BABA vs. LLY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BABA and LLY, 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, LLY is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | BABA | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alibaba Group Holding Limited | Eli Lilly and Company |
| Country | Hong Kong | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Broadline Retail | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 287.31 billion USD | 632.40 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 LLY 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 | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.28% | 3.07% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.82% | -6.58% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -0.04% | -19.09% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 42.40% | -23.47% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.95% | -4.68% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 40.92% | -8.62% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 11.26M | 9.65M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 14.09M | 4.51M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 33.97% | 40.54% |
| Beta | 0.11 | 0.46 |
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.
LLY
88.36%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
LLY’s Return on Equity of 88.36% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
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.
LLY
25.91%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
A Net Profit Margin of 25.91% places LLY in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals 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.
LLY
32.37%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 32.37% places LLY in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals 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 | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.27% | 88.36% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.19% | 16.02% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.99% | 25.91% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.14% | 32.37% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.95% | 82.64% |
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.
LLY
1.28
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
LLY’s Current Ratio of 1.28 aligns with the median group of the Pharmaceuticals 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.
LLY
2.18
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
LLY’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Pharmaceuticals industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.18. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
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.
LLY
20.36
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
LLY’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.36 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.55 | 1.28 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.53 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.23 | 2.18 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.56 | 20.36 |
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.
LLY
0.77%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
LLY’s Dividend Yield of 0.77% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals 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.
LLY
36.46%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
LLY’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 36.46% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.79% | 0.77% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 103.01% | 36.46% |
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.
LLY
47.48
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
At 47.48, LLY’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
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.
LLY
12.30
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
With a P/S Ratio of 12.30, LLY trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Pharmaceuticals industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
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.
LLY
40.43
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
At 40.43, LLY’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.04 | 47.48 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.08 | 12.30 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.23 | 40.43 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 26.78 | 326.03 |