Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA)vsCostco Wholesale Corp (COST)
BABA
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
$129.87
+3.50%
CONSUMER CYCLICAL · Cap: $299.57B
COST
Costco Wholesale Corp
$974.86
+0.11%
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · Cap: $432.25B
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd generates 255% more annual revenue ($1.02T vs $286.27B). BABA leads profitability with a 8.9% profit margin vs 3.0%. BABA appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.56. COST earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 53/100 (C-).
BABA
Hold49
out of 100
Grade: D+
COST
Buy53
out of 100
Grade: C-
Intrinsic Value Comparison
Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula
Margin of Safety
-298.4%
Fair Value
$38.22
Current Price
$129.87
$91.65 premium
Margin of Safety
-74.7%
Fair Value
$558.15
Current Price
$974.86
$416.71 premium
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Generating 36.0B in free cash flow
Reasonable price relative to book value
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Safe zone — low bankruptcy risk
Every $100 of equity generates 30 in profit
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Generating 1.7B in free cash flow
Areas to Watch
Expensive relative to growth rate
1.7% revenue growth
Earnings declined 70.9%
Trading at 13.5x book value
3.0% margin — thin
Operating margin of 3.7%
Expensive relative to growth rate
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : BABA
The strongest argument for BABA centers on Market Cap, Free Cash Flow, Price/Book.
Bull Case : COST
The strongest argument for COST centers on Market Cap, Altman Z-Score, Return on Equity.
Bear Case : BABA
The primary concerns for BABA are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, EPS Growth.
Bear Case : COST
The primary concerns for COST are Price/Book, Profit Margin, Operating Margin. A P/E of 50.7x leaves little room for execution misses. Thin 3.0% margins leave little buffer for downturns.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
COST carries more volatility with a beta of 0.99 — expect wider price swings.
COST is growing revenue faster at 9.2% — sustainability is the question.
BABA generates stronger free cash flow (36.0B), providing more financial flexibility.
Monitor INTERNET RETAIL industry trends, competitive dynamics, and regulatory changes.
Bottom Line
COST scores higher overall (53/100 vs 49/100). Both earn "Buy" and "Hold" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd
CONSUMER CYCLICAL · INTERNET RETAIL · USA
Alibaba Group Holding Limited, also known as Alibaba Group and Alibaba.com, is a Chinese multinational technology company specializing in e-commerce, retail, Internet, and technology. Founded on 28 June 1999 in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, the company provides consumer-to-consumer (C2C), business-to-consumer (B2C), and business-to-business (B2B) sales services via web portals, as well as electronic payment services, shopping search engines and cloud computing services. It owns and operates a diverse portfolio of companies around the world in numerous business sectors.
Costco Wholesale Corp
CONSUMER DEFENSIVE · DISCOUNT STORES · USA
Costco Wholesale Corporation (doing business as Costco Wholesale and also known simply as Costco) is an American multinational corporation which operates a chain of membership-only (needing a membership to shop there) big-box retail stores. As of 2020, Costco was the fifth largest retailer in the world, and the world's largest retailer of choice and prime beef, organic foods, rotisserie chicken, and wine as of 2016.
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