BABA vs. PM: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BABA and PM, 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, PM is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | BABA | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alibaba Group Holding Limited | Philip Morris International Inc. |
| Country | Hong Kong | United States |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Discretionary | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Broadline Retail | Tobacco |
| Market Capitalization | 435.84 billion USD | 256.67 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | September 19, 2014 | March 17, 2008 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BABA and PM 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 | PM |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 4.17% | -1.91% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 60.38% | -9.39% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 34.76% | 3.77% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 72.24% | 32.50% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.27% | -0.83% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 115.57% | 33.66% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 21.92M | 6.38M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 16.44M | 5.67M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 49.36% | 27.04% |
| Beta | 0.31 | 0.47 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
BABA
14.91%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 47.53%
- Q3
- 31.20%
- Median
- 16.63%
- Q1
- 10.81%
- Min
- -7.57%
BABA’s Return on Equity of 14.91% is on par with the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
PM
575.44%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 49.48%
- Q3
- 49.48%
- Median
- 13.16%
- Q1
- 5.02%
- Min
- 4.04%
PM’s Return on Equity of 575.44% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Tobacco 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
14.82%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.63%
- Q3
- 12.77%
- Median
- 8.63%
- Q1
- 4.50%
- Min
- -1.62%
A Net Profit Margin of 14.82% places BABA in the upper quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
PM
21.08%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 21.36%
- Q3
- 16.88%
- Median
- 10.39%
- Q1
- 7.51%
- Min
- 4.74%
A Net Profit Margin of 21.08% places PM in the upper quartile for the Tobacco industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
BABA
13.98%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 27.48%
- Q3
- 17.60%
- Median
- 10.82%
- Q1
- 7.76%
- Min
- -6.73%
BABA’s Operating Profit Margin of 13.98% is around the midpoint for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
PM
36.28%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 18.53%
- Q3
- 15.03%
- Median
- 11.76%
- Q1
- 11.00%
- Min
- 6.94%
PM’s Operating Profit Margin of 36.28% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Tobacco 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 | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 14.91% | 575.44% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 8.16% | 12.56% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.82% | 21.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.98% | 36.28% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 41.18% | 66.46% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
BABA
1.45
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.54
- Q3
- 2.42
- Median
- 1.38
- Q1
- 1.20
- Min
- 0.69
BABA’s Current Ratio of 1.45 aligns with the median group of the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
PM
0.83
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 3.37
- Q3
- 1.84
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.39
PM’s Current Ratio of 0.83 aligns with the median group of the Tobacco 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
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.31
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.32
- 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.
PM
186.08
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 2.19
- Q3
- 2.19
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.01
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 186.08, PM operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Tobacco industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
BABA
9.56
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 37.34
- Q3
- 21.16
- Median
- 8.60
- Q1
- 3.22
- 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.
PM
11.67
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 306.04
- Q3
- 126.21
- Median
- 9.35
- Q1
- 6.32
- Min
- -11.45
PM’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 11.67 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Tobacco industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.45 | 0.83 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.97 | 0.83 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.23 | 186.08 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 9.56 | 11.67 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
BABA
1.88%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 4.06%
- Q3
- 2.07%
- Median
- 0.37%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BABA’s Dividend Yield of 1.88% is consistent with its peers in the Broadline Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
PM
3.33%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 6.77%
- Q3
- 6.12%
- Median
- 5.06%
- Q1
- 3.83%
- Min
- 0.57%
PM’s Dividend Yield of 3.33% is in the lower quartile for the Tobacco industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
BABA
103.01%
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 114.82%
- Q3
- 62.39%
- Median
- 28.55%
- 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.
PM
70.92%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 78.29%
- Q3
- 75.97%
- Median
- 64.37%
- Q1
- 50.14%
- Min
- 49.96%
PM’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 70.92% is within the typical range for the Tobacco industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BABA | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.88% | 3.33% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 103.01% | 70.92% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
BABA
20.82
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 62.76
- Q3
- 32.50
- Median
- 17.65
- Q1
- 12.08
- Min
- 6.87
BABA’s P/E Ratio of 20.82 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.
PM
30.47
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 44.17
- Q3
- 36.23
- Median
- 27.79
- Q1
- 11.97
- Min
- 9.91
PM’s P/E Ratio of 30.47 is within the middle range for the Tobacco 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
3.08
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 5.19
- Q3
- 3.25
- Median
- 2.13
- Q1
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.21
BABA’s P/S Ratio of 3.08 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.
PM
6.42
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 7.60
- Q3
- 5.15
- Median
- 2.97
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.80
PM’s P/S Ratio of 6.42 is in the upper echelon for the Tobacco 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
1.90
Broadline Retail Industry
- Max
- 8.81
- Q3
- 5.19
- Median
- 3.42
- Q1
- 1.75
- Min
- 0.73
BABA’s P/B Ratio of 1.90 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.
PM
1,368.86
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 4.76
- Median
- 3.34
- Q1
- 1.97
- Min
- 1.05
At 1,368.86, PM’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Tobacco 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 | PM |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 20.82 | 30.47 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 3.08 | 6.42 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.90 | 1,368.86 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 39.82 | 25.75 |