Liberty Global (NASDAQ:LBTYK – Get Free Report) and Townsquare Media (NYSE:TSQ – Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, earnings, profitability, valuation and institutional ownership.
Profitability
This table compares Liberty Global and Townsquare Media’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Liberty Global | -4.25% | -1.15% | -0.53% |
| Townsquare Media | -3.41% | -41.58% | 3.15% |
Risk & Volatility
Liberty Global has a beta of 1.08, suggesting that its share price is 8% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Townsquare Media has a beta of 1.11, suggesting that its share price is 11% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings and Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Liberty Global | $4.34 billion | 0.81 | $1.59 billion | ($0.97) | -10.34 |
| Townsquare Media | $450.98 million | 0.27 | -$10.93 million | ($1.33) | -5.60 |
Liberty Global has higher revenue and earnings than Townsquare Media. Liberty Global is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Townsquare Media, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
46.1% of Liberty Global shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 71.7% of Townsquare Media shares are owned by institutional investors. 9.9% of Liberty Global shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 30.5% of Townsquare Media shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Liberty Global and Townsquare Media, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Liberty Global | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Townsquare Media | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3.00 |
Townsquare Media has a consensus price target of $17.00, suggesting a potential upside of 128.19%. Given Townsquare Media’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Townsquare Media is more favorable than Liberty Global.
Summary
Townsquare Media beats Liberty Global on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Liberty Global
Liberty Global Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony, and mobile communications services to residential and business customers. It offers value-added broadband services, such as WiFi features, security, anti-virus, firewall, spam protection, smart home services, online storage solutions, and web spaces; and Connect Box that delivers in-home Wi-Fi service. The company provides various tiers of digital video programming and audio services, as well as digital video recorders and multimedia home gateway systems; Horizon 5, a cloud-based, multi-screen entertainment platform that combines linear television, including recording and replay features and video-on-demand services; Horizon Go, an online mobile app; and channels, including general entertainment, sports, movies, series, documentaries, lifestyles, news, adult, children, and ethnic and foreign channels. In addition, it offers postpaid and prepaid mobile services; circuit-switched telephony services; and personal call manager, unified messaging, and a second or third phone line at an incremental cost. Further, the company offers business services comprising voice, advanced data, video, wireless, cloud-based services, and mobile and converged fixed-mobile services to small or home offices, small businesses, and medium and large enterprises, as well as on a wholesale basis to other operators. It operates in Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Slovakia, and internationally. Liberty Global Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.
About Townsquare Media
Townsquare Media, Inc. operates as a digital media and marketing solutions company in small and medium-sized businesses. It operates through three segments: Subscription Digital Marketing Solutions, Digital Advertising, and Broadcast Advertising. The Subscription Digital Marketing Solutions segment offers website design, creation, and development, as well as hosting services; and search engine optimization, online directory optimization, e-commerce solutions, online reputation monitoring, social media management, appointment scheduling, payment and invoice, customer management, and email and SMS marketing services. The Digital Advertising segment provides digital advertising on its owned and operated, digital programmatic advertising, and data analytics and management platform. The Broadcast Advertising segment engages in the sale of advertising on local radio stations to local, regional, and national spot advertisers, as well as national network advertisers. It also owns and operates live events, including concerts, expositions, and other experiential events; and operates local media under the WYRK.com, WJON.com, and NJ101.5.com brands, as well as national music under the XXLmag.com, TasteofCountry.com, UltimateClassicRock.com, and Loudwire.com brands. The company was formerly known as Regent Communications, Inc. and changed its name to Townsquare Media, Inc. in May 2010. Townsquare Media, Inc. is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
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