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In this share market article you are going to get full info of Europe’s best Music, Media & Publishing stocks of Europe. Read it full for gaining full market insights.
Stocks info of Europe’s Best Music, Publishing & Media companies
| Company | Stock Price | Market Cap (USD) | Net Profit (TTM, USD) | Index Listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Music Group | €27.50 | ~$55B | ~$1.3B (2024) | Euronext Amsterdam (UMG.AS) |
| Vivendi SE | €10.20 | ~$11B | ~$600M (2024) | Euronext Paris (VIV.PA), CAC 40 |
| Bolloré SE | €5.90 | ~$8B | ~$1.1B (2024) | Euronext Paris (BOL.PA) |
| Publicis Groupe | €105.00 | ~$26B | ~$1.5B (2024) | Euronext Paris (PUB.PA), CAC 40 |
| WPP plc | £8.20 | ~$10B | ~$400M (2024) | LSE (WPP), FTSE 100 |
| Pearson plc | £10.75 | ~$7B | ~$350M (2024) | LSE (PSON), FTSE 100 |
| Lagardère Group | €22.40 | ~$4B | ~$200M (2024) | Euronext Paris (MMB.PA) |
| Axel Springer SE | €105.00* | ~$7B* | ~$500M* (2024) | Privatized (2023) – Previously SDAX |
| Schibsted ASA | NOK 350.00 | ~$4B | ~$250M (2024) | Oslo Børs (SCHB.OL), OBX Index |
Extra Reference :
Fundamental Analysis of Europe’s Best Music, Media & Publishing Companies :
| Company | D/E | P/E | P/B | ROA | ROCE | EPS (Qtr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Music Group | 0.44 | 27.8x | 6.4x | 8.3% | 16.1% | €0.24 |
| Vivendi SE | 0.62 | 18.0x | 1.0x | 3.2% | 8.5% | €0.12 |
| Bolloré SE | 0.29 | 7.5x | 0.7x | 4.2% | 12.5% | €0.20 |
| Publicis Groupe | 0.24 | 16.9x | 3.1x | 6.0% | 15.0% | €1.55 |
| WPP plc | 0.77 | 24.5x | 2.4x | 2.0% | 7.8% | £0.07 |
| Pearson plc | 0.38 | 19.8x | 1.7x | 5.1% | 11.2% | £0.13 |
| Lagardère Group | 0.63 | 20.8x | 1.6x | 4.0% | 11.8% | €0.28 |
| Schibsted ASA | 0.33 | 15.5x | 2.1x | 6.5% | 14.0% | NOK 5.8 |
Meaning of X in the Table :
P/E (Price-to-Earnings) Ratio = Market Price per Share / Earnings per Share (EPS)
So, if a company has a P/E of 27.8x, it means:
- Investors are paying 27.8 times the company’s earnings for one share.
- For every ₹1 (or $1, etc.) of annual earnings, the stock is priced at ₹27.8.
Top Picks & Investment Rationale with Risks
1. Best Growth Pick: Universal Music Group (UMG)
- Why to invest ?
- Highest ROCE (16.1%): Superior capital efficiency in monetizing music rights.
- Strong EPS Growth (€0.24/quarter): Driven by streaming growth and licensing deals.
- Premium Valuation (6.4x P/B): Justified by high-margin, scalable business model.
- Risk: High P/E (27.8x) leaves little room for earnings misses.
2. Best Value Pick: Bolloré SE
- Why to invest ?
- Cheapest Valuation (0.7x P/B, 7.5x P/E): Trading below asset value (conglomerate discount).
- Low Debt (D/E 0.29): Resilient balance sheet.
- Solid ROCE (12.5%): Steady returns from diversified holdings (ports, media, logistics).
- Risk: Lack of pure-play media exposure.
3. Best Balanced Pick: Publicis Groupe
- Why to invest ?
- High Profitability (ROA 6.0%, ROCE 15.0%): Best-in-class ad agency efficiency.
- Low Debt (D/E 0.24): Conservative financials in a cyclical industry.
- Strong EPS (€1.55/quarter): Outperforming ad peers (e.g., WPP).
- Risk: Exposure to ad spend cuts in economic downturns.
4. Best Dividend/Defensive Pick: Pearson plc
- Why to invest ?
- Stable ROA (5.1%) and ROCE (11.2%): Recurring revenue from education subscriptions.
- Low Debt (D/E 0.38): Sustainable payouts (3-4% dividend yield).
- Resilient Demand: Test prep and digital learning are recession-resistant.
- Risk: Slow growth in traditional publishing.
Avoid or Reduce Exposure:
- WPP plc: High debt (D/E 0.77), weak ROA (2.0%), and ad market headwinds.
- Vivendi SE: Declining revenue (-1.2% YoY), low ROA (3.2%) post-UMG spinoff.
Piotroski F-Score for Europe’s Best Media, Publishing & Music Companies Stocks (2025)
| Company | Total Score (9) | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Universal Music | 9 | Strong Buy |
| Publicis | 8 | Buy |
| Bolloré | 8 | Buy (Value) |
| Pearson | 7 | Hold (Dividend) |
| Lagardère | 6 | Speculative Hold |
| Schibsted | 5 | Neutral |
| Vivendi | 3 | Sell |
| WPP | 2 | Strong Sell |
Key Takeaways
- Top Picks (Scores 7-9):
- UMG (9/9): Flawless fundamentals with high profitability, low debt, and efficiency.
- Publicis (8/9): Strong except for slight margin pressure.
- Bolloré (8/9): Undervalued with robust cash flows.
- Avoid (Scores ≤3):
- WPP (2/9): High debt, weak profitability, and shrinking margins.
- Vivendi (3/9): Post-spinoff struggles with low ROA and cash flow.
- Turnaround Watch:
- Lagardère (6/9): Improving efficiency but leveraged balance sheet.
Credit Ratings of European Music, Media & Publishing Companies
| Company | Moody’s | S&P Global | Fitch | Outlook |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Music | A3 | BBB+ | BBB+ | Stable |
| Publicis | Baa1 | BBB | BBB | Positive |
| Bolloré | Ba1 | BB+ | BB+ | Stable |
| Pearson | Baa2 | BBB- | BBB- | Stable |
| Lagardère | Ba2 | BB | BB- | Negative |
| Schibsted | Baa3 | BBB- | BB+ | Stable |
| Vivendi | Ba3 | B+ | B+ | Negative |
| WPP | B1 | B | B- | Negative |
Conclusion : Future Investment Outlook for Europe’s Best Mesic, Media & Publishing Companies
| Company | Strategy & Growth Direction | Short-Term (1–2 yrs) | Medium-to-Long Term (3–5+ yrs) | Investment Potential |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Universal Music Group (A3 / BBB+) | Focus on superfan monetization, streaming upgrades, global expansion into emerging markets, strong licensing control | ↑ Solid streaming and subscription growth | ↑↑ Strong structural growth in music IP and digital platforms | ↑↑ High potential; resilient cash flows and market leadership |
| Publicis Groupe(Baa1 / BBB) | Heavy investment in AI-driven advertising, partnerships with Nvidia, Adobe; strong M&A pipeline in tech and data | ↑ Good organic growth, strong margins | ↑↑ Long-term tailwind from digital transformation and AI scaling | ↑↑ Positive; consistent performer with strong balance sheet |
| Bolloré SE(Ba1 / BB+) | Portfolio consolidation, focus on Vivendi stake, no clear standalone growth direction | → Volatile; driven by asset cycles | →/↓ Dependent on strategy around Vivendi and capital deployment | → Speculative; watch for unlocking value in holdings |
| Pearson plc(Baa2 / BBB-) | AI-based education tools, Google/Amazon partnerships, vocational and digital credentials expansion | →/↑ Moderate growth as AI products scale | ↑ Stable growth in edtech and workforce upskilling | ↑ Positive for medium-term investors in education tech |
| Lagardère Group (Ba2 / BB-) | Travel retail rebound, slow publishing growth, internal restructuring post-Vivendi merger | ↓ Travel rebound helping but margins under pressure | → Publishing limited by industry trends, uncertain digital pivot | →/↓ Cautious; turnaround potential depends on restructuring success |
| Schibsted ASA (Baa3 / BBB-) | Expanding digital classifieds, investing in AI for news and local media, brand unification across markets | → Stable; ad markets fluctuating, digital improving | ↑ Potential from scaling classifieds and digital subscriptions | ↑ Decent for long-term digital media exposure |
| Vivendi SE(Ba3 / B+) | Splitting into three units: Canal+, Havas, and publishing; debt reduction underway | ↓ Near-term restructuring, strategic ambiguity | → Depends on execution of spin-offs and simplification | → Speculative; upside if breakup unlocks value |
| WPP plc(B1 / B) | Major AI platform investment, US listing under consideration, cost restructuring ongoing | ↓ Organic growth lagging; client spending cautious | → Could stabilize with AI adoption and platform consolidation | ↓ High debt and weak margins; risky turnaround bet |
Key Take Aways for Investment :
- Strong Growth & Investment Potential (↑↑):
- Universal Music Group – clear structural growth in music IP, strong financials
- Publicis Groupe – well-executed AI strategy and steady margins
- Moderate/Stable with Some Upside (↑):
- Pearson – riding edtech transformation
- Schibsted – local media leader with digital tailwinds
- Speculative or Risky (→ or ↓):
- Lagardère, Vivendi, WPP, Bolloré – undergoing restructuring, dependent on execution or cyclical shifts
So this is it for Full Stocks analysis of Europe’s best Media, Publishing & Music companies. I hope you like it. You can get easy ideas from Piotroski Analysis that what are the companies situations for future investments.
Happy Investing