Simple Concepts Research Group

Here’s How Investors Are Rating Nielsen (NYSE: NLSN)

by | Feb 10, 2022 | 52 Week Lows, Stock Picks


nielsen nlsn stock valuation

Nielsen (NLSN) Company Overview & Stock Price Forecast

This article provides a brief analysis and stock rating for Nielsen (NLSN) including an updated stock price target. Additional data on the company’s earnings yield, price/earnings ratio, return on invested capital and YTD performance are discussed as well.

Nielsen Fundamentals

NLSN Stock Rating

Stock Price Target: $27.12

In the section below, we discuss the earnings yield, P/E, return on invested capital and YTD performance for Nielsen in comparison to the Business/Consumer Services industry and the S&P 500.

Nielsen is a Small Cap company with a Market Cap of $344M.

How are investors using Nielsen earnings yield to assess the company?

Nielsen (NLSN)_ Earnings Yield in Comparison to the Business_Consumer Svcs Industry, S&P 500 and 10 Year Treasury Rate

The earnings yield is used to show the percentage of a company’s earnings per share. Investors typically use earnings yield to determine which assets are underpriced or overpriced relative to other variables, like sector, industry or bond yields. Simply put, the earnings yield of a company can be used to assess how expensive a company is in relation to the earnings that are generated. When valuing companies, the SIS Research Group does not utilize the inverse P/E ratio to calculate the earnings yield. Instead, we use an adjusted earning yield calculation to capture variation amongst companies (i.e. debt and tax rates).

The current earnings yield for Nielsen is 10.78%, in comparison to 3.90% for the S&P 500 and 1.93% for the 10-year treasury bond. The median earnings yield for the Business/Consumer Svcs industry is 6.25%.

What does Nielsen Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E) tell investors about the company?

Nielsen (NLSN)_ Price-to-Earnings, Price-to-Sales and Price-to-Book Value in Comparison to the Business_Consumer Svcs Industry and the S&P 500

The price-to-earnings ratio (P/E) is a relatively popular metric used by investors and analysts for valuing a company’s stock. The P/E ratio can be used to show how a stock’s valuation compares to other companies and the total market. Investors use the P/E ratio to determine what the market is willing to pay today based on a company’s past or future earnings. A high P/E ratio could mean that a stock’s price is too high relative to earnings, which could be a signal that a stock is currently overvalued. In turn, a low P/E ratio could indicate that a company’s current stock price is low relative to earnings. 

Nielsen is currently trading at a P/E of 26.76. The P/E for the Business/Consumer Svcs industry is 33.61 and the P/E for the S&P 500 is 25.66.

What is the current Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S) for Nielsen?

The Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S) looks at a company’s market cap and revenue to determine valuation. The P/S ratio is calculated by taking a company’s market cap and dividing by the total sales or revenue. The P/S ratio gives an idea of how much the market values every dollar of a company’s sales and can be effective in valuing unprofitable growth stocks or companies that are currently undergoing special situations or challenges. A lower the P/S ratio can be an indicator of good value.

Nielsen is currently trading at a P/S of 1.05. The P/S for the Business/Consumer Svcs industry is 2.28 and the P/S for the S&P 500 is 2.98.

How does Nielsen Price-to-BookRatio (P/B) compare to the Business/Consumer Services industry?

Price-to-book value (P/B) is the ratio of the market value of a company’s shares divided by its book value of equity (the value of it’s assets on the books). The book value is the difference between the book value of assets and liabilities. Typically, investors use the P/B ratio to assess if a stock is valued properly (a value of one means that the stock price is trading in line with the book value of the company). A company with a high P/B ratio could mean the stock price is overvalued as well as the converse.

Nielsen P/B ratio is 3.23. The P/B for the Business/Consumer Svcs industry is 4.86 and the P/B for the S&P 500 is 4.58.

How attractive is Nielsen Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) to investors?

Nielsen (NLSN)_ Return on Invested Capital in Comparison to the Business_Consumer Svcs Industry and the S&P 500

Investors use the return on invested capital (ROIC) to assess how efficient a company is at turning capital into profits. The ROIC is the amount of money a company makes on it’s investments that is above the average cost of debt and equity.

Investors can use the ROIC to provide context for metrics like the (P/E) ratio. For instance, when used in isolation a low P/E ratio could suggest a company is oversold but the decline could be because a company is no longer generating value for shareholders. Conversely, companies that consistently generate high rates of ROIC can plausibly trade at a premium compared to other stocks, even if their P/E ratios are high.

Nielsen ROIC is currently 3.51% in comparison to 10.94% for the Business/Consumer Svcs industry and 9.10% for the S&P 500.

Nielsen (NLSN)_ Price Target & 52-Week Price Range

How has NLSN stock performed over the past year? What is the current analyst price target?

Over the past 52 weeks, Nielsen has traded between the range of $17.82 and $28.42.

The current Analyst Price Target for Nielsen is $27.12.

What is Nielsen YOY Performance in comparison to its industry and the total market?

The YOY performance for Nielsen is -18.94%. The Business/Consumer Svcs industry has a YOY performance of 18.44% in comparison to the YOY S&P 500 performance of 18.02%.

Nielsen (NLSN)_ YOY Performance in Comparison to the Business_Consumer Svcs Industry and the S&P 500

Recent Financial Results

  • Third quarter revenues increased 5.5% to $882M on a reported basis, 5.1% on a constant currency basis, and 6.6% on an organic basis compared to the prior year period
  • Net income from continuing operations attributable to Nielsen shareholders increased 18.2% to $117M, compared to $99M in the third quarter of 2020
  • Adjusted EBITDA was $382M, compared to $374M in the third quarter of 2020, up 2.1% on a reported basis and 1.9% on a constant currency basis
  • Cash and cash equivalents of $542M and gross debt of $5.87B, resulting in net debt

Stock Price Target: $27.12


Company Overview

NLSN Stock Rating

Nielsen operates as a measurement and data analytics company worldwide. It operates in two segments, Nielsen Global Media (Media) and Nielsen Global Connect (Connect). The Media segment provides viewership and listening data, and analytics principally to media publishers and marketers, and advertising agencies for television, radio, digital viewing, and listening platforms.

Nielsen provides media and marketing information and analytics. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in New York, New York. The current CEO is David Kenny.

Be sure to add Nielsen (NLSN) to your Watch List and if you haven’t done so already, check in on the performance of our Current Portfolio. Keep it simple and always do your due diligence.

This material is provided for informational purposes only and is not financial advice. The information contained herein should not solely be used for the formation of an investment decision, whether you are a long term or short term investor.