WMG vs. Z: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at WMG and Z, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | WMG | Z |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Warner Music Group Corp. | Zillow Group, Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Communication Services | Real Estate |
| GICS Industry | Entertainment | Real Estate Management & Development |
| Market Capitalization | 16.91 billion USD | 19.46 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | June 3, 2020 | August 3, 2015 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of WMG and Z 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 | WMG | Z |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 0.59% | -4.89% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 18.35% | 19.63% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -7.60% | 3.04% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 12.13% | 45.86% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 10.87% | 1.95% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 4.65% | 9.52% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.58M | 3.13M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.74M | 2.34M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 23.72% | 31.31% |
| Beta | 1.30 | 2.17 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
WMG
53.54%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 42.50%
- Q3
- 22.75%
- Median
- 12.88%
- Q1
- 7.15%
- Min
- -6.84%
WMG’s Return on Equity of 53.54% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Entertainment industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Z
-1.30%
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 14.65%
- Q3
- 8.92%
- Median
- 3.63%
- Q1
- 1.63%
- Min
- -8.05%
Z has a negative Return on Equity of -1.30%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
WMG
4.59%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 45.25%
- Q3
- 23.93%
- Median
- 14.60%
- Q1
- 4.89%
- Min
- -22.94%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Entertainment industry, WMG’s Net Profit Margin of 4.59% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Z
-2.60%
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 57.16%
- Q3
- 24.60%
- Median
- 9.48%
- Q1
- 2.61%
- Min
- -26.61%
Z has a negative Net Profit Margin of -2.60%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
WMG
10.73%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 46.83%
- Q3
- 28.87%
- Median
- 15.26%
- Q1
- 8.95%
- Min
- -5.53%
WMG’s Operating Profit Margin of 10.73% is around the midpoint for the Entertainment industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Z
-5.61%
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 92.29%
- Q3
- 43.61%
- Median
- 20.96%
- Q1
- 6.44%
- Min
- -48.90%
Z has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5.61%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | WMG | Z |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 53.54% | -1.30% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.16% | -1.07% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 4.59% | -2.60% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.73% | -5.61% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.64% | 75.75% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
WMG
0.66
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 6.80
- Q3
- 3.77
- Median
- 1.87
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.39
WMG’s Current Ratio of 0.66 falls into the lower quartile for the Entertainment industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Z
3.34
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 3.73
- Q3
- 2.22
- Median
- 1.42
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.04
Z’s Current Ratio of 3.34 is in the upper quartile for the Real Estate Management & Development 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)
WMG
7.41
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 1.65
- Q3
- 0.71
- Median
- 0.14
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 7.41, WMG operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Entertainment industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Z
0.05
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 2.62
- Q3
- 1.30
- Median
- 0.84
- Q1
- 0.39
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Real Estate Management & Development industry, Z’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.05 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
WMG
4.73
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 62.11
- Q3
- 31.19
- Median
- 7.50
- Q1
- 2.02
- Min
- -6.33
WMG’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 4.73 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Entertainment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Z
-1.97
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 23.14
- Q3
- 12.97
- Median
- 3.68
- Q1
- 1.29
- Min
- -4.45
Z has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -1.97. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | WMG | Z |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.66 | 3.34 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.45 | 3.23 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 7.41 | 0.05 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 4.73 | -1.97 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
WMG
2.42%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 2.54%
- Q3
- 1.29%
- Median
- 0.61%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.42%, WMG offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Entertainment industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Z
0.00%
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 6.79%
- Q3
- 3.51%
- Median
- 2.22%
- Q1
- 0.52%
- Min
- 0.00%
Z currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
WMG
82.30%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 82.30%
- Q3
- 45.76%
- Median
- 29.16%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMG’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 82.30% is in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Z
0.00%
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 242.45%
- Q3
- 106.13%
- Median
- 55.27%
- Q1
- 14.97%
- Min
- 0.00%
Z has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | WMG | Z |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.42% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 82.30% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
WMG
52.44
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 53.51
- Q3
- 45.31
- Median
- 33.16
- Q1
- 18.21
- Min
- 3.89
A P/E Ratio of 52.44 places WMG in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Z
--
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 41.09
- Q3
- 23.50
- Median
- 17.29
- Q1
- 11.14
- Min
- 6.36
P/E Ratio data for Z is currently unavailable.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
WMG
2.41
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 12.81
- Q3
- 7.20
- Median
- 4.68
- Q1
- 3.32
- Min
- 0.79
In the lower quartile for the Entertainment industry, WMG’s P/S Ratio of 2.41 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Z
8.01
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 12.22
- Q3
- 5.64
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 0.98
- Min
- 0.01
Z’s P/S Ratio of 8.01 is in the upper echelon for the Real Estate Management & Development 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
WMG
24.11
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 17.11
- Q3
- 8.38
- Median
- 5.24
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 0.67
At 24.11, WMG’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Entertainment industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Z
3.54
Real Estate Management & Development Industry
- Max
- 2.36
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.06
At 3.54, Z’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Real Estate Management & Development industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | WMG | Z |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 52.44 | -- |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.41 | 8.01 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 24.11 | 3.54 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 26.81 | 75.01 |