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BG vs. UL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

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Here’s a clear look at BG and UL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

BG is a standard domestic listing, while UL trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

SymbolBGUL
Company NameBunge Global SAUnilever PLC
CountryUnited StatesUnited Kingdom
GICS SectorConsumer StaplesConsumer Staples
GICS IndustryFood ProductsPersonal Care Products
Market Capitalization16.65 billion USD153.09 billion USD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateAugust 2, 2001March 25, 1980
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of BG and UL 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.

BG vs. UL: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolBGUL
5-Day Price Return0.59%-0.55%
13-Week Price Return3.86%-1.69%
26-Week Price Return20.13%-3.77%
52-Week Price Return-14.14%-5.41%
Month-to-Date Return4.36%1.86%
Year-to-Date Return7.05%-1.28%
10-Day Avg. Volume2.16M2.02M
3-Month Avg. Volume1.91M2.75M
3-Month Volatility33.01%13.54%
Beta0.690.11

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

BG

12.96%

Food Products Industry

Max
27.15%
Q3
15.66%
Median
10.47%
Q1
7.82%
Min
-2.46%

BG’s Return on Equity of 12.96% is on par with the norm for the Food Products industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

UL

29.40%

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
31.59%
Q3
20.42%
Median
11.01%
Q1
3.26%
Min
-18.42%

In the upper quartile for the Personal Care Products industry, UL’s Return on Equity of 29.40% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

BG

2.71%

Food Products Industry

Max
18.44%
Q3
9.92%
Median
6.38%
Q1
4.13%
Min
-0.92%

Falling into the lower quartile for the Food Products industry, BG’s Net Profit Margin of 2.71% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.

UL

9.29%

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
15.12%
Q3
12.06%
Median
9.26%
Q1
5.50%
Min
-0.40%

UL’s Net Profit Margin of 9.29% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

BG

3.17%

Food Products Industry

Max
24.83%
Q3
14.27%
Median
9.73%
Q1
6.26%
Min
-0.10%

BG’s Operating Profit Margin of 3.17% is in the lower quartile for the Food Products industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.

UL

14.58%

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
19.80%
Q3
17.96%
Median
13.14%
Q1
7.58%
Min
-4.25%

UL’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.58% is around the midpoint for the Personal Care Products industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolBGUL
Return on Equity (TTM)12.96%29.40%
Return on Assets (TTM)5.10%7.13%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)2.71%9.29%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)3.17%14.58%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)6.27%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

BG

2.07

Food Products Industry

Max
3.80
Q3
2.40
Median
1.61
Q1
1.28
Min
0.55

BG’s Current Ratio of 2.07 aligns with the median group of the Food Products industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.

UL

0.76

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
4.26
Q3
2.61
Median
1.74
Q1
1.13
Min
0.76

UL’s Current Ratio of 0.76 falls into the lower quartile for the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

BG

1.04

Food Products Industry

Max
1.87
Q3
0.90
Median
0.48
Q1
0.24
Min
0.00

BG’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Food Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.04. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.

UL

1.80

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
1.13
Q3
0.63
Median
0.26
Q1
0.04
Min
0.00

With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.80, UL operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Personal Care Products industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

BG

3.58

Food Products Industry

Max
70.39
Q3
32.08
Median
9.51
Q1
4.55
Min
-1.69

In the lower quartile for the Food Products industry, BG’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.58 indicates a tighter cushion for servicing debt, suggesting less financial flexibility than many of its competitors.

UL

22.79

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
96.53
Q3
59.91
Median
22.25
Q1
7.85
Min
-1.93

UL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.79 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Personal Care Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolBGUL
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.070.76
Quick Ratio (MRQ)1.220.55
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)1.041.80
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)3.5822.79

Growth

Revenue Growth

BG vs. UL: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

BG vs. UL: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

BG

2.23%

Food Products Industry

Max
7.43%
Q3
4.12%
Median
2.67%
Q1
1.57%
Min
0.00%

BG’s Dividend Yield of 2.23% is consistent with its peers in the Food Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

UL

3.47%

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
4.08%
Q3
2.46%
Median
1.82%
Q1
0.83%
Min
0.00%

With a Dividend Yield of 3.47%, UL offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Personal Care Products industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

BG

27.00%

Food Products Industry

Max
202.50%
Q3
109.53%
Median
67.28%
Q1
39.33%
Min
0.00%

BG’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 27.00% is in the lower quartile for the Food Products industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.

UL

79.51%

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
207.61%
Q3
115.17%
Median
69.37%
Q1
47.71%
Min
0.00%

UL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.51% is within the typical range for the Personal Care Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolBGUL
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.23%3.47%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)27.00%79.51%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

BG

12.09

Food Products Industry

Max
35.81
Q3
22.88
Median
17.13
Q1
13.91
Min
2.77

In the lower quartile for the Food Products industry, BG’s P/E Ratio of 12.09 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

UL

22.94

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
55.49
Q3
36.75
Median
26.49
Q1
22.40
Min
11.12

UL’s P/E Ratio of 22.94 is within the middle range for the Personal Care Products industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

BG

0.33

Food Products Industry

Max
3.63
Q3
1.86
Median
1.14
Q1
0.68
Min
0.12

In the lower quartile for the Food Products industry, BG’s P/S Ratio of 0.33 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.

UL

2.13

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
5.35
Q3
2.83
Median
2.07
Q1
1.13
Min
0.00

UL’s P/S Ratio of 2.13 aligns with the market consensus for the Personal Care Products industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

BG

0.99

Food Products Industry

Max
5.01
Q3
2.76
Median
1.98
Q1
1.26
Min
0.52

BG’s P/B Ratio of 0.99 is in the lower quartile for the Food Products industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.

UL

7.06

Personal Care Products Industry

Max
7.32
Q3
5.26
Median
2.93
Q1
1.84
Min
1.14

UL’s P/B Ratio of 7.06 is in the upper tier for the Personal Care Products 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.

BG vs. UL: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Food Products and Personal Care Products industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolBGUL
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)12.0922.94
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)0.332.13
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)0.997.06
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)7.2619.80