BABA vs. ETN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BABA and ETN, 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, ETN is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | BABA | ETN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alibaba Group Holding Limited | Eaton Corporation plc |
| Country | Hong Kong | Ireland |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Industrials |
| GICS Industry | Broadline Retail | Electrical Equipment |
| Market Capitalization | 296.47 billion USD | 134.60 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | September 19, 2014 | June 1, 1972 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BABA and ETN 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | ETN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.63% | -0.93% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 2.36% | 7.69% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -1.14% | 11.74% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 49.89% | 16.15% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 3.08% | -10.13% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 46.66% | 4.19% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 11.60M | 1.92M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 13.48M | 2.37M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 34.81% | 26.37% |
| Beta | 0.11 | 1.19 |
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.
ETN
21.03%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 37.56%
- Q3
- 20.60%
- Median
- 14.38%
- Q1
- 4.35%
- Min
- 0.90%
In the upper quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry, ETN’s Return on Equity of 21.03% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
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.
ETN
15.56%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 20.43%
- Q3
- 10.97%
- Median
- 6.07%
- Q1
- 3.16%
- Min
- 0.29%
A Net Profit Margin of 15.56% places ETN in the upper quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
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.
ETN
19.27%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 26.20%
- Q3
- 14.31%
- Median
- 7.54%
- Q1
- 3.77%
- Min
- -5.64%
An Operating Profit Margin of 19.27% places ETN in the upper quartile for the Electrical Equipment 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 | BABA | ETN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.27% | 21.03% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.19% | 9.99% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.99% | 15.56% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.14% | 19.27% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.95% | 38.45% |
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.
ETN
1.24
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.02
- Q3
- 1.99
- Median
- 1.41
- Q1
- 1.07
- Min
- 0.80
ETN’s Current Ratio of 1.24 aligns with the median group of the Electrical Equipment industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
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.
ETN
0.59
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.44
- Q3
- 0.99
- Median
- 0.56
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
ETN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.59 is typical for the Electrical Equipment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
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.
ETN
36.12
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 36.12
- Q3
- 19.29
- Median
- 9.38
- Q1
- 1.16
- Min
- -10.92
ETN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 36.12 is in the upper quartile for the Electrical Equipment industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | ETN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.55 | 1.24 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.63 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.23 | 0.59 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.56 | 36.12 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
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.
ETN
1.16%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 2.20%
- Q3
- 1.53%
- Median
- 1.01%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ETN’s Dividend Yield of 1.16% is consistent with its peers in the Electrical Equipment industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
ETN
39.77%
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 119.44%
- Q3
- 51.87%
- Median
- 27.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ETN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 39.77% is within the typical range for the Electrical Equipment industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | ETN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.79% | 1.16% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 103.01% | 39.77% |
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.
ETN
34.15
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 81.85
- Q3
- 44.17
- Median
- 27.61
- Q1
- 18.62
- Min
- 7.73
ETN’s P/E Ratio of 34.15 is within the middle range for the Electrical Equipment industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
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.
ETN
5.30
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 8.18
- Q3
- 4.02
- Median
- 1.84
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.44
ETN’s P/S Ratio of 5.30 is in the upper echelon for the Electrical Equipment 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.
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.
ETN
7.51
Electrical Equipment Industry
- Max
- 8.50
- Q3
- 4.53
- Median
- 3.39
- Q1
- 1.70
- Min
- 0.51
ETN’s P/B Ratio of 7.51 is in the upper tier for the Electrical Equipment 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | ETN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.04 | 34.15 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.08 | 5.30 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.23 | 7.51 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 26.78 | 40.98 |