BRK.B vs. WMT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at BRK.B and WMT, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | BRK.B | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | Walmart Inc. |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 1,101.34 billion USD | 823.78 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 9, 1996 | August 25, 1972 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BRK.B and WMT 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 | BRK.B | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.60% | -0.47% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 6.50% | 2.23% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -0.41% | 6.32% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 8.77% | 21.88% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 6.72% | 1.75% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 12.18% | 13.95% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.00M | 15.47M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.00M | 15.78M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 13.03% | 19.48% |
| Beta | 0.45 | 0.66 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
BRK.B
10.11%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 34.42%
- Q3
- 16.76%
- Median
- 9.18%
- Q1
- 3.90%
- Min
- -10.16%
BRK.B’s Return on Equity of 10.11% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
WMT
24.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 38.03%
- Q3
- 20.64%
- Median
- 13.48%
- Q1
- 6.46%
- Min
- -9.87%
In the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, WMT’s Return on Equity of 24.18% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
BRK.B
18.13%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 52.16%
- Q3
- 25.33%
- Median
- 13.11%
- Q1
- 7.04%
- Min
- -8.99%
BRK.B’s Net Profit Margin of 18.13% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
WMT
3.08%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.41%
- Q3
- 3.85%
- Median
- 2.53%
- Q1
- 1.66%
- Min
- -0.70%
WMT’s Net Profit Margin of 3.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
BRK.B
14.31%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 81.07%
- Q3
- 40.32%
- Median
- 19.93%
- Q1
- 10.20%
- Min
- -34.40%
BRK.B’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.31% is around the midpoint for the Financial Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
WMT
4.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.53%
- Median
- 3.90%
- Q1
- 2.53%
- Min
- -0.11%
WMT’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.18% is around the midpoint for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.B | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 10.11% | 24.18% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.73% | 8.07% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 18.13% | 3.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.31% | 4.18% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.71% | 24.90% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
BRK.B
1.33
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.36
- Q3
- 2.26
- Median
- 1.33
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.01
For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
WMT
0.79
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.76
- Q3
- 1.31
- Median
- 0.99
- Q1
- 0.81
- Min
- 0.52
WMT’s Current Ratio of 0.79 falls into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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)
BRK.B
0.18
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 5.07
- Q3
- 2.14
- Median
- 0.55
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.
WMT
0.56
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.58
- Q3
- 1.67
- Median
- 1.07
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
WMT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.56 is typical for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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)
BRK.B
0.57
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 140.54
- Q3
- 57.67
- Median
- 6.72
- Q1
- 1.93
- Min
- -33.27
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.
WMT
12.72
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 13.75
- Median
- 5.55
- Q1
- 2.86
- Min
- -5.51
WMT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.72 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.B | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.33 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.11 | 0.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.18 | 0.56 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 0.57 | 12.72 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
BRK.B
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.52%
- Q3
- 3.60%
- Median
- 1.75%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BRK.B currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
WMT
0.88%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.30%
- Q3
- 3.28%
- Median
- 1.64%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMT’s Dividend Yield of 0.88% is consistent with its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
BRK.B
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 132.10%
- Q3
- 64.32%
- Median
- 17.51%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BRK.B has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
WMT
33.30%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 188.48%
- Q3
- 100.66%
- Median
- 57.10%
- Q1
- 29.06%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 33.30% is within the typical range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.B | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 33.30% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
BRK.B
16.24
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 46.13
- Q3
- 28.79
- Median
- 13.18
- Q1
- 9.14
- Min
- 0.47
BRK.B’s P/E Ratio of 16.24 is within the middle range for the Financial Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
WMT
37.98
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 50.51
- Q3
- 32.01
- Median
- 21.81
- Q1
- 16.98
- Min
- 4.41
A P/E Ratio of 37.98 places WMT in the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
BRK.B
2.94
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 9.71
- Q3
- 4.81
- Median
- 2.49
- Q1
- 1.25
- Min
- 0.04
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.
WMT
1.17
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.38
- Min
- 0.06
WMT’s P/S Ratio of 1.17 is in the upper echelon for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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)
BRK.B
1.55
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.21
- Q3
- 3.51
- Median
- 1.52
- Q1
- 0.88
- Min
- 0.08
BRK.B’s P/B Ratio of 1.55 is within the conventional range for the Financial Services 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.
WMT
8.68
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 8.68
- Q3
- 4.65
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 1.94
- Min
- 0.46
WMT’s P/B Ratio of 8.68 is in the upper tier for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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 | BRK.B | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 16.24 | 37.98 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.94 | 1.17 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.55 | 8.68 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 54.64 | 58.95 |