SSP vs IHRT vs CMLS vs SIRI vs GOOGL

For growth investors, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the stronger pick with 15. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -14. 3% for The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP). Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (SIRI) offers the better valuation at 11. 9x trailing P/E (8. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate iHeartMedia, Inc. (IHRT) a "Buy" — based on 10 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.

On trailing P/E, Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

(SIRI) is the cheapest at 11. 9x versus Alphabet Inc. at 36. 8x. On forward P/E, Sirius XM Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 8. 5x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Sirius XM Holdings Inc. wins at 0. 17x versus Alphabet Inc. 's 0. 99x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) delivered a total return of +239. 8%, compared to -100. 0% for Cumulus Media Inc. (CMLS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GOOGL returned +996. 1% versus CMLS's -100. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

(SIRI) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 65β versus Cumulus Media Inc. 's 1. 87β — meaning CMLS is approximately 188% more volatile than SIRI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alphabet Inc. (GOOGL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 14% versus 114% for Cumulus Media Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is pulling ahead at 15. 1% versus -14. 3% for The E. W. Scripps Company (SSP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Sirius XM Holdings Inc. grew EPS 145. 6% year-over-year, compared to -285. 1% for The E. W. Scripps Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, GOOGL leads at 12. 5% 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.

Alphabet Inc.

(GOOGL) is the more profitable company, earning 32. 8% net margin versus -34. 2% for Cumulus Media Inc. — meaning it keeps 32. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GOOGL leads at 32. 1% versus -29. 0% for CMLS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IHRT leads at 78. 5%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (SIRI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 17x versus Alphabet Inc. 's 0. 99x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (SIRI) trades at 8. 5x forward P/E versus 29. 6x for Alphabet Inc. — 21. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for GOOGL: 2. 1% to $406. 28.

In this comparison, SIRI (3.

8% yield), GOOGL (0. 2% yield), IHRT (0. 2% yield) pay a dividend. SSP, CMLS do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sirius XM Holdings Inc.

(SIRI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 65), 3. 8% yield). Cumulus Media Inc. (CMLS) carries a higher beta of 1. 87 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SIRI: -7. 8%, CMLS: -100. 0%), 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.

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: SSP is a small-cap quality compounder stock; IHRT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; CMLS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; SIRI is a small-cap deep-value stock; GOOGL is a mega-cap high-growth stock. SIRI pays a dividend while SSP, IHRT, CMLS, GOOGL do 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.