GOOGL vs. NWS: Alphabet vs. News Stock Comparison
How do Alphabet (GOOGL) and News (NWS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Alphabet (GOOGL) and News (NWS) both fall under the Media & Entertainment industry group, but GOOGL is classified in Interactive Media & Services while NWS is classified in Media.
| Profile Item | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Alphabet Inc. Class A Common Stock | News Corp Class B |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Communication Services | Communication Services |
| GICS Industry Group | Media & Entertainment | Media & Entertainment |
| GICS Industry | Interactive Media & Services | Media |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Interactive Media & Services | Publishing |
| Market Capitalization | 3,501.09 billion USD | 15.55 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | August 19, 2004 | June 19, 2013 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 4.89% | -3.65% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 31.25% | 10.18% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 14.61% | 4.98% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 33.67% | 29.25% |
| Beta (5Y) | 1.20 | 1.02 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -44.32% | -35.61% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 28.79M | 1.11M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.02 | -0.27 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.03 | -0.35 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Alphabet (GOOGL) at 44.29% sits in the top ROE quartile, while News (NWS) at 8.72% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for GOOGL.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
44.29%
- Max
- 49.92%
- GOOGL
- 44.29%
- Q3
- 17.95%
- Median
- 7.20%
- Q1
- -4.53%
- Min
- -26.31%
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
8.72%
- Max
- 49.92%
- Q3
- 17.95%
- NWS
- 8.72%
- Median
- 7.20%
- Q1
- -4.53%
- Min
- -26.31%
Net Margin (TTM)
Alphabet (GOOGL) at 50.03% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while News (NWS) at 6.77% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
50.03%
- GOOGL
- 50.03%
- Max
- 32.91%
- Q3
- 11.75%
- Median
- 5.04%
- Q1
- -4.17%
- Min
- -25.14%
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
6.77%
- Max
- 32.91%
- Q3
- 11.75%
- NWS
- 6.77%
- Median
- 5.04%
- Q1
- -4.17%
- Min
- -25.14%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Alphabet (GOOGL) at 31.81% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of News (NWS) at 12.14%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
31.81%
- Max
- 40.16%
- GOOGL
- 31.81%
- Q3
- 18.72%
- Median
- 8.63%
- Q1
- 1.90%
- Min
- -22.08%
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
12.14%
- Max
- 40.16%
- Q3
- 18.72%
- NWS
- 12.14%
- Median
- 8.63%
- Q1
- 1.90%
- Min
- -22.08%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 44.29% | 8.72% |
| ROA (TTM) | 12.74% | 4.91% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 50.03% | 6.77% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 31.81% | 12.14% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 60.86% | 57.29% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Alphabet (GOOGL) at 15.09% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while News (NWS) at 6.82% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GOOGL.
EPS Growth
Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 34.45% and News (NWS) at -50.24% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 15.09% | 6.82% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 12.51% | 4.06% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 34.45% | -50.24% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 33.34% | 58.23% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
News (NWS) at 1.62 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Alphabet (GOOGL) at 2.79 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
2.79
- Max
- 4.69
- GOOGL
- 2.79
- Q3
- 2.53
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.28
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
1.62
- Max
- 4.69
- Q3
- 2.53
- NWS
- 1.62
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.95
- Min
- 0.28
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.22 and News (NWS) at 0.32 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
0.22
- Max
- 3.65
- Q3
- 1.69
- Median
- 0.46
- GOOGL
- 0.22
- Q1
- 0.17
- Min
- 0.00
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
0.32
- Max
- 3.65
- Q3
- 1.69
- Median
- 0.46
- NWS
- 0.32
- Q1
- 0.17
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.79 | 1.62 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.22 | 0.32 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.62 | 0.82 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
News (NWS) at 0.69% delivers top-quartile income for its industry, while Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.30% pays a more typical yield — both are credible income propositions, NWS the richer one.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
0.30%
- Max
- 1.33%
- Q3
- 0.65%
- GOOGL
- 0.30%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
0.69%
- Max
- 1.33%
- NWS
- 0.69%
- Q3
- 0.65%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 4.49% and News (NWS) at 17.86% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
4.49%
- Max
- 71.43%
- Q3
- 28.98%
- GOOGL
- 4.49%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
17.86%
- Max
- 71.43%
- Q3
- 28.98%
- NWS
- 17.86%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.30% | 0.69% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 4.49% | 17.86% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 14.87 and News (NWS) at 25.86 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
14.87
- Max
- 51.21
- Q3
- 28.90
- Median
- 17.98
- GOOGL
- 14.87
- Q1
- 11.53
- Min
- 1.64
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
25.86
- Max
- 51.21
- Q3
- 28.90
- NWS
- 25.86
- Median
- 17.98
- Q1
- 11.53
- Min
- 1.64
P/S Ratio (TTM)
News (NWS) at 1.70 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Alphabet (GOOGL) at 7.43 sits in the pricier quartile — GOOGL costs more per dollar of sales.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
7.43
- GOOGL
- 7.43
- Max
- 7.43
- Q3
- 3.82
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.00
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
1.70
- Max
- 7.43
- Q3
- 3.82
- NWS
- 1.70
- Median
- 1.40
- Q1
- 0.70
- Min
- 0.00
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
News (NWS) at 1.84 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Alphabet (GOOGL) at 5.31 carries an above-peer premium to book — GOOGL is pricier on assets.
GOOGL
Media & Entertainment industry group
5.31
- Max
- 11.45
- GOOGL
- 5.31
- Q3
- 5.30
- Median
- 1.84
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- -2.61
NWS
Media & Entertainment industry group
1.84
- Max
- 11.45
- Q3
- 5.30
- NWS
- 1.84
- Median
- 1.84
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- -2.61
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | GOOGL | NWS |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 14.87 | 25.86 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 7.43 | 1.70 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.31 | 1.84 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | -0.03% | 4.85% |