BABA vs. BBY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 28, 2025

Here’s a clear look at BABA and BBY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

BABA trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, BBY is a standard domestic listing.

Symbol	BABA	BBY
Company Name	Alibaba Group Holding Limited	Best Buy Co., Inc.
Country	Hong Kong	United States
GICS Sector	Consumer Discretionary	Consumer Discretionary
GICS Industry	Broadline Retail	Specialty Retail
Market Capitalization	296.47 billion USD	15.71 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	September 19, 2014	April 18, 1985
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BABA and BBY 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.

BABA vs. BBY: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	BABA	BBY
5-Day Price Return	3.63%	0.30%
13-Week Price Return	2.36%	5.03%
26-Week Price Return	-1.14%	-18.42%
52-Week Price Return	49.89%	-13.33%
Month-to-Date Return	3.08%	14.23%
Year-to-Date Return	46.66%	-13.38%
10-Day Avg. Volume	11.60M	3.39M
3-Month Avg. Volume	13.48M	3.54M
3-Month Volatility	34.81%	36.41%
Beta	0.11	1.26

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BABA

13.27%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 49.17%
Q3: 28.98%
Median: 19.22%
Q1: 10.86%
Min: -11.14%

BABA’s Return on Equity of 13.27% is on par with the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

BBY

30.03%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 61.19%
Q3: 37.24%
Median: 18.81%
Q1: 8.92%
Min: -13.03%

BBY’s Return on Equity of 30.03% is on par with the norm for the Specialty Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BABA

12.99%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 19.78%
Q3: 11.90%
Median: 8.63%
Q1: 5.21%
Min: 0.82%

A Net Profit Margin of 12.99% places BABA in the upper quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

BBY

2.13%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 21.28%
Q3: 10.68%
Median: 6.08%
Q1: 2.43%
Min: -4.54%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, BBY’s Net Profit Margin of 2.13% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BABA

14.14%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 27.23%
Q3: 15.96%
Median: 11.13%
Q1: 8.31%
Min: 1.77%

BABA’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.14% is around the midpoint for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

BBY

2.82%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 33.35%
Q3: 15.84%
Median: 9.34%
Q1: 3.83%
Min: -8.97%

BBY’s Operating Profit Margin of 2.82% is in the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	BABA	BBY
Return on Equity (TTM)	13.27%	30.03%
Return on Assets (TTM)	7.19%	5.74%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	12.99%	2.13%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	14.14%	2.82%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	39.95%	22.61%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BABA

1.55

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 3.54
Q3: 2.42
Median: 1.49
Q1: 1.22
Min: 0.67

BABA’s Current Ratio of 1.55 aligns with the median group of the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

BBY

1.02

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 2.83
Q3: 1.89
Median: 1.39
Q1: 1.11
Min: 0.64

BBY’s Current Ratio of 1.02 falls into the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BABA

0.23

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 2.14
Q3: 1.34
Median: 0.63
Q1: 0.27
Min: 0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, BABA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.23 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

BBY

0.42

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 3.02
Q3: 1.57
Median: 0.64
Q1: 0.20
Min: 0.00

BBY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.42 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.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BABA

9.56

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 37.34
Q3: 20.63
Median: 11.28
Q1: 4.22
Min: -19.29

BABA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.56 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

BBY

256.43

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 48.12
Q3: 35.95
Median: 14.13
Q1: 3.61
Min: -36.00

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 256.43, BBY demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Specialty Retail industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	BABA	BBY
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.55	1.02
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	1.08	0.32
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.23	0.42
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	9.56	256.43

Growth

Revenue Growth

BABA vs. BBY: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

BABA vs. BBY: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BABA

2.79%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 5.46%
Q3: 2.38%
Median: 0.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 2.79%, BABA offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Broadline Retail industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

BBY

5.27%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 6.53%
Q3: 2.69%
Median: 1.08%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 5.27%, BBY offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Specialty Retail industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BABA

103.01%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 131.17%
Q3: 63.48%
Median: 29.43%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BABA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 103.01% is in the upper quartile for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

BBY

91.39%

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 165.81%
Q3: 80.94%
Median: 31.61%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

BBY’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 91.39% is in the upper quartile for the Specialty Retail industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	BABA	BBY
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.79%	5.27%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	103.01%	91.39%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BABA

16.04

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 66.12
Q3: 35.17
Median: 16.29
Q1: 10.47
Min: 5.94

BABA’s P/E Ratio of 16.04 is within the middle range for the Broadline 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.

BBY

17.34

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 48.56
Q3: 29.15
Median: 22.00
Q1: 15.46
Min: 7.95

BBY’s P/E Ratio of 17.34 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.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BABA

2.08

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 5.40
Q3: 3.33
Median: 2.04
Q1: 0.80
Min: 0.16

BABA’s P/S Ratio of 2.08 aligns with the market consensus for the Broadline Retail industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

BBY

0.37

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 5.08
Q3: 2.69
Median: 1.23
Q1: 0.48
Min: 0.09

In the lower quartile for the Specialty Retail industry, BBY’s P/S Ratio of 0.37 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.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BABA

2.23

Broadline Retail Industry

Max: 9.06
Q3: 5.22
Median: 3.48
Q1: 1.90
Min: 0.74

BABA’s P/B Ratio of 2.23 is within the conventional range for the Broadline Retail industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

BBY

5.18

Specialty Retail Industry

Max: 16.93
Q3: 7.98
Median: 3.69
Q1: 1.79
Min: 0.21

BBY’s P/B Ratio of 5.18 is within the conventional range for the Specialty Retail industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.

BABA vs. BBY: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Specialty Retail industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	BABA	BBY
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	16.04	17.34
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	2.08	0.37
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	2.23	5.18
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	26.78	8.32