SPAR Group (NASDAQ:SGRP – Get Free Report) and E.W. Scripps (NASDAQ:SSP – Get Free Report) are both small-cap communication services companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk and dividends.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
9.6% of SPAR Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 67.8% of E.W. Scripps shares are held by institutional investors. 43.0% of SPAR Group shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.2% of E.W. Scripps shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of recent ratings for SPAR Group and E.W. Scripps, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| SPAR Group | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
| E.W. Scripps | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2.00 |
Profitability
This table compares SPAR Group and E.W. Scripps’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| SPAR Group | -18.51% | -107.74% | -19.90% |
| E.W. Scripps | -58.02% | -4.58% | -0.53% |
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares SPAR Group and E.W. Scripps”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| SPAR Group | $132.58 million | 0.15 | -$24.63 million | ($1.01) | -0.67 |
| E.W. Scripps | $2.15 billion | 0.12 | -$100.88 million | ($13.94) | -0.20 |
SPAR Group has higher earnings, but lower revenue than E.W. Scripps. SPAR Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than E.W. Scripps, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Risk & Volatility
SPAR Group has a beta of 0.19, suggesting that its share price is 81% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, E.W. Scripps has a beta of 0.71, suggesting that its share price is 29% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
E.W. Scripps beats SPAR Group on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About SPAR Group
SPAR Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides merchandising and brand marketing services in the Americas, the Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East, and Africa. The company offers merchandising and marketing services, such as resets and cut-ins; price and inventory audits; stock replenishment and rotation services; out of stock management; promotional event setup; and display management, as well as category management and set up services comprising category and product resets; planogram maintenance; display and shelf services; and point of purchase installation and management. It also provides remodel and retail transformation consisting of store remodels, store department resets, fixture and banner installations, pop-up store services, and store closings; and assembly and installation services, including assembly of merchandise in stores, in-store services, office setup/down-sizing services, and national in-home furniture assembly services. In addition, the company offers business analytics and insights services, such as product dashboards, stock out reporting, visit reporting, real-time service insights, and share of shelf analytics; and fulfillment and distribution services comprising distribution center staffing, point of purchase fulfillment services, kiosk prep, returns processing, picking and packing services, and inventory services. The company serves mass merchandisers; HBAs; pharmacies; and grocery, discount, dollar, convenience, cash and carry, home improvement, consumer electronics, automotive aftermarket, office supply, personal technology, beverage, household products, consumables, financial products, and independent stores. SPAR Group, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan.
About E.W. Scripps
The E.W. Scripps Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a media enterprise through a portfolio of local television stations, national news, and entertainment networks in the United States. It operates through Local Media, Scripps Networks, and Other segments. The Local Media segment operates broadcast television stations, which produce news, information, sports, and entertainment content, as well as its related digital operations; runs network, syndicated, and original programming, and local sporting events; and provides core and political advertising services. The Scripps Networks segment offers national television networks through free over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, connected TV, and digital distribution. This segment also provides Scripp News, a national news network, which provides politics, entertainment, science, and technology news; Court TV, which showcases live trials; entertainment brands, such as Bounce, Defy TV, Grit, ION Mystery, and Laff; and ION, a national network of broadcast stations and broadcast television spectrum, which distributes programming through Federal Communications Commission-licensed television stations, as well as affiliated TV stations through over-the-air broadcast and pay TV platforms. In addition, it provides content and services through digital platforms, including the Internet, smartphones, and tablets; Nuvyyo, which offers consumers DVR product solutions to watch and record free over-the-air HDTV on connected devices; and Scripps National Spelling Bee, which shows educational programs. The company serves audiences and businesses through cable and satellite service providers. The E.W. Scripps Company was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio.
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