GOOGL vs. WFC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at GOOGL and WFC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
| Symbol | GOOGL | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Alphabet Inc. | Wells Fargo & Company |
| Country | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Communication Services | Financials |
| GICS Industry | Interactive Media & Services | Banks |
| Market Capitalization | 3,489.62 billion USD | 271.16 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | August 19, 2004 | June 1, 1972 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of GOOGL and WFC 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 | GOOGL | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.16% | -1.22% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 40.06% | 10.31% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 72.35% | 11.92% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 62.33% | 16.88% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.36% | -2.21% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 50.57% | 21.08% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 32.08M | 15.24M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 34.66M | 15.59M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 31.14% | 25.81% |
| Beta | 1.10 | 1.12 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
GOOGL
35.00%
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 51.86%
- Q3
- 34.65%
- Median
- 13.84%
- Q1
- 6.07%
- Min
- -21.93%
In the upper quartile for the Interactive Media & Services industry, GOOGL’s Return on Equity of 35.00% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
WFC
11.66%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 25.75%
- Q3
- 15.51%
- Median
- 11.91%
- Q1
- 8.65%
- Min
- -1.41%
WFC’s Return on Equity of 11.66% is on par with the norm for the Banks industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
GOOGL
32.23%
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 49.74%
- Q3
- 30.89%
- Median
- 20.53%
- Q1
- 7.75%
- Min
- -11.99%
A Net Profit Margin of 32.23% places GOOGL in the upper quartile for the Interactive Media & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
WFC
22.19%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 54.20%
- Q3
- 35.60%
- Median
- 28.95%
- Q1
- 22.27%
- Min
- 2.66%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Banks industry, WFC’s Net Profit Margin of 22.19% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
GOOGL
32.19%
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 65.96%
- Q3
- 35.84%
- Median
- 19.27%
- Q1
- 12.16%
- Min
- -18.13%
GOOGL’s Operating Profit Margin of 32.19% is around the midpoint for the Interactive Media & Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
WFC
25.35%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 63.35%
- Q3
- 44.30%
- Median
- 37.14%
- Q1
- 28.21%
- Min
- 12.28%
WFC’s Operating Profit Margin of 25.35% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | GOOGL | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 35.00% | 11.66% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 25.30% | 1.06% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.23% | 22.19% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 32.19% | 25.35% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 59.17% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
GOOGL
1.75
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.92
- Q3
- 2.52
- Median
- 1.78
- Q1
- 1.25
- Min
- 0.25
GOOGL’s Current Ratio of 1.75 aligns with the median group of the Interactive Media & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
WFC
--
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)
GOOGL
0.06
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 0.87
- Q3
- 0.52
- Median
- 0.30
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
GOOGL’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.06 is typical for the Interactive Media & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
WFC
2.25
Banks Industry
- Max
- 5.78
- Q3
- 2.55
- Median
- 0.94
- Q1
- 0.39
- 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)
GOOGL
16.20
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 16.48
- Q3
- 16.48
- Median
- 6.73
- Q1
- -0.50
- Min
- -3.62
GOOGL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 16.20 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Interactive Media & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
WFC
--
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 | GOOGL | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.75 | -- |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.75 | -- |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.06 | 2.25 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 16.20 | -- |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
GOOGL
0.29%
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.24%
- Q3
- 1.57%
- Median
- 0.29%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GOOGL’s Dividend Yield of 0.29% is consistent with its peers in the Interactive Media & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WFC
2.40%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 9.92%
- Q3
- 5.44%
- Median
- 3.78%
- Q1
- 2.38%
- Min
- 0.00%
WFC’s Dividend Yield of 2.40% is consistent with its peers in the Banks industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
GOOGL
8.01%
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 101.53%
- Q3
- 41.32%
- Median
- 8.01%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GOOGL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 8.01% is within the typical range for the Interactive Media & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
WFC
30.73%
Banks Industry
- Max
- 135.42%
- Q3
- 78.13%
- Median
- 52.54%
- Q1
- 35.48%
- Min
- 0.00%
WFC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 30.73% is in the lower quartile for the Banks industry. This suggests a conservative dividend policy, with a strategic focus on reinvesting profits for future growth.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | GOOGL | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.29% | 2.40% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 8.01% | 30.73% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
GOOGL
27.90
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 45.88
- Q3
- 35.11
- Median
- 24.08
- Q1
- 16.48
- Min
- 1.73
GOOGL’s P/E Ratio of 27.90 is within the middle range for the Interactive Media & 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.
WFC
12.83
Banks Industry
- Max
- 21.36
- Q3
- 13.70
- Median
- 10.55
- Q1
- 8.08
- Min
- 2.84
WFC’s P/E Ratio of 12.83 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)
GOOGL
8.99
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 18.66
- Q3
- 9.65
- Median
- 5.89
- Q1
- 2.17
- Min
- 0.00
GOOGL’s P/S Ratio of 8.99 aligns with the market consensus for the Interactive Media & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
WFC
1.91
Banks Industry
- Max
- 4.90
- Q3
- 2.97
- Median
- 2.24
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.45
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Banks industry.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
GOOGL
7.61
Interactive Media & Services Industry
- Max
- 16.71
- Q3
- 8.07
- Median
- 4.11
- Q1
- 1.91
- Min
- 0.16
GOOGL’s P/B Ratio of 7.61 is within the conventional range for the Interactive Media & 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.
WFC
1.46
Banks Industry
- Max
- 2.14
- Q3
- 1.43
- Median
- 1.13
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.25
WFC’s P/B Ratio of 1.46 is in the upper tier for the Banks 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 | GOOGL | WFC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 27.90 | 12.83 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 8.99 | 1.91 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 7.61 | 1.46 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 47.13 | 17.82 |