AMZN vs. GM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AMZN and GM, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AMZN’s market capitalization of 2,371.81 billion USD is substantially larger than GM’s 50.85 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
With betas of 1.33 for AMZN and 1.34 for GM, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | AMZN | GM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Amazon.com, Inc. | General Motors Company |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Consumer Cyclical | Consumer Cyclical |
| Industry | Specialty Retail | Auto - Manufacturers |
| CEO | Andrew R. Jassy | Mary T. Barra |
| Price | 223.41 USD | 52.89 USD |
| Market Cap | 2,371.81 billion USD | 50.85 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.33 | 1.34 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 15, 1997 | November 18, 2010 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AMZN and GM by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AMZN
24.26%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 70.52%
- Q3
- 29.03%
- Median
- 10.90%
- Q1
- -7.86%
- Min
- -57.43%
AMZN’s Return on Equity of 24.26% is on par with the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
GM
8.71%
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 103.41%
- Q3
- 44.32%
- Median
- 10.17%
- Q1
- -11.48%
- Min
- -70.38%
GM’s Return on Equity of 8.71% is on par with the norm for the Auto - Manufacturers industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
AMZN
13.10%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 29.46%
- Q3
- 13.75%
- Median
- 8.05%
- Q1
- 0.80%
- Min
- -17.95%
AMZN’s Return on Invested Capital of 13.10% is in line with the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
GM
4.54%
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 35.94%
- Q3
- 4.50%
- Median
- -5.87%
- Q1
- -40.39%
- Min
- -107.35%
In the upper quartile for the Auto - Manufacturers industry, GM’s Return on Invested Capital of 4.54% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AMZN
10.14%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 19.78%
- Q3
- 8.49%
- Median
- 3.43%
- Q1
- -0.69%
- Min
- -9.88%
A Net Profit Margin of 10.14% places AMZN in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
GM
3.08%
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 22.99%
- Q3
- 5.16%
- Median
- -1.71%
- Q1
- -78.77%
- Min
- -149.10%
GM’s Net Profit Margin of 3.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Auto - Manufacturers industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AMZN
11.02%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.47%
- Q3
- 11.10%
- Median
- 5.85%
- Q1
- 0.66%
- Min
- -12.62%
AMZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.02% is around the midpoint for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
GM
6.58%
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 29.04%
- Q3
- 6.33%
- Median
- -2.21%
- Q1
- -66.44%
- Min
- -106.75%
An Operating Profit Margin of 6.58% places GM in the upper quartile for the Auto - Manufacturers industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | GM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 24.26% | 8.71% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 10.25% | 2.06% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 13.10% | 4.54% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 10.14% | 3.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 11.02% | 6.58% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 49.16% | 12.11% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AMZN
1.05
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.24
- Q3
- 1.99
- Median
- 1.42
- Q1
- 1.02
- Min
- 0.54
AMZN’s Current Ratio of 1.05 aligns with the median group of the Specialty Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
GM
1.21
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 3.32
- Q3
- 1.96
- Median
- 1.25
- Q1
- 0.90
- Min
- 0.38
GM’s Current Ratio of 1.21 aligns with the median group of the Auto - Manufacturers industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AMZN
0.44
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 2.72
- Q3
- 1.42
- Median
- 0.87
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.01
AMZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.44 is typical for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
GM
2.06
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 1.08
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.80
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.01
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.06, GM operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Auto - Manufacturers industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AMZN
31.13
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 37.34
- Q3
- 17.19
- Median
- 4.28
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- -23.60
AMZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 31.13 is in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
GM
15.92
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 45.34
- Q3
- 22.10
- Median
- 2.42
- Q1
- -13.59
- Min
- -26.25
GM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.92 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Auto - Manufacturers industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | GM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.05 | 1.21 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.84 | 1.04 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.44 | 2.06 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.21 | 0.47 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.50 | 5.17 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 31.13 | 15.92 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AMZN and GM. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AMZN
0.00%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.54%
- Q3
- 1.52%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AMZN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
GM
0.96%
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 7.57%
- Q3
- 0.92%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.96%, GM offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Auto - Manufacturers industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AMZN
0.00%
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 177.64%
- Q3
- 9.49%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AMZN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
GM
10.84%
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 84.98%
- Q3
- 20.53%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 10.84% is within the typical range for the Auto - Manufacturers industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | GM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.96% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 10.84% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AMZN
35.92
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 81.45
- Q3
- 42.51
- Median
- 25.40
- Q1
- 12.72
- Min
- 1.88
AMZN’s P/E Ratio of 35.92 is within the middle range for the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
GM
8.99
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 47.41
- Q3
- 24.64
- Median
- 8.54
- Q1
- 7.47
- Min
- 4.69
GM’s P/E Ratio of 8.99 is within the middle range for the Auto - Manufacturers industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AMZN
1.72
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.90
- Q3
- 2.79
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 0.69
- Min
- 0.00
AMZN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.72 is within the middle range of its peers in the Specialty Retail industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
GM
2.00
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 3.87
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.13
- Min
- 0.03
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Auto - Manufacturers industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AMZN
3.65
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.26
- Q3
- 2.60
- Median
- 1.29
- Q1
- 0.41
- Min
- 0.06
AMZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.65 is in the upper echelon for the Specialty Retail industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
GM
0.27
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 7.43
- Q3
- 3.80
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.60
- Min
- 0.16
In the lower quartile for the Auto - Manufacturers industry, GM’s P/S Ratio of 0.27 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AMZN
7.74
Specialty Retail Industry
- Max
- 12.73
- Q3
- 6.96
- Median
- 3.28
- Q1
- 1.42
- Min
- 0.24
AMZN’s P/B Ratio of 7.74 is in the upper tier for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
GM
0.81
Auto - Manufacturers Industry
- Max
- 13.96
- Q3
- 7.23
- Median
- 2.02
- Q1
- 0.91
- Min
- 0.31
GM’s P/B Ratio of 0.81 is in the lower quartile for the Auto - Manufacturers industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AMZN | GM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 35.92 | 8.99 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.72 | 2.00 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.65 | 0.27 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.74 | 0.81 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 113.97 | -17.65 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 18.07 | 7.52 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.75 | 0.86 |