 1.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SPHRSphere Entertainm… | MSGEMadison Square Ga… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +26.2% | +16.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +172.8% | +82.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +325.6% | +4.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +134.7% | -42.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +191.1% | -28.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +62.1% | +1.4% |
Risk & Volatility
MSGE is the less volatile stock with a 0.99 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SPHR's 1.65 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | SPHRSphere Entertainm… | MSGEMadison Square Ga… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.65x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $120.27 | $65.20 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $23.89 | $28.29 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.0% | +96.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 69.5 | 54.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 639K | 276K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SPHR as "Buy" and MSGE as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 4.5% upside for MSGE (target: $66) vs 2.2% for SPHR (target: $122).
| Metric | SPHRSphere Entertainm… | MSGEMadison Square Ga… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $121.67 | $66.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 12 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.2% | +1.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Apr 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere Entertainmen… (SPHR) | 100 | 231.46 | +131.5% |
| Madison Square Gard… (MSGE) | 100 | 69.98 | -30.0% |
Sphere Entertainmen… (SPHR) returned +135% over 5 years vs Madison Square Gard… (MSGE)'s -42%. A $10,000 investment in SPHR 5 years ago would be worth $23,473 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere Entertainmen… (SPHR) | $1.1B | $1.0B | -7.9% |
| Madison Square Gard… (MSGE) | $989M | $943M | -4.7% |
Sphere Entertainment Co.'s revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $1.0B (2025) — a -0.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere Entertainmen… (SPHR) | -6.9% | -19.5% | -182.0% |
| Madison Square Gard… (MSGE) | 0.7% | 4.0% | +469.2% |
Sphere Entertainment Co.'s net margin went from -7% (2016) to -20% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2020 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Madison Square Gard… (MSGE) | 14.7 | 70 | +376.2% |
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. has traded in a 12x–70x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~82x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sphere Entertainmen… (SPHR) | -3.12 | -5.68 | -82.1% |
| Madison Square Gard… (MSGE) | 0.29 | 0.77 | +165.5% |
Sphere Entertainment Co.'s EPS grew from $-3.12 (2016) to $-5.68 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Sphere Entertainment Co. generated $-309M FCF in 2025 (+40% vs 2021). Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. generated $93M FCF in 2025 (+159% vs 2021).
SPHR vs MSGE: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SPHR or MSGE a better buy right now?
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE) offers the better valuation at 82.0x trailing P/E (52.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 — SPHR or MSGE?
Over the past 5 years, Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR) delivered a total return of +134.7%, compared to -42.5% for Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE). A $10,000 investment in SPHR five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SPHR returned +191.1% versus MSGE's -28.7%. 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 — SPHR or MSGE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.99β versus Sphere Entertainment Co.'s 1.65β — meaning SPHR is approximately 67% more volatile than MSGE relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — SPHR or MSGE?
Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE) is the more profitable company, earning 4.0% net margin versus -19.5% for Sphere Entertainment Co. — meaning it keeps 4.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MSGE leads at 13.0% versus -21.7% for SPHR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MSGE leads at 43.2%, 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.
05Is SPHR or MSGE more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MSGE: 4.5% to $66.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — SPHR or MSGE?
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.
07Is SPHR or MSGE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Madison Square Garden Entertainment Corp. (MSGE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.99)). Sphere Entertainment Co. (SPHR) carries a higher beta of 1.65 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MSGE: -28.7%, SPHR: +191.1%), 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.
08What are the main differences between SPHR and MSGE?
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. 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
- Revenue Growth > 7%
- Gross Margin > 14%