Is Live Nation Entertainment Stock Outperforming the S&P 500?

Live Nation Entertainment Inc phone and laptop by- T_Schneider via Shutterstock

Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. (LYV), headquartered in Beverly Hills, California, has become a dominant player in the global live music industry. Its operations are structured across three segments. The Concerts division manages venues, promotes events, and produces festivals that attract millions. 

Ticketing provides the backbone of sales for clients’ events across the globe. Sponsorship and Advertising connect brands with audiences through venues, ticketing assets, digital platforms, and strategic partnerships. 

With a market capitalization of about $40 billion, Live Nation firmly belongs in the “large-cap” category, far surpassing the $10 billion mark that defines it. The valuation reflects the company’s substantial size, its operational stability and influence across the entertainment sector. 

Its stock performance reinforces that view. LYV has slipped by a mere 2.8% from its recent September high of $175.25. Over the past three months, the stock advanced roughly 19.7%, leaving the S&P 500 Index’s ($SPX9.5% gain in the rearview mirror. 

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The longer horizon is even more telling. Over the last 52 weeks, LYV surged 67.9%, while in 2025 alone it climbed 31.6%. The S&P 500, in comparison, rose 17.3% during the same 52-week span and 12.3% year-to-date, signaling that LYV continues to outperform broad benchmarks by a wide margin.

Trading patterns confirm this confidence. Since mid-May, LYV has held above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, only pausing for minor setbacks.

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Fundamentals have largely kept pace. On August 7, the company unveiled its Q2 2025 results that showed revenue climbing 16.3% year over year to $7 billion, surpassing Wall Street's forecast of $6.8 billion. Operating income increased 4.5% to $486.7 million. Attendance rose 14% to 44 million globally, with stadium audiences tripling. EPS, however, fell 60.2% to $0.41, missing analyst expectations of $1.04. 

The shortfall tempered sentiment briefly, but markets quickly shifted focus. By August 8, shares had already risen 3.3%. Investors concentrated on what mattered more in the long run: strong touring growth, robust ticket sales at every price level, and continued expansion into international markets. The reaction reflected confidence in Live Nation’s strategy of building new venues, enhancing fan experiences, and investing for sustained double-digit growth

To put LYV’s outperformance into perspective, its rival Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (SIRI) has slipped 1.5% over the past 52 weeks and managed only a 2.2% gain year-to-date, trailing well behind LYV’s much stronger advance.

Wall Street’s outlook on LYV remains upbeat, with analysts expressing confidence in the company’s long-term trajectory. The stock has received a consensus rating of “Strong Buy” from the 23 analysts in coverage, and the mean price target of $176.95 represents a premium of 3.8% to current levels. 


On the date of publication, Anushka Mukherjee did not have (either directly or indirectly) positions in any of the securities mentioned in this article. All information and data in this article is solely for informational purposes. For more information please view the Barchart Disclosure Policy here.