MO vs. UL: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at MO and UL, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
MO is a standard domestic listing, while UL trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | MO | UL |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Altria Group, Inc. | Unilever PLC |
| Country | United States | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Consumer Staples | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Tobacco | Personal Care Products |
| Market Capitalization | 111.36 billion USD | 146.74 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 2, 1962 | March 25, 1980 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of MO and UL 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 | MO | UL |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.43% | -1.73% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 12.67% | -2.54% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 14.39% | -3.23% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 29.40% | -8.94% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.71% | -0.64% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 26.33% | -3.87% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 8.81M | 2.88M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 8.44M | 2.11M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.20% | 15.26% |
| Beta | 0.58 | 0.18 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
MO
149.65%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 49.48%
- Q3
- 49.48%
- Median
- 13.16%
- Q1
- 5.02%
- Min
- 4.04%
MO’s Return on Equity of 149.65% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
UL
29.40%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 33.29%
- Q3
- 19.04%
- Median
- 10.69%
- Q1
- 3.26%
- Min
- -10.45%
In the upper quartile for the Personal Care Products industry, UL’s Return on Equity of 29.40% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
MO
37.24%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 21.36%
- Q3
- 16.88%
- Median
- 10.39%
- Q1
- 7.51%
- Min
- 4.74%
MO’s Net Profit Margin of 37.24% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
UL
9.29%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 14.65%
- Q3
- 10.84%
- Median
- 9.29%
- Q1
- 5.35%
- Min
- -0.14%
UL’s Net Profit Margin of 9.29% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Personal Care Products industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
MO
46.84%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 18.53%
- Q3
- 15.03%
- Median
- 11.76%
- Q1
- 11.00%
- Min
- 6.94%
MO’s Operating Profit Margin of 46.84% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Tobacco industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
UL
14.58%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 19.64%
- Q3
- 16.46%
- Median
- 12.80%
- Q1
- 8.01%
- Min
- 2.98%
UL’s Operating Profit Margin of 14.58% is around the midpoint for the Personal Care Products industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | MO | UL |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 149.65% | 29.40% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 25.57% | 7.13% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.24% | 9.29% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.84% | 14.58% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 61.41% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
MO
0.39
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 3.37
- Q3
- 1.84
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.39
MO’s Current Ratio of 0.39 falls into the lower quartile for the Tobacco industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
UL
0.76
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 4.03
- Q3
- 2.73
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- 1.16
- Min
- 0.76
UL’s Current Ratio of 0.76 falls into the lower quartile for the Personal Care Products 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)
MO
8.67
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 2.19
- Q3
- 2.19
- Median
- 0.58
- Q1
- 0.07
- Min
- 0.01
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 8.67, MO operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Tobacco industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
UL
1.80
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 1.80
- Q3
- 0.78
- Median
- 0.30
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
UL’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Personal Care Products industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.80. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
MO
36.48
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 306.04
- Q3
- 126.21
- Median
- 9.35
- Q1
- 6.32
- Min
- -11.45
MO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 36.48 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Tobacco industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
UL
22.79
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 96.53
- Q3
- 59.91
- Median
- 22.25
- Q1
- 7.85
- Min
- -3.28
UL’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.79 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Personal Care Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | MO | UL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.39 | 0.76 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.24 | 0.55 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 8.67 | 1.80 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 36.48 | 22.79 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
MO
6.23%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 6.77%
- Q3
- 6.12%
- Median
- 5.06%
- Q1
- 3.83%
- Min
- 0.57%
With a Dividend Yield of 6.23%, MO offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Tobacco industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
UL
3.56%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 4.99%
- Q3
- 2.70%
- Median
- 1.98%
- Q1
- 0.95%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 3.56%, UL offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Personal Care Products industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
MO
78.29%
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 78.29%
- Q3
- 75.97%
- Median
- 64.37%
- Q1
- 50.14%
- Min
- 49.96%
MO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 78.29% is in the upper quartile for the Tobacco industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
UL
79.51%
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 221.40%
- Q3
- 137.27%
- Median
- 70.48%
- Q1
- 51.10%
- Min
- 0.00%
UL’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 79.51% is within the typical range for the Personal Care Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | MO | UL |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 6.23% | 3.56% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 78.29% | 79.51% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
MO
12.57
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 44.17
- Q3
- 36.23
- Median
- 27.79
- Q1
- 11.97
- Min
- 9.91
MO’s P/E Ratio of 12.57 is within the middle range for the Tobacco industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
UL
22.31
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 46.28
- Q3
- 31.71
- Median
- 22.50
- Q1
- 20.20
- Min
- 11.79
UL’s P/E Ratio of 22.31 is within the middle range for the Personal Care Products 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)
MO
4.68
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 7.60
- Q3
- 5.15
- Median
- 2.97
- Q1
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.80
MO’s P/S Ratio of 4.68 aligns with the market consensus for the Tobacco industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
UL
2.07
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 2.59
- Q3
- 2.35
- Median
- 1.92
- Q1
- 1.18
- Min
- 0.00
UL’s P/S Ratio of 2.07 aligns with the market consensus for the Personal Care Products industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
MO
27.09
Tobacco Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 4.76
- Median
- 3.34
- Q1
- 1.97
- Min
- 1.05
At 27.09, MO’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Tobacco industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
UL
7.00
Personal Care Products Industry
- Max
- 12.00
- Q3
- 6.22
- Median
- 2.84
- Q1
- 1.70
- Min
- 1.12
UL’s P/B Ratio of 7.00 is in the upper tier for the Personal Care Products 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 | MO | UL |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 12.57 | 22.31 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.68 | 2.07 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 27.09 | 7.00 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 12.66 | 19.25 |