BABA vs. NVO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BABA and NVO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
Both BABA and NVO are American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). This provides U.S. investors with straightforward access to investing in these foreign-listed companies.
| Symbol | BABA | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alibaba Group Holding Limited | Novo Nordisk A/S |
| Country | Hong Kong | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Broadline Retail | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 287.31 billion USD | 240.04 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | September 19, 2014 | April 30, 1981 |
| Security Type | ADR | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BABA and NVO 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 | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.28% | 6.80% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -2.82% | -19.59% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -0.04% | -44.66% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 42.40% | 67.26% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -0.95% | 10.67% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 40.92% | -44.24% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 11.26M | 10.57M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 14.09M | 6.69M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 33.97% | 64.82% |
| Beta | 0.11 | 1.51 |
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.
NVO
77.86%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
NVO’s Return on Equity of 77.86% 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.
NVO
35.61%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
NVO’s Net Profit Margin of 35.61% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
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.
NVO
45.78%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
NVO’s Operating Profit Margin of 45.78% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.27% | 77.86% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.19% | 24.22% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.99% | 35.61% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.14% | 45.78% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 39.95% | 83.95% |
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.
NVO
0.78
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
NVO’s Current Ratio of 0.78 falls into the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
NVO
0.59
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
NVO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.59 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals 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.
NVO
149.07
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 149.07, NVO demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.55 | 0.78 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.56 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.23 | 0.59 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.56 | 149.07 |
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.
NVO
3.30%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Yield of 3.30% 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.
NVO
61.60%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.60% 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 | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.79% | 3.30% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 103.01% | 61.60% |
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.
NVO
13.91
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, NVO’s P/E Ratio of 13.91 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
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.
NVO
4.95
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
NVO’s P/S Ratio of 4.95 is in the upper echelon for the Pharmaceuticals 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.
NVO
8.87
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
NVO’s P/B Ratio of 8.87 is in the upper tier for the Pharmaceuticals 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 | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.04 | 13.91 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.08 | 4.95 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.23 | 8.87 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 26.78 | 23.46 |