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BABA vs. URBN: Alibaba vs. Urban Outfitters Stock Comparison

How do Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN) both fall under the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group, but BABA is classified in Broadline Retail while URBN is classified in Specialty Retail.

Alibaba (BABA) is a mega-cap company at 269.29 billion USD, while Urban Outfitters (URBN) is mid-cap at 5.98 billion USD — a noticeably different scale category that can shape how their valuation multiples are read.

Urban Outfitters (URBN) trades as ordinary local shares, while Alibaba (BABA) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
Profile ItemBABAURBN
NameAlibaba Group Holding Limited SP ADRUrban Outfitters Inc.
Country/RegionChinaUnited States
GICS SectorConsumer DiscretionaryConsumer Discretionary
GICS Industry GroupConsumer Discretionary Distribution & RetailConsumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustryBroadline RetailSpecialty Retail
GICS Sub-IndustryBroadline RetailApparel Retail
Market Capitalization269.29 billion USD5.98 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateSeptember 19, 2014November 9, 1993
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BABA
URBN
GSPC
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
Total Return (1Y)6.24%-3.36%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)7.31%26.50%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-10.64%12.03%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BABA
URBN
GSPC
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)45.21%44.15%
Beta (5Y)0.511.23
Max Drawdown (5Y)-70.60%-55.83%
Avg. Volume (3M)12.37M1.26M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BABA and URBN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.05-0.17
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.08-0.25

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Alibaba (BABA) at 9.22% and Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 18.73% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

9.22%

Max
63.82%
Q3
31.98%
Median
14.23%
BABA
9.22%
Q1
5.87%
Min
-29.94%

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

18.73%

Max
63.82%
Q3
31.98%
URBN
18.73%
Median
14.23%
Q1
5.87%
Min
-29.94%
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their ROE against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Alibaba (BABA) at 10.12% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 7.48%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

10.12%

Max
20.45%
BABA
10.12%
Q3
8.90%
Median
3.53%
Q1
0.81%
Min
-11.15%

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

7.48%

Max
20.45%
Q3
8.90%
URBN
7.48%
Median
3.53%
Q1
0.81%
Min
-11.15%
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their net margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 8.96% runs core operations around its industry’s norm, while Alibaba (BABA) at 1.02% operates in the bottom quartile.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.02%

Max
23.15%
Q3
11.12%
Median
4.77%
Q1
1.53%
BABA
1.02%
Min
-8.71%

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

8.96%

Max
23.15%
Q3
11.12%
URBN
8.96%
Median
4.77%
Q1
1.53%
Min
-8.71%
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
ROE (TTM)9.22%18.73%
ROA (TTM)2.12%8.36%
Net Margin (TTM)10.12%7.48%
Operating Margin (TTM)1.02%8.96%
Gross Margin (TTM)39.81%36.06%

Growth

Revenue Growth

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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.74%11.07%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)5.62%8.74%

EPS Growth

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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
EPS Growth (YoY)-17.91%18.78%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)17.05%43.85%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alibaba (BABA) at 1.28 and Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 1.48 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.28

Max
2.97
Q3
1.86
Median
1.36
BABA
1.28
Q1
1.03
Min
0.46

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.48

Max
2.97
Q3
1.86
URBN
1.48
Median
1.36
Q1
1.03
Min
0.46
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alibaba (BABA) at 0.25 and Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 0.46 keep leverage in the lower quartile of their industries, with less balance-sheet debt relative to equity than most peers.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.25

Max
3.37
Q3
1.83
Median
1.08
Q1
0.71
BABA
0.25
Min
0.01

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.46

Max
3.37
Q3
1.83
Median
1.08
Q1
0.71
URBN
0.46
Min
0.01
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.281.48
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.250.46
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.321.05

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Urban Outfitters (URBN) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Alibaba (BABA) reports a yield of 6.45%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

6.45%

BABA
6.45%
Max
5.18%
Q3
2.35%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
5.18%
Q3
2.35%
URBN
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Urban Outfitters (URBN) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Alibaba (BABA) reports a payout of 17.12%, ranking against industry peers normally.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

17.12%

Max
78.51%
Q3
32.83%
BABA
17.12%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.00%

Max
78.51%
Q3
32.83%
URBN
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
Dividend Yield (TTM)6.45%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)17.12%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Alibaba (BABA) at 17.36 and Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 13.43 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

17.36

Max
57.73
Q3
31.08
Median
19.92
BABA
17.36
Q1
11.73
Min
1.02

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

13.43

Max
57.73
Q3
31.08
Median
19.92
URBN
13.43
Q1
11.73
Min
1.02
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Alibaba (BABA) at 0.26 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 0.95 prices around its industry’s middle — BABA costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.26

Max
3.97
Q3
1.78
Median
0.77
Q1
0.30
BABA
0.26
Min
0.03

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

0.95

Max
3.97
Q3
1.78
URBN
0.95
Median
0.77
Q1
0.30
Min
0.03
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both Alibaba (BABA) at 1.67 and Urban Outfitters (URBN) at 2.29 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

BABA

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

1.67

Max
13.43
Q3
6.22
Median
2.27
BABA
1.67
Q1
1.16
Min
-4.00

URBN

Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group

2.29

Max
13.43
Q3
6.22
URBN
2.29
Median
2.27
Q1
1.16
Min
-4.00
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Alibaba (BABA) vs. Urban Outfitters (URBN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Consumer Discretionary Distribution & Retail industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alibaba (BABA) and Urban Outfitters (URBN)
MetricBABAURBN
P/E Ratio (TTM)17.3613.43
P/S Ratio (TTM)0.260.95
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.672.29
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)-16.37%0.08%