Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN)
For informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Analysis by Sedat ANAK, Founder & Editor-in-Chief | AI-powered analysis. Data sourced from SEC filings and institutional-grade financial providers. Editorially reviewed. Not financial advice.
Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN) trades at $27.98 with AI Score 48/100 (Grade C). Nielsen Holdings plc is a global measurement and data analytics company, providing critical insights into viewership and consumer behavior. Sector: Industrials.
Price live · AI analysis from Mar 17, 2026Analyst Coverage for NLSN: NLSN does not currently have published analyst price targets in our coverage universe. This is common for smaller-cap names with limited Wall Street coverage. In the absence of analyst consensus, our AI model evaluates NLSN against Industrials peers across nine fundamental dimensions and assigns an underweight signal based on the underlying data.
NLSN: the 1 perspectives are evenly split.
How is this calculated? →Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN) Industrial Operations Profile
Nielsen Holdings plc, a measurement and data analytics firm founded in 1923, delivers viewership and consumer behavior data to media publishers, marketers, and advertising agencies. Its services span television, digital, and audio platforms, providing crucial insights in a rapidly evolving media landscape. Taken private in 2022.
What Is the Investment Thesis for NLSN?
Nielsen Holdings plc, a key player in media measurement, offers a compelling investment thesis centered on its established market position and data analytics capabilities. The company's gross margin of 65.4% indicates strong pricing power and efficient operations. As media consumption habits evolve, Nielsen's ability to provide accurate viewership and listening data across diverse platforms, including digital and CTV, positions it favorably. Growth catalysts include the increasing demand for granular audience insights and the expansion of its consumer behavioral data offerings. However, potential risks include competition from emerging data analytics firms and the need to adapt to rapidly changing media technologies. With a P/E ratio of 18.0 and a beta of 1.18, Nielsen presents a balanced risk-reward profile.
Based on FMP financials and quantitative analysis
NLSN Key Highlights
- Gross margin of 65.4% reflects strong pricing power and efficient cost management within its consulting services.
- Profit margin of 16.0% demonstrates effective profitability in the data analytics sector.
- Beta of 1.18 indicates moderate volatility compared to the overall market.
- Provides services across television, computer, mobile, CTV, digital, and listening platforms, showcasing diversification.
- Taken private on October 11, 2022, signaling a strategic shift in its operational structure.
Who Are NLSN's Competitors?
NLSN is benchmarked below against 8 industry peers on price, market cap, and our AI MoonshotScore.
| Company | Price | Change | Market Cap | AI Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AL Air Lease Corporation | $65.00 | +0.00% | $7.28B | 56 |
| AZEK The AZEK Company Inc. | $54.35 | -0.93% | $7.82B | — |
| CNH CNH Industrial is a global manufacturer specializing in agricultural and construction equipment, with a strong presence through its Case IH brand and extensive dealer network. The company | $10.88 | +1.45% | $13.48B | 48 |
| FBIN Fortune Brands Innovations, Inc. | $51.56 | -3.12% | $6.15B | 64 |
| IAA IAA, Inc. | $39.89 | -0.10% | $5.34B | — |
| GLAI Global AI, Inc. | $0.60 | +2.84% | $92.39M | 65 |
| YJGJ Yijia Group Corp. | $4.83 | +0.00% | $40.26M | 64 |
| ROMA Roma Green Finance Limited | $8.58 | +6.58% | $511.06M | 61 |
AI Score by Stock Expert AI · Price data: FMP / Yahoo Finance
What Are NLSN's Key Strengths?
- Established brand and reputation in media measurement.
- Comprehensive data collection and analytics capabilities.
- Strong relationships with media publishers and advertisers.
- Diverse service offerings across multiple platforms.
What Are NLSN's Weaknesses?
- Reliance on traditional media measurement methods.
- Potential vulnerability to emerging data analytics competitors.
- Need to adapt to rapidly evolving media consumption habits.
- Dependence on data accuracy and reliability.
What Could Drive NLSN Stock Higher?
- Increasing demand for accurate and comprehensive audience measurement across all platforms.
- Expansion of digital and CTV measurement capabilities to capture evolving viewership habits.
- Leveraging consumer behavioral data to provide enhanced insights to marketers.
- Strategic partnerships and acquisitions to expand market reach and service offerings.
What Are the Key Risks for NLSN?
- Competition from emerging data analytics firms offering innovative measurement solutions.
- Technological disruptions in media measurement that could render existing methods obsolete.
- Changes in consumer privacy regulations that could restrict data collection and usage.
- Economic downturn affecting advertising spending and demand for media measurement services.
What Are the Growth Opportunities for NLSN?
- Expansion of Digital Audience Measurement: Nielsen can capitalize on the growing demand for digital audience measurement as consumers increasingly shift to online platforms. The digital advertising market is projected to reach $600 billion by 2024, creating a significant opportunity for Nielsen to expand its digital measurement services. Timeline: Ongoing.
- CTV (Connected TV) Measurement: With the rise of streaming services, Nielsen has the opportunity to enhance its CTV measurement capabilities. The CTV advertising market is expected to grow to $30 billion by 2025, presenting a substantial growth avenue for Nielsen. By providing accurate CTV viewership data, Nielsen can attract advertisers seeking to target specific audiences. Timeline: Ongoing.
- Consumer Behavioral Data Analytics: Nielsen can leverage its consumer behavioral data to provide more granular insights to marketers. The market for consumer data analytics is projected to reach $100 billion by 2027. By offering detailed consumer profiles and purchase patterns, Nielsen can help marketers optimize their campaigns and improve ROI. Timeline: Ongoing.
- International Expansion: Nielsen can expand its services to emerging markets where media consumption is rapidly growing. The global advertising market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5% over the next five years, with emerging markets leading the growth. By establishing a presence in these markets, Nielsen can tap into new revenue streams and diversify its geographic footprint. Timeline: Ongoing.
- Partnerships and Acquisitions: Nielsen can pursue strategic partnerships and acquisitions to enhance its capabilities and expand its market reach. Collaborating with technology companies and acquiring complementary businesses can help Nielsen stay ahead of the competition and offer more comprehensive solutions to its clients. Timeline: Ongoing.
What Opportunities Does NLSN Have?
- Expansion of digital and CTV measurement services.
- Leveraging consumer behavioral data for enhanced insights.
- Growth in emerging markets with increasing media consumption.
- Strategic partnerships and acquisitions to expand capabilities.
What Threats Does NLSN Face?
- Competition from new data analytics firms.
- Technological disruptions in media measurement.
- Changes in consumer privacy regulations.
- Economic downturn affecting advertising spending.
What Are NLSN's Competitive Advantages?
- Established brand reputation and long history in the media measurement industry.
- Extensive data collection infrastructure and proprietary methodologies.
- Strong relationships with media publishers and advertising agencies.
- Comprehensive suite of services spanning television, digital, and audio platforms.
What Does NLSN Do?
Founded in 1923, Nielsen Holdings plc has evolved into a global leader in measurement and data analytics. Initially focused on market research, the company expanded its services to encompass viewership and listening data, catering to media publishers, marketers, and advertising agencies. Nielsen's core offerings include television audience measurement, digital audience measurement, and video advertising services. The company provides critical data and analytics for television, computer, mobile, connected TV (CTV), digital, and audio platforms. Nielsen also offers consumer behavioral and transactional data, providing marketing solutions to a diverse clientele. Headquartered in New York City, Nielsen operates worldwide, providing independent measurement and consumer research, particularly servicing radio, advertisers, and advertising agencies in the audio industry. As of October 11, 2022, Nielsen Holdings plc was taken private, marking a new chapter in its long history.
What Products and Services Does NLSN Offer?
- Provides viewership and listening data across various platforms.
- Offers television audience measurement services.
- Delivers digital audience measurement services.
- Provides video advertising services.
- Offers consumer behavioral and transactional data.
- Provides marketing solutions to media publishers and marketers.
- Offers independent measurement and consumer research in the audio industry.
How Does NLSN Make Money?
- Generates revenue by selling viewership and listening data to media publishers.
- Earns revenue from providing audience measurement services to television and digital platforms.
- Revenue from video advertising services.
- Collects and sells consumer behavioral and transactional data to marketers.
What Industry Does NLSN Operate In?
Nielsen Holdings plc operates within the consulting services industry, a sector experiencing increasing demand for data-driven insights. The market for media measurement and analytics is driven by the fragmentation of audiences across various platforms and the need for advertisers to optimize their spending. Nielsen competes with companies offering similar audience measurement and data analytics services. The industry is characterized by rapid technological advancements and the need for continuous innovation to stay ahead of evolving consumer behavior. Nielsen's established brand and comprehensive data offerings provide a competitive edge in this dynamic landscape.
Who Are NLSN's Key Customers?
- Media publishers seeking to understand audience reach and engagement.
- Marketers aiming to optimize advertising campaigns based on viewership data.
- Advertising agencies needing data to plan and execute effective media strategies.
- Radio stations and advertisers in the audio industry.
How Nielsen Holdings plc Is Valued
Relative to its peer group, NLSN's quantitative score of 48/100 is roughly in line with the peer average of 56/100.
Company Profile
Nielsen Holdings plc operates in the Consulting Services industry within the Industrials sector. It is headquartered in New York City, US. The company is led by CEO David Kenny. NLSN has traded publicly since 2015.
ROE 21%Key Financial Metrics
Return on equity for Nielsen Holdings plc stands at 20.9%, a gauge of how efficiently it converts shareholder capital into profit. Return on assets is 5.2%, showing how much profit it generates from its asset base. NLSN trades at a trailing price-to-earnings ratio of 17.97, below the Industrials sector average of ~30x. A current ratio of 1.74 indicates the company holds enough short-term assets to cover its near-term obligations. Its earnings yield is 5.6%, the inverse of the P/E and a quick read on earnings relative to price.
Net sellingInsider Activity
The most recent 12 insider filings for Nielsen Holdings plc break down as 7 sales and 5 purchases. On net that is roughly 42K shares disposed (about $469K), a signal worth weighing alongside the fundamentals.
NLSN Financials
Fundamental Snapshot
Based on FMP financials and quantitative analysis
Bull Case vs Bear Case
Bull Case
- Established brand and reputation in media measurement.
- Comprehensive data collection and analytics capabilities.
- Strong relationships with media publishers and advertisers.
- Diverse service offerings across multiple platforms.
Bear Case
- Reliance on traditional media measurement methods.
- Potential vulnerability to emerging data analytics competitors.
- Need to adapt to rapidly evolving media consumption habits.
- Dependence on data accuracy and reliability.
AI-generated arguments based on insider flow, news sentiment and technicals — not financial advice · July 2026
NLSN Latest News
No recent news available for NLSN.
NLSN Analyst Consensus
Consensus Rating
Aggregated Buy/Hold/Sell recommendations from Benzinga, Yahoo Finance, and Finnhub for NLSN.
Price Targets
Wall Street price target analysis for NLSN.
NLSN MoonshotScore
What does this score mean?
The MoonshotScore rates NLSN's growth potential on a scale of 0-100 across multiple factors including innovation, market disruption, financial health, and momentum.
Classification
Industry Consulting ServicesLeadership: David Kenny
CEO
David Kenny is a seasoned executive with extensive experience in the technology and data analytics industries. Prior to joining Nielsen, he served as Senior Vice President of Cognitive Solutions at IBM, where he led the development and deployment of AI-powered solutions. He also held leadership positions at The Weather Company and Digitas. Kenny holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a bachelor's degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
Track Record: Under David Kenny's leadership, Nielsen has focused on enhancing its digital measurement capabilities and expanding its data analytics offerings. He has overseen the company's efforts to adapt to the evolving media landscape and provide more granular insights to its clients. He managed 14000 employees. Since Nielsen was taken private in 2022, specific milestones are not publicly available.
What Investors Ask About Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN) — Industrials
What does Nielsen Holdings plc do?
Nielsen Holdings plc operates as a global measurement and data analytics company. It provides viewership and listening data, along with analytics, primarily to media publishers, marketers, and advertising agencies. Nielsen's services cover television, computer, mobile, CTV, digital, and audio platforms. The company offers television and digital audience measurement, video advertising services, and consumer behavioral data, providing marketing solutions to help clients understand audience engagement and optimize advertising strategies.
What do analysts say about NLSN stock?
As of March 17, 2026, Nielsen Holdings plc is a private company, having been taken private on October 11, 2022. Therefore, there are no current analyst ratings or stock price targets available. Prior to being taken private, analysts focused on Nielsen's ability to adapt to the changing media landscape, particularly its success in measuring digital and CTV audiences. Key valuation metrics included revenue growth, profit margins, and competitive positioning within the media measurement industry.
What are the main risks for NLSN?
Nielsen faces several key risks, including competition from emerging data analytics firms that may offer more innovative or cost-effective solutions. Technological disruptions in media measurement could render Nielsen's existing methods obsolete. Changes in consumer privacy regulations could restrict the company's ability to collect and use data. An economic downturn could reduce advertising spending, impacting demand for Nielsen's services. The company must also manage the integration of new technologies and adapt to evolving consumer behavior to maintain its competitive edge.
What are the key factors to evaluate for NLSN?
Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN) holds an AI score of 48/100 (low). P/E: 18.0x vs the S&P 500's ~20-25x. Not financial advice.
How frequently does NLSN data refresh on this page?
NLSN prices update in real time during U.S. market hours. Fundamentals refresh after quarterly filings; analyst ratings and AI insights update daily; news is aggregated continuously.
What has driven NLSN's recent stock price performance?
Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN) moves on earnings results, analyst revisions, sector rotation, and market sentiment. Notable catalyst: Established brand and reputation in media measurement. See the News tab for the latest drivers. Past performance does not predict future results.
Should investors consider NLSN overvalued or undervalued right now?
Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN) trades at 18.0x earnings. Compare P/E, P/S, and EV/EBITDA against sector peers for a full view.
What research should beginners do before buying NLSN?
Before investing in Nielsen Holdings plc (NLSN), research these four areas: (1) the company's revenue model and competitive position (see Company Overview), (2) financial health through revenue growth, margins, and cash flow (see MoonshotScore), (3) what Wall Street analysts recommend and their price targets (see Analyst tab), and (4) specific risk factors that could impact the stock (see Risk Factors section).
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute investment advice. Always do your own research and consult a financial advisor.
Official Resources
Data provided for informational purposes only.
- Information is based on available data and may be subject to change.
- AI analysis is pending and may provide further insights.