Viking (NYSE:VIK – Get Free Report) and PENN Entertainment (NASDAQ:PENN – Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, dividends and risk.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Viking and PENN Entertainment”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Viking | $6.97 billion | 5.54 | $1.15 billion | $3.01 | 28.76 |
| PENN Entertainment | $7.16 billion | 0.28 | -$843.10 million | ($6.36) | -2.34 |
Viking has higher earnings, but lower revenue than PENN Entertainment. PENN Entertainment is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Viking, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Viking and PENN Entertainment, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Viking | 1 | 3 | 15 | 1 | 2.80 |
| PENN Entertainment | 1 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 2.71 |
Viking presently has a consensus target price of $106.56, suggesting a potential upside of 23.11%. PENN Entertainment has a consensus target price of $23.61, suggesting a potential upside of 58.57%. Given PENN Entertainment’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe PENN Entertainment is more favorable than Viking.
Risk & Volatility
Viking has a beta of 1.47, suggesting that its stock price is 47% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, PENN Entertainment has a beta of 1.39, suggesting that its stock price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
98.8% of Viking shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 91.7% of PENN Entertainment shares are held by institutional investors. 3.2% of PENN Entertainment shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares Viking and PENN Entertainment’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Viking | 19.33% | 117.98% | 10.80% |
| PENN Entertainment | -12.66% | 2.93% | 0.39% |
Summary
Viking beats PENN Entertainment on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Viking
Viking Holdings Ltd engages in the passenger shipping and other forms of passenger transport in North America, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through River and Ocean segments. The company also operates as a tour entrepreneur for passengers and related activities in tourism. As of December 31, 2023, it operated a fleet of 92 ships, including 81 river vessels comprising 58 Longships, 10 smaller classes based on the Longship design, 11 other river vessels, and 1 river vessel charter and the Viking Mississippi; 9 ocean ships; and 2 expedition ships. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.
About PENN Entertainment
PENN Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated entertainment, sports content, and casino gaming experiences. The company operates through five segments: Northeast, South, West, Midwest, and Interactive. It operates online sports betting in various jurisdictions; and iCasino under Hollywood Casino, L'Auberge, ESPN BET, and theScore Bet Sportsbook and Casino brands. The company's portfolio also includes PENN Play, customer loyalty program, which offers a set of rewards and experiences for business channels. In addition, it owns various trademarks and service marks, including Ameristar, Argosy, Boomtown, Hollywood Casino, Hollywood Gaming, L'Auberge, PENN Play, theScore, theScore Bet, theScore esports, and M Resort. The company was formerly known as Penn National Gaming, Inc. and changed its name to PENN Entertainment, Inc. in August 2022. PENN Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 1972 and is based in Wyomissing, Pennsylvania.
Receive News & Ratings for Viking Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Viking and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
