Life Time Group (NYSE:LTH – Get Free Report) and Viking (NYSE:VIK – Get Free Report) are both consumer discretionary companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership, valuation, dividends, earnings and profitability.
Risk and Volatility
Life Time Group has a beta of 1.5, suggesting that its stock price is 50% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Viking has a beta of 1.57, suggesting that its stock price is 57% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Life Time Group and Viking’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Life Time Group | 12.56% | 10.10% | 3.91% |
| Viking | 18.23% | 149.40% | 10.16% |
Earnings & Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Life Time Group | $3.00 billion | 2.43 | $373.67 million | $1.71 | 19.13 |
| Viking | $6.50 billion | 5.64 | $1.15 billion | $2.69 | 30.59 |
Viking has higher revenue and earnings than Life Time Group. Life Time Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Viking, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
79.4% of Life Time Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 98.8% of Viking shares are owned by institutional investors. 13.3% of Life Time Group shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Life Time Group and Viking, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Life Time Group | 0 | 2 | 7 | 2 | 3.00 |
| Viking | 1 | 4 | 11 | 0 | 2.63 |
Life Time Group presently has a consensus target price of $40.50, suggesting a potential upside of 23.80%. Viking has a consensus target price of $90.71, suggesting a potential upside of 10.23%. Given Life Time Group’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Life Time Group is more favorable than Viking.
Summary
Viking beats Life Time Group on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Life Time Group
Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. provides health, fitness, and wellness experiences to a community of individual members in the United States and Canada. It primarily engages in designing, building, and operating of sports and athletic, professional fitness, family recreation, and spa centers in a resort-like environment, principally in suburban and urban locations of metropolitan areas. The company also offers fitness floors with equipment, locker rooms, group fitness studios, indoor and outdoor pools, bistros, indoor and outdoor tennis courts, pickleball courts, basketball courts, LifeSpa, LifeCafe, and childcare and Kids Academy learning spaces. In addition, its Life Time Digital provides live streaming fitness classes, remote goal-based personal training, nutrition and weight loss support, curated award-winning health, and fitness and wellness content. The company is also involved in media activities, conducting athletic events, and provision of related services. It operates various centers, including ground leases. The company was formerly known as LTF Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. in June 21, 2021. Life Time Group Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
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.
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