WallStSmart

Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-A)vsLive Oak Bancshares, Inc. (LOB)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Berkshire Hathaway Inc generates 73189% more annual revenue ($375.39B vs $512.21M). LOB leads profitability with a 24.6% profit margin vs 19.3%. BRK-A trades at a lower P/E of 14.7x. LOB earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 74/100 (B).

BRK-A

Buy

61

out of 100

Grade: C+

Growth: 6.7Profit: 6.5Value: 5.0Quality: 7.0
Piotroski: 4/9Altman Z: 2.59

LOB

Strong Buy

74

out of 100

Grade: B

Growth: 10.0Profit: 7.0Value: 6.0Quality: 5.0
Piotroski: 5/9Altman Z: -0.72

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

BRK-A6 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Market CapQuality
$1.07T10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Price/BookValuation
1.5x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

EPS GrowthGrowth
119.6%10/10

Earnings expanding 119.6% YoY

Debt/EquityHealth
0.189/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

P/E RatioValuation
14.7x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Free Cash FlowQuality
$5.45B8/10

Generating 5.5B in free cash flow

LOB6 strengths · Avg: 9.5/10
Operating MarginProfitability
35.5%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 35.5%

Revenue GrowthGrowth
33.5%10/10

Revenue surging 33.5% year-over-year

EPS GrowthGrowth
185.7%10/10

Earnings expanding 185.7% YoY

Debt/EquityHealth
0.0810/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

Profit MarginProfitability
24.6%9/10

Keeps 25 of every $100 in revenue as profit

P/E RatioValuation
15.6x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Areas to Watch

BRK-A2 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Revenue GrowthGrowth
4.4%4/10

4.4% revenue growth

PEG RatioValuation
9.682/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

LOB2 concerns · Avg: 2.5/10
Market CapQuality
$1.89B3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Altman Z-ScoreHealth
-0.722/10

Distress zone — elevated risk

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : BRK-A

The strongest argument for BRK-A centers on Market Cap, Price/Book, EPS Growth. Profitability is solid with margins at 19.3% and operating margin at 14.3%.

Bull Case : LOB

The strongest argument for LOB centers on Operating Margin, Revenue Growth, EPS Growth. Profitability is solid with margins at 24.6% and operating margin at 35.5%. Revenue growth of 33.5% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : BRK-A

The primary concerns for BRK-A are Revenue Growth, PEG Ratio.

Bear Case : LOB

The primary concerns for LOB are Market Cap, Altman Z-Score.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

BRK-A profiles as a value stock while LOB is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

LOB carries more volatility with a beta of 1.90 — expect wider price swings.

LOB is growing revenue faster at 33.5% — sustainability is the question.

BRK-A generates stronger free cash flow (5.5B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

LOB scores higher overall (74/100 vs 61/100), backed by strong 24.6% margins and 33.5% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.

This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · INSURANCE - DIVERSIFIED · USA

Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The company wholly owns GEICO, Duracell, Dairy Queen, BNSF, Lubrizol, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds, Long & Foster, FlightSafety International, Pampered Chef, Forest River, and NetJets, and also owns 38.6% of Pilot Flying J; and significant minority holdings in public companies Kraft Heinz Company (26.7%), American Express (18.8%), The Coca-Cola Company (9.32%), Bank of America (11.9%), and Apple (6.3%).

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Live Oak Bancshares, Inc.

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA

Live Oak Bancshares, Inc. is the banking holding company for Live Oak Banking Company offering a variety of commercial banking products and services to individuals, small businesses and professionals in North Carolina, United States. The company is headquartered in Wilmington, North Carolina.

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