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META vs. WMT: Meta Platforms vs. Walmart Stock Comparison

How do Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT) 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

Meta Platforms (META) is classified in the Communication Services sector (Media & Entertainment), whereas Walmart (WMT) belongs to Consumer Staples (Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
Profile ItemMETAWMT
NameMeta Platforms Inc. Class A Common StockWalmart Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorCommunication ServicesConsumer Staples
GICS Industry GroupMedia & EntertainmentConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesConsumer Staples Distribution & Retail
GICS Sub-IndustryInteractive Media & ServicesConsumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Market Capitalization1,560.05 billion USD998.90 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateMay 18, 2012August 25, 1972
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

META
WMT
GSPC
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT), 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

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Trailing total returns for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
Total Return (1Y)3.46%23.19%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)26.39%33.27%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)14.05%21.72%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

META
WMT
GSPC
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT), 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)41.68%26.96%
Beta (5Y)1.260.52
Max Drawdown (5Y)-74.42%-25.74%
Avg. Volume (3M)20.91M23.66M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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META and WMT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.020.70
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.031.00

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 32.26% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Walmart (WMT) at 22.31% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for META.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

32.26%

Max
49.92%
META
32.26%
Q3
17.95%
Median
7.20%
Q1
-4.53%
Min
-26.31%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

22.31%

Max
33.48%
WMT
22.31%
Q3
22.31%
Median
15.57%
Q1
7.66%
Min
-2.27%
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 31.15% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Walmart (WMT) at 3.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

31.15%

Max
32.91%
META
31.15%
Q3
11.75%
Median
5.04%
Q1
-4.17%
Min
-25.14%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.00%

Max
5.45%
Q3
3.42%
WMT
3.00%
Median
2.44%
Q1
1.86%
Min
-0.06%
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 35.41% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Walmart (WMT) at 3.45%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

35.41%

Max
40.16%
META
35.41%
Q3
18.72%
Median
8.63%
Q1
1.90%
Min
-22.08%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

3.45%

Max
6.81%
Q3
5.49%
Median
3.84%
WMT
3.45%
Q1
2.00%
Min
0.97%
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
ROE (TTM)32.26%22.31%
ROA (TTM)14.58%6.41%
Net Margin (TTM)31.15%3.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)35.41%3.45%
Gross Margin (TTM)81.03%24.84%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Meta Platforms (META) at 22.17% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Walmart (WMT) at 4.73% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for META.

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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Meta Platforms (META) at -1.55% and Walmart (WMT) at 13.28% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
Revenue Growth (YoY)22.17%4.73%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)19.89%5.27%
EPS Growth (YoY)-1.55%13.28%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)39.84%24.25%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Meta Platforms (META) at 1.90 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Walmart (WMT) at 0.77 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for WMT.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

1.90

Max
4.69
Q3
2.53
META
1.90
Median
1.52
Q1
0.95
Min
0.28

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.77

Max
2.04
Q3
1.45
Median
1.17
Q1
1.00
WMT
0.77
Min
0.69
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Meta Platforms (META) at 0.42 and Walmart (WMT) at 0.72 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.42

Max
3.65
Q3
1.69
Median
0.46
META
0.42
Q1
0.17
Min
0.00

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.72

Max
2.59
Q3
1.83
Median
1.24
WMT
0.72
Q1
0.63
Min
0.01
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.900.77
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.420.72
Net Debt / EBITDA0.281.44

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Meta Platforms (META) at 0.35% and Walmart (WMT) at 0.76% pay solid, industry-typical yields, sitting squarely within their peers’ usual range.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

0.35%

Max
1.33%
Q3
0.65%
META
0.35%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

0.76%

Max
2.90%
Q3
1.72%
WMT
0.76%
Median
0.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 7.16% pays out a band-typical share of earnings, while Walmart (WMT) at 34.96% distributes more than its industry norm — less retained, thinner cover.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

7.16%

Max
71.43%
Q3
28.98%
META
7.16%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

34.96%

Max
57.98%
WMT
34.96%
Q3
30.05%
Median
11.72%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.35%0.76%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)7.16%34.96%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Meta Platforms (META) at 20.82 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Walmart (WMT) at 45.48 sits in the richer quartile — WMT needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

20.82

Max
51.21
Q3
28.90
META
20.82
Median
17.98
Q1
11.53
Min
1.64

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

45.48

Max
50.75
WMT
45.48
Q3
33.64
Median
22.19
Q1
16.09
Min
9.28
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both Meta Platforms (META) at 6.46 and Walmart (WMT) at 1.36 command a richer price per dollar of sales than most peers, sitting in the upper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

6.46

Max
7.43
META
6.46
Q3
3.82
Median
1.40
Q1
0.70
Min
0.00

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

1.36

Max
1.54
WMT
1.36
Q3
0.81
Median
0.47
Q1
0.26
Min
0.02
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Meta Platforms (META) at 5.73 and Walmart (WMT) at 10.15 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

META

Media & Entertainment industry group

5.73

Max
11.45
META
5.73
Q3
5.30
Median
1.84
Q1
0.77
Min
-2.61

WMT

Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group

10.15

WMT
10.15
Max
10.15
Q3
6.27
Median
3.70
Q1
1.85
Min
0.93
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Meta Platforms (META) vs. Walmart (WMT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Media & Entertainment and Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Meta Platforms (META) and Walmart (WMT)
MetricMETAWMT
P/E Ratio (TTM)20.8245.48
P/S Ratio (TTM)6.461.36
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.7310.15
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.08%0.71%