BRK.A vs. HSBC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Here’s a clear look at BRK.A and HSBC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Berkshire Hathaway Inc. | HSBC Holdings plc |
| Country | United States | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Financials |
| GICS Industry Group | Financial Services | Banks |
| GICS Industry | Financial Services | Banks |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Multi-Sector Holdings | Diversified Banks |
| Market Capitalization | 1,036.73 billion USD | 309.22 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | March 17, 1980 | July 16, 1999 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
BRK.A is a standard domestic listing, while HSBC trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
BRK.A’s market capitalization (1,036.73 billion USD) is substantially larger than HSBC’s (309.22 billion USD), indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
HSBC is an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), allowing U.S. investors direct exposure to its non-U.S. operations. BRK.A, on the other hand, is a domestic entity.
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of BRK.A and HSBC 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.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.01% | -2.91% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -5.45% | 0.93% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 1.24% | 24.11% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -6.49% | 49.65% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.28% | -2.16% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -4.48% | 12.44% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.00M | 13.97M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.00M | 14.44M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 15.54% | 38.38% |
| Beta | 0.25 | 1.66 |
HSBC carries a higher beta at 1.66, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while BRK.A (beta: 0.25) exhibits greater stability.
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
BRK.A
9.78%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 39.62%
- Q3
- 19.67%
- Median
- 12.18%
- Q1
- 6.06%
- Min
- -10.90%
BRK.A’s Return on Equity of 9.78% is on par with the norm for the Financial Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
HSBC
6.51%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 23.98%
- Q3
- 15.38%
- Median
- 11.44%
- Q1
- 8.89%
- Min
- 1.66%
HSBC’s Return on Equity of 6.51% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates a less efficient generation of profit from its equity base when compared to its competitors.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
BRK.A
18.03%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 54.81%
- Q3
- 27.62%
- Median
- 15.00%
- Q1
- 6.12%
- Min
- -9.76%
BRK.A’s Net Profit Margin of 18.03% 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.
HSBC
34.16%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 54.20%
- Q3
- 35.01%
- Median
- 28.77%
- Q1
- 21.89%
- Min
- 2.66%
HSBC’s Net Profit Margin of 34.16% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Banks industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
BRK.A
12.04%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 93.15%
- Q3
- 44.00%
- Median
- 23.94%
- Q1
- 11.10%
- Min
- -4.07%
BRK.A’s Operating Profit Margin of 12.04% is around the midpoint for the Financial Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
HSBC
40.44%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 63.35%
- Q3
- 44.29%
- Median
- 36.70%
- Q1
- 28.03%
- Min
- 12.28%
HSBC’s Operating Profit Margin of 40.44% is around the midpoint for the Banks industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 9.78% | 6.51% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 5.61% | 0.39% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 18.03% | 34.16% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 12.04% | 40.44% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.75% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
BRK.A
1.36
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 5.29
- Q3
- 2.66
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 0.90
- Min
- 0.01
For the Financial Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
HSBC
--
Banks Industry
- Max
- --
- Q3
- --
- Median
- --
- Q1
- --
- Min
- --
For the Banks industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
BRK.A
0.18
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 4.93
- Q3
- 2.07
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.13
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Financial Services industry.
HSBC
1.62
Banks Industry
- Max
- 4.88
- Q3
- 2.50
- Median
- 1.11
- Q1
- 0.38
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Banks industry.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
BRK.A
0.57
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 136.23
- Q3
- 56.08
- Median
- 5.01
- Q1
- 1.23
- Min
- -44.62
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial Services industry.
HSBC
--
Banks Industry
- Max
- --
- Q3
- --
- Median
- --
- Q1
- --
- Min
- --
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Banks industry.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.36 | -- |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.09 | -- |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.18 | 1.62 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 0.57 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Revenue Growth at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (MRQ vs Prior YoY) | -0.72% | 15.51% |
| Revenue Growth (TTM vs Prior YoY) | 0.00% | 109.08% |
| 3-Year Revenue CAGR | 7.14% | 0.22% |
| 5-Year Revenue CAGR | 8.63% | 6.08% |
EPS Growth
EPS Growth at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| EPS Growth (MRQ vs Prior YoY) | -2.51% | 2.77% |
| EPS Growth (TTM vs Prior YoY) | -24.78% | 12.26% |
| 3-Year EPS CAGR | -- | 17.72% |
| 5-Year EPS CAGR | 11.79% | 37.51% |
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
BRK.A
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.19%
- Q3
- 3.59%
- Median
- 1.71%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BRK.A 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.
HSBC
4.35%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 9.70%
- Q3
- 5.27%
- Median
- 3.50%
- Q1
- 2.25%
- Min
- 0.00%
HSBC’s Dividend Yield of 4.35% is consistent with its peers in the Banks industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
BRK.A
0.00%
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 124.83%
- Q3
- 56.71%
- Median
- 18.23%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
BRK.A 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.
HSBC
139.32%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 145.92%
- Q3
- 79.32%
- Median
- 51.45%
- Q1
- 34.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
HSBC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 139.32% is above 100%. This means the company is paying out more in dividends than it earned, a practice that is often unsustainable and could indicate a risk to future dividend stability.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 4.35% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 139.32% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
BRK.A
15.43
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 53.03
- Q3
- 28.17
- Median
- 12.46
- Q1
- 8.35
- Min
- 0.40
BRK.A’s P/E Ratio of 15.43 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.
HSBC
13.88
Banks Industry
- Max
- 23.10
- Q3
- 14.48
- Median
- 11.24
- Q1
- 8.55
- Min
- 2.88
HSBC’s P/E Ratio of 13.88 is within the middle range for the Banks 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)
BRK.A
2.78
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.73
- Q3
- 4.67
- Median
- 2.47
- Q1
- 0.97
- Min
- 0.03
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial Services industry.
HSBC
1.74
Banks Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 3.08
- Median
- 2.19
- Q1
- 1.56
- Min
- 0.39
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
BRK.A
1.51
Financial Services Industry
- Max
- 7.41
- Q3
- 3.60
- Median
- 1.51
- Q1
- 0.99
- Min
- 0.06
BRK.A’s P/B Ratio of 1.51 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.
HSBC
1.45
Banks Industry
- Max
- 2.38
- Q3
- 1.55
- Median
- 1.18
- Q1
- 0.93
- Min
- 0.10
HSBC’s P/B Ratio of 1.45 is within the conventional range for the Banks 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | BRK.A | HSBC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 15.43 | 13.88 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.78 | 1.74 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 1.51 | 1.45 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 41.27 | 12.34 |