WallStSmart

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd (BABA)vsMerck & Company Inc (MRK)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd generates 1464% more annual revenue ($1.02T vs $65.01B). MRK leads profitability with a 28.1% profit margin vs 8.9%. BABA appears more attractively valued with a PEG of 1.56. MRK earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 59/100 (C).

BABA

Hold

49

out of 100

Grade: D+

Growth: 4.0Profit: 6.0Value: 7.3Quality: 5.8
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: 2.39

MRK

Buy

59

out of 100

Grade: C

Growth: 4.0Profit: 9.5Value: 4.7Quality: 4.8
Piotroski: 3/9
IV

Intrinsic Value Comparison

Multi-model valuation · Graham Formula

BABASignificantly Overvalued (-298.4%)

Margin of Safety

-298.4%

Fair Value

$38.22

Current Price

$129.87

$91.65 premium

UndervaluedFair: $38.22Overvalued
MRKSignificantly Overvalued (-141.2%)

Margin of Safety

-141.2%

Fair Value

$49.50

Current Price

$119.37

$69.87 premium

UndervaluedFair: $49.50Overvalued

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

BABA3 strengths · Avg: 9.3/10
Market CapQuality
$299.57B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Free Cash FlowQuality
$36.03B10/10

Generating 36.0B in free cash flow

Price/BookValuation
2.0x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

MRK6 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Market CapQuality
$287.71B10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Return on EquityProfitability
36.9%10/10

Every $100 of equity generates 37 in profit

Operating MarginProfitability
32.8%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 32.8%

Profit MarginProfitability
28.1%9/10

Keeps 28 of every $100 in revenue as profit

P/E RatioValuation
16.0x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Free Cash FlowQuality
$1.82B8/10

Generating 1.8B in free cash flow

Areas to Watch

BABA3 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
PEG RatioValuation
1.564/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Revenue GrowthGrowth
1.7%4/10

1.7% revenue growth

EPS GrowthGrowth
-70.9%2/10

Earnings declined 70.9%

MRK3 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
3.492/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

EPS GrowthGrowth
-19.3%2/10

Earnings declined 19.3%

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : BABA

The strongest argument for BABA centers on Market Cap, Free Cash Flow, Price/Book.

Bull Case : MRK

The strongest argument for MRK centers on Market Cap, Return on Equity, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 28.1% and operating margin at 32.8%.

Bear Case : BABA

The primary concerns for BABA are PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth, EPS Growth.

Bear Case : MRK

The primary concerns for MRK are Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio, EPS Growth.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

BABA carries more volatility with a beta of 0.43 — expect wider price swings.

MRK is growing revenue faster at 5.0% — 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

MRK scores higher overall (59/100 vs 49/100), backed by strong 28.1% margins. 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.

Merck & Company Inc

HEALTHCARE · DRUG MANUFACTURERS - GENERAL · USA

Merck & Co. is an American multinational pharmaceutical company headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey. It is named after the Merck family, which set up Merck Group in Germany in 1668.

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