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AAPL vs. GOOGL: Apple vs. Alphabet Stock Comparison

How do Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Apple (AAPL) is classified in the Information Technology sector (Technology Hardware & Equipment), whereas Alphabet (GOOGL) belongs to Communication Services (Media & Entertainment) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
Profile ItemAAPLGOOGL
NameApple Inc.Alphabet Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorInformation TechnologyCommunication Services
GICS Industry GroupTechnology Hardware & EquipmentMedia & Entertainment
GICS IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsInteractive Media & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryTechnology Hardware, Storage & PeripheralsInteractive Media & Services
Market Capitalization4,813.63 billion USD4,236.12 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateDecember 12, 1980August 19, 2004
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AAPL
GOOGL
GSPC
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
Total Return (1Y)54.86%83.14%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)20.08%42.90%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)18.25%22.39%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AAPL
GOOGL
GSPC
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)24.54%30.50%
Beta (5Y)1.091.24
Max Drawdown (5Y)-33.36%-44.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)54.88M31.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AAPL and GOOGL are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)2.072.59
Sortino Ratio (1Y)3.334.68

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Apple (AAPL) at 141.47% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Alphabet (GOOGL) at 38.89% also sits in the top quartile.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

141.47%

AAPL
141.47%
Max
44.16%
Q3
18.89%
Median
10.96%
Q1
0.11%
Min
-25.92%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

38.89%

GOOGL
38.89%
Max
38.89%
Q3
16.35%
Median
6.52%
Q1
-3.39%
Min
-29.59%
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 37.92% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Apple (AAPL) at 27.15% also retains a top-quartile share.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

27.15%

AAPL
27.15%
Max
27.15%
Q3
12.01%
Median
4.40%
Q1
0.00%
Min
-14.09%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

37.92%

GOOGL
37.92%
Max
30.77%
Q3
11.05%
Median
3.73%
Q1
-3.12%
Min
-24.17%
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 32.28% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 36.12% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

32.28%

AAPL
32.28%
Max
32.28%
Q3
15.14%
Median
6.42%
Q1
1.49%
Min
-18.45%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

36.12%

Max
41.37%
GOOGL
36.12%
Q3
15.96%
Median
7.22%
Q1
-3.48%
Min
-27.39%
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
ROE (TTM)141.47%38.89%
ROA (TTM)26.23%14.64%
Net Margin (TTM)27.15%37.92%
Operating Margin (TTM)32.28%36.12%
Gross Margin (TTM)47.86%60.37%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 15.09% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Apple (AAPL) at 6.43% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for GOOGL.

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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Apple (AAPL) at 22.70% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 34.45% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
Revenue Growth (YoY)6.43%15.09%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.81%12.51%
EPS Growth (YoY)22.70%34.45%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)6.88%33.34%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 1.92 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Apple (AAPL) at 1.07 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for AAPL.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

1.07

Max
5.80
Q3
3.15
Median
1.96
Q1
1.29
AAPL
1.07
Min
0.40

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

1.92

Max
4.37
Q3
2.40
GOOGL
1.92
Median
1.44
Q1
1.02
Min
0.31
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 0.80 and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.20 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.80

Max
2.02
Q3
0.88
AAPL
0.80
Median
0.31
Q1
0.06
Min
0.00

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.20

Max
2.46
Q3
1.10
Median
0.47
GOOGL
0.20
Q1
0.13
Min
0.00
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.071.92
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.800.20
Net Debt / EBITDA0.10-0.19

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 0.32% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.24% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

0.32%

Max
0.84%
Q3
0.36%
AAPL
0.32%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.24%

Max
1.97%
Q3
0.88%
GOOGL
0.24%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 12.59% and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 6.41% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

12.59%

Max
37.10%
Q3
15.24%
AAPL
12.59%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

6.41%

Max
41.30%
Q3
17.37%
GOOGL
6.41%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.32%0.24%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)12.59%6.41%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Apple (AAPL) at 39.53 and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 26.89 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

39.53

Max
144.77
Q3
72.63
AAPL
39.53
Median
37.17
Q1
22.68
Min
8.96

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

26.89

Max
78.62
Q3
41.37
GOOGL
26.89
Median
23.47
Q1
12.58
Min
1.74
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Apple (AAPL) at 10.66 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 10.03 prices even higher, above its industry range.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

10.66

Max
16.05
AAPL
10.66
Q3
7.77
Median
3.47
Q1
1.40
Min
0.00

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

10.03

GOOGL
10.03
Max
7.60
Q3
3.84
Median
1.52
Q1
0.68
Min
0.00
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Alphabet (GOOGL) at 8.79 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Apple (AAPL) at 45.14 prices even higher, above its industry range.

AAPL

Technology Hardware & Equipment industry group

45.14

AAPL
45.14
Max
17.07
Q3
8.65
Median
3.87
Q1
2.08
Min
-0.84

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

8.79

Max
13.29
GOOGL
8.79
Q3
5.93
Median
2.00
Q1
0.76
Min
-3.80
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Apple (AAPL) vs. Alphabet (GOOGL): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Technology Hardware & Equipment and Media & Entertainment industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Apple (AAPL) and Alphabet (GOOGL)
MetricAAPLGOOGL
P/E Ratio (TTM)39.5326.89
P/S Ratio (TTM)10.6610.03
P/B Ratio (MRQ)45.148.79
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.10%0.66%