Verdict: Side-by-side breakdown using the Bull Rankings model. WMG scored 72.7, NXST scored 55.5 — WMG leads.
Compare another set
WMG
Warner Music Group Corp.
Entertainment · Quality-Growth
72.7
$28.72 · $15.0B
fundamentals as of
Score gap
17.2
WMG leads
NXST
Nexstar Media Group, Inc.
Broadcasting · Quality-Growth
55.5
$161.45 · $5.0B
fundamentals as of
At a glance · who leads each dimension, on the model's own rules
CheapestWMG23.0x
Fastest growthWMG+12.9%
Strongest balance sheetWMG4.53
Highest qualityWMG74 / 100
Largest discount to fair valueNXST-56%
Side by side · every name on one set of axes
Growth against the P/E multiple. Up and to the right is cheaper and faster — the quality-growth idea in one picture. Points beyond the axis are pinned to the edge and marked off-scale rather than allowed to compress everything else.
The model, pillar by pillar (0–100 each)
WMG
stronger →← stronger
NXST
74
Qualityreturns · margins · balance sheet
56
85
Growthrevenue & earnings expansion
71
61
Valuevaluation vs sector peers
43
WMG is stronger on 3 of 3 pillars.
Fundamentals, head-to-head
WMG
NXST
$836mC+
FCF
$743mC+
+12.9%B+
Rev
+10.5%B
4.53D
D/E
5.34D
23.0xB
P/E
30.6xC+
0.52A-
PEG
0.27A
Winner per row is the stronger grade; where grades tie, the better figure breaks it. A true tie or a missing value shows no highlight.
Valuation · DCF cross-check
WMG
NXST
37% above
Price vs fair valuelower is cheaper
56% below
~16%/yr
Growth the price impliesyr-1 FCF growth, fading to 4% · lower = less priced in
~-16%/yr
-33%
1-yr DCF upside
+131%
-27%
5-yr DCF upside
+125%
-18%
10-yr DCF upside
+118%
These two disagree on this pair: the Value pillar ranks cheapness against sector peers, while price-vs-fair-value is an absolute read. A name can be the better value in its sector and still the dearer one on cash flows.
The DCF is a cross-check on intrinsic value, separate from the quality-growth score above.
Model signals
WMG
Why this score
Raising its dividend
NXST
No notable signals flagged.
The companies
WMGWarner Music Group Corp.
Entertainment · $28.72 · beta 1.40
Why now
Entertainment · market cap $15.0b. 19% off the 52-week high of $35.42. Revenue growing +13%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.52 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 16 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $37.81 (implying +32% upside).
Moat
ROE 79% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 124% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash.
Risk
D/E 4.53 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer.
NXSTNexstar Media Group, Inc.
Broadcasting · $161.45 · beta 0.93
Why now
Broadcasting · market cap $5.0b. Down 37% from 52-week high of $254.30 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue growing +11%, comfortably above the S&P median. PEG 0.27 — paying under fair value for the growth rate. 8 sell-side analysts rate this a Strong Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $246.75 (implying +53% upside).
Moat
Free cash flow runs well ahead of reported net income, mostly because of depreciation and amortization ($820m) — non-cash charges that hold down reported earnings while cash generation stays strong.
Risk
D/E 5.34 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Down 37% from the 52-week high — the market is pricing in something the screen can't see; verify the bear case before sizing up. Dividend payout 141% of earnings on a 4.6% yield — distribution coverage is thin; one earnings stumble could force a dividend cut.
Verdict — model-derived comparison
Generating verdict… typically 5–10 seconds
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.
Where WMG and NXST diverge
On the headline score the gap is 17.2 points in favor of WMG. The widest single difference is Value, where WMG leads by 18.4 points.
ValueWMG 61.1 · NXST 42.7WMG +18.4
QualityWMG 74.4 · NXST 56.4WMG +18.0
GrowthWMG 84.6 · NXST 71.2WMG +13.4
Pillars run 0–100. Value is judged against each company's own sector, so a Value score is a statement about a company relative to its own industry rather than to the other name here. A wide Value gap usually means the market already prices the difference in quality or growth — which is the trade-off this comparison comes down to.
Common questions
Is WMG or NXST the better stock?
WMG scores higher: WMG 72.7, NXST 55.5 out of 100 on the Bull Rankings quality-growth score, which blends business quality, growth and valuation into one number. A higher score means a stronger business at a more reasonable price — it is not a price target or a recommendation.
Where do WMG and NXST differ most?
The widest gap is value, where WMG leads by 18 points on the 0–100 pillar scale. WMG leads all three pillars, so the gap is broad rather than a single-measure difference.
How are WMG and NXST scored?
Each carries the same 0–100 quality-growth score used everywhere on the site, built from three pillars — quality (profitability and returns on capital), growth (revenue and earnings), and value (what you pay for them) — combined as a geometric mean, so a weak pillar cannot be papered over by a strong one.
How current is this comparison?
The whole universe is re-scored every trading day after the US market close, so the scores and fundamentals here reflect the latest published edition.