NWSA vs. PSO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NWSA and PSO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NWSA is a standard domestic listing, while PSO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | NWSA | PSO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | News Corporation | Pearson plc |
| Country | United States | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Communication Services | Consumer Discretionary |
| GICS Industry | Media | Diversified Consumer Services |
| Market Capitalization | 18.08 billion USD | 9.53 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 19, 2013 | November 18, 1996 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NWSA and PSO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | NWSA | PSO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.28% | 1.78% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 9.16% | -10.78% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 0.96% | -19.25% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 9.83% | 4.28% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.02% | 1.12% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 10.75% | -15.41% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 3.48M | 1.30M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.21M | 1.53M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 16.69% | 23.06% |
| Beta | 1.20 | 0.29 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
NWSA
14.14%
Media Industry
- Max
- 34.77%
- Q3
- 16.01%
- Median
- 10.70%
- Q1
- 2.80%
- Min
- -2.36%
NWSA’s Return on Equity of 14.14% is on par with the norm for the Media industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
PSO
11.56%
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 32.65%
- Q3
- 29.77%
- Median
- 16.63%
- Q1
- 11.08%
- Min
- 2.26%
PSO’s Return on Equity of 11.56% is on par with the norm for the Diversified Consumer Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
NWSA
13.21%
Media Industry
- Max
- 16.04%
- Q3
- 10.15%
- Median
- 5.18%
- Q1
- 2.39%
- Min
- -3.66%
A Net Profit Margin of 13.21% places NWSA in the upper quartile for the Media industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
PSO
12.53%
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 18.84%
- Q3
- 13.34%
- Median
- 12.22%
- Q1
- 7.92%
- Min
- 3.76%
PSO’s Net Profit Margin of 12.53% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Diversified Consumer Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
NWSA
10.27%
Media Industry
- Max
- 24.65%
- Q3
- 13.68%
- Median
- 8.96%
- Q1
- 4.53%
- Min
- -8.09%
NWSA’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.27% is around the midpoint for the Media industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
PSO
15.97%
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 26.63%
- Q3
- 19.23%
- Median
- 15.23%
- Q1
- 8.71%
- Min
- -0.71%
PSO’s Operating Profit Margin of 15.97% is around the midpoint for the Diversified Consumer Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NWSA | PSO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 14.14% | 11.56% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.24% | 6.72% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.21% | 12.53% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.27% | 15.97% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 54.70% | 51.45% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
NWSA
1.84
Media Industry
- Max
- 2.97
- Q3
- 1.79
- Median
- 1.39
- Q1
- 0.92
- Min
- 0.24
NWSA’s Current Ratio of 1.84 is in the upper quartile for the Media industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
PSO
2.31
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 3.40
- Q3
- 1.97
- Median
- 1.66
- Q1
- 0.60
- Min
- 0.15
PSO’s Current Ratio of 2.31 is in the upper quartile for the Diversified Consumer Services industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
NWSA
0.22
Media Industry
- Max
- 2.02
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.31
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Media industry, NWSA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.22 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
PSO
0.41
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 2.92
- Q3
- 1.22
- Median
- 0.36
- Q1
- 0.01
- Min
- 0.00
PSO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.41 is typical for the Diversified Consumer Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
NWSA
3.05
Media Industry
- Max
- 44.57
- Q3
- 23.07
- Median
- 4.52
- Q1
- 2.14
- Min
- -10.82
NWSA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.05 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Media industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
PSO
13.44
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 13.44
- Q3
- 10.58
- Median
- 5.57
- Q1
- 3.04
- Min
- -2.17
PSO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 13.44 is in the upper quartile for the Diversified Consumer Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NWSA | PSO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.84 | 2.31 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.72 | 2.24 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.22 | 0.41 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 3.05 | 13.44 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
NWSA
1.04%
Media Industry
- Max
- 7.76%
- Q3
- 4.16%
- Median
- 1.67%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NWSA’s Dividend Yield of 1.04% is consistent with its peers in the Media industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
PSO
2.29%
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 2.29%
- Q3
- 0.98%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.29%, PSO offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Diversified Consumer Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
NWSA
15.68%
Media Industry
- Max
- 165.03%
- Q3
- 96.17%
- Median
- 45.64%
- Q1
- 14.80%
- Min
- 0.00%
NWSA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 15.68% is within the typical range for the Media industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
PSO
36.05%
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 35.94%
- Q3
- 25.79%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
At 36.05%, PSO’s Dividend Payout Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical range for the Diversified Consumer Services industry. While this provides a significant return to shareholders, it may limit funds for reinvestment and could be difficult to sustain.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NWSA | PSO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.04% | 2.29% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 15.68% | 36.05% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
NWSA
15.05
Media Industry
- Max
- 49.10
- Q3
- 35.07
- Median
- 17.34
- Q1
- 10.39
- Min
- 5.81
NWSA’s P/E Ratio of 15.05 is within the middle range for the Media industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
PSO
15.73
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 33.95
- Q3
- 25.14
- Median
- 19.27
- Q1
- 15.30
- Min
- 5.58
PSO’s P/E Ratio of 15.73 is within the middle range for the Diversified Consumer Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
NWSA
1.99
Media Industry
- Max
- 3.23
- Q3
- 1.85
- Median
- 1.05
- Q1
- 0.78
- Min
- 0.22
NWSA’s P/S Ratio of 1.99 is in the upper echelon for the Media industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
PSO
1.97
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 3.29
- Q3
- 2.54
- Median
- 2.27
- Q1
- 1.92
- Min
- 1.28
PSO’s P/S Ratio of 1.97 aligns with the market consensus for the Diversified Consumer Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
NWSA
2.02
Media Industry
- Max
- 4.30
- Q3
- 2.57
- Median
- 1.83
- Q1
- 1.19
- Min
- 0.51
NWSA’s P/B Ratio of 2.02 is within the conventional range for the Media industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
PSO
1.95
Diversified Consumer Services Industry
- Max
- 7.00
- Q3
- 6.37
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 2.13
- Min
- 0.98
PSO’s P/B Ratio of 1.95 is in the lower quartile for the Diversified Consumer Services industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NWSA | PSO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 15.05 | 15.73 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 1.99 | 1.97 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.02 | 1.95 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 23.42 | 11.26 |