Seek Returns

GOOGL vs. META: Alphabet vs. Meta Platforms Stock Comparison

How do Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META) 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

Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META) are both classified in the Interactive Media & Services sub-industry within the broader Interactive Media & Services industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
Profile ItemGOOGLMETA
NameAlphabet Inc.Meta Platforms Inc Class A
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorCommunication ServicesCommunication Services
GICS Industry GroupMedia & EntertainmentMedia & Entertainment
GICS IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesInteractive Media & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesInteractive Media & Services
Market Capitalization4,471.75 billion USD1,523.79 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateAugust 19, 2004May 18, 2012
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GOOGL
META
GSPC
Loading price history…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
Total Return (1Y)104.70%-16.24%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)45.47%27.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)23.98%11.41%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GOOGL
META
GSPC
Loading price history…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.90%37.70%
Beta (5Y)1.241.24
Max Drawdown (5Y)-44.32%-76.74%
Avg. Volume (3M)31.42M17.22M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
GOOGL and META 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 Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)3.37-0.54
Sortino Ratio (1Y)6.28-0.77

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 38.89% and Meta Platforms (META) at 32.93% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

38.89%

GOOGL
38.89%
Max
38.89%
Q3
15.20%
Median
6.10%
Q1
-4.21%
Min
-29.59%

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

32.93%

Max
38.89%
META
32.93%
Q3
15.20%
Median
6.10%
Q1
-4.21%
Min
-29.59%
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their ROE against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 37.92% and Meta Platforms (META) at 32.84% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

37.92%

GOOGL
37.92%
Max
30.77%
Q3
10.56%
Median
3.23%
Q1
-3.26%
Min
-20.69%

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

32.84%

META
32.84%
Max
30.77%
Q3
10.56%
Median
3.23%
Q1
-3.26%
Min
-20.69%
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their net margin against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 36.12% and Meta Platforms (META) at 40.62% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

36.12%

Max
41.37%
GOOGL
36.12%
Q3
16.45%
Median
7.14%
Q1
-3.48%
Min
-27.39%

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

40.62%

Max
41.37%
META
40.62%
Q3
16.45%
Median
7.14%
Q1
-3.48%
Min
-27.39%
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their operating margin against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
ROE (TTM)38.89%32.93%
ROA (TTM)14.64%16.40%
Net Margin (TTM)37.92%32.84%
Operating Margin (TTM)36.12%40.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)60.37%81.94%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
Revenue Growth (YoY)15.09%22.17%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)12.51%19.89%

EPS Growth

Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
EPS Growth (YoY)34.45%-1.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)33.34%39.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Alphabet (GOOGL) at 1.92 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Meta Platforms (META) at 2.35 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets relative to peers.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

1.92

Max
4.37
Q3
2.34
GOOGL
1.92
Median
1.40
Q1
0.90
Min
0.31

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

2.35

Max
4.37
META
2.35
Q3
2.34
Median
1.40
Q1
0.90
Min
0.31
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their current ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.20 and Meta Platforms (META) at 0.36 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.20

Max
2.46
Q3
1.20
Median
0.47
GOOGL
0.20
Q1
0.15
Min
0.00

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.36

Max
2.46
Q3
1.20
Median
0.47
META
0.36
Q1
0.15
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.922.35
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.200.36
Net Debt / EBITDA-0.190.05

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 0.23% and Meta Platforms (META) at 0.36% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.23%

Max
2.03%
Q3
0.99%
GOOGL
0.23%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.36%

Max
2.03%
Q3
0.99%
META
0.36%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 6.41% and Meta Platforms (META) at 7.64% keep payout ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges — dividend policies that share earnings without consuming too much of them.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

6.41%

Max
45.76%
Q3
20.83%
GOOGL
6.41%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

7.64%

Max
45.76%
Q3
20.83%
META
7.64%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.23%0.36%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)6.41%7.64%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 27.97 and Meta Platforms (META) at 21.82 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

27.97

Max
77.46
Q3
40.32
GOOGL
27.97
Median
22.49
Q1
12.83
Min
1.64

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

21.82

Max
77.46
Q3
40.32
Median
22.49
META
21.82
Q1
12.83
Min
1.64
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on sales: Meta Platforms (META) at 7.09 sits in the upper P/S ratio quartile, and Alphabet (GOOGL) at 10.58 prices even higher, above its industry range.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

10.58

GOOGL
10.58
Max
8.62
Q3
4.09
Median
1.51
Q1
0.64
Min
0.00

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

7.09

Max
8.62
META
7.09
Q3
4.09
Median
1.51
Q1
0.64
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alphabet (GOOGL) at 9.27 and Meta Platforms (META) at 6.25 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

GOOGL

Media & Entertainment industry group

9.27

Max
10.92
GOOGL
9.27
Q3
5.28
Median
1.91
Q1
0.77
Min
-3.80

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

6.25

Max
10.92
META
6.25
Q3
5.28
Median
1.91
Q1
0.77
Min
-3.80
Loading chart…
Alphabet (GOOGL) vs. Meta Platforms (META): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Media & Entertainment industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alphabet (GOOGL) and Meta Platforms (META)
MetricGOOGLMETA
P/E Ratio (TTM)27.9721.82
P/S Ratio (TTM)10.587.09
P/B Ratio (MRQ)9.276.25
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)0.62%1.68%