Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Yatsen Holding Limited (YSG) vs Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | BABA | 5.9% revenue growth vs YSG's 0.8% |
| Value | YSG | Lower P/E (2.5x vs 3.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | BABA | 12.2% net margin vs YSG's -11.8% |
| Stability / Safety | BABA | Beta 0.90 vs YSG's 0.93 |
| Dividends | BABA | 1.2% yield; 2-year raise streak; YSG pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | YSG | +16.8% vs BABA's +10.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BABA | 6.5% ROA vs YSG's -11.9%, ROIC 9.6% vs -10.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Yatsen Holding is a Chinese beauty company that develops and sells color cosmetics, skincare, and beauty products under multiple brands including Perfect Diary, Little Ondine, and Galénic. It generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer online sales — via its own e-commerce platforms and third-party marketplaces — complemented by physical retail stores across China. The company's competitive advantage lies in its data-driven product development, strong digital marketing capabilities, and multi-brand portfolio that targets different consumer segments across China's beauty market.
Alibaba is a Chinese e-commerce and technology conglomerate that operates digital marketplaces connecting buyers and sellers. It generates revenue primarily from its core commerce segments — China Commerce (~65%) and International Commerce (~10%) — along with cloud services (~10%) and logistics through Cainiao. Its key competitive advantage is its massive ecosystem network effect, where its platforms like Taobao and Tmall create a self-reinforcing cycle of merchants and consumers that's difficult for competitors to replicate.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
BABA leads in 3 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). YSG leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BABA is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.01T annually — 248.8x YSG's $4.1B. BABA is the more profitable business, keeping 12.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to YSG's -11.8%. On growth, YSG holds the edge at +50.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | YSGYatsen Holding Li… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.1B | $1.01T |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$60M | $114.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$479M | $123.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $0 | $2.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +78.3% | +41.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -3.9% | +10.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -11.8% | +12.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -8.7% | +0.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +50.0% | +4.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +40.7% | -52.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | YSGYatsen Holding Li… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $2.66T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.6B | $2.67T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -4.36x | 18.44x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 2.52x | 3.42x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 104.23x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.33x | 18.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.00x | 2.19x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 233.68x |
Profitability & Efficiency
BABA delivers a 11.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $-16 for YSG. YSG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.05x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BABA's 0.23x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BABA scores 7/9 vs YSG's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | YSGYatsen Holding Li… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -15.9% | +11.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -11.9% | +6.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -10.9% | +9.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -11.1% | +10.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.05x | 0.23x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$668M | $66.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $817M | $181.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $149M | $248.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 15.74x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BABA five years ago would be worth $6,154 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $476 for YSG. Over the past 12 months, YSG leads with a +16.8% total return vs BABA's +10.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BABA at 19.2% vs YSG's -14.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | YSGYatsen Holding Li… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +5.0% | -7.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +16.8% | +10.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -37.3% | +69.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -95.2% | -38.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -95.2% | +116.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -14.4% | +19.2% |
Risk & Volatility
BABA is the less volatile stock with a 0.90 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than YSG's 0.93 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BABA currently trades 74.8% from its 52-week high vs YSG's 38.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | YSGYatsen Holding Li… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.93x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.57 | $192.67 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.30 | $95.73 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +38.5% | +74.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 61.6 | 33.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 92K | 10.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates YSG as "Hold" and BABA as "Buy". BABA is the only dividend payer here at 1.23% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | YSGYatsen Holding Li… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $188.62 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 3 | 58 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $12.14 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.2% | +0.5% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Nov 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yatsen Holding Limi… (YSG) | 100 | 4.47 | -95.5% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 100 | 63.78 | -36.2% |
Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) returned -38% over 5 years vs Yatsen Holding Limi… (YSG)'s -95%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yatsen Holding Limi… (YSG) | $660M | $3.4B | +421.4% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | $101.1B | $996.3B | +885.1% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's revenue grew from $101.1B (2016) to $996.3B (2025) — a 28.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yatsen Holding Limi… (YSG) | -6.3% | -20.9% | -230.4% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 70.7% | 13.1% | -81.5% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's net margin went from 71% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 8.8 | 2.7 | -69.3% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited has traded in a 2x–9x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yatsen Holding Limi… (YSG) | -0.05 | -7 | -13157.6% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 34 | 53.6 | +57.6% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's EPS grew from $34.00 (2016) to $53.60 (2025) — a 5% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Yatsen Holding Limited generated $-301M FCF in 2024 (+75% vs 2021). Alibaba Group Holding Limited generated $78B FCF in 2025 (-57% vs 2021).
YSG vs BABA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is YSG or BABA a better buy right now?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) offers the better valuation at 18.4x trailing P/E (3.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) a "Buy" — based on 58 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — YSG or BABA?
On forward P/E, Yatsen Holding Limited is actually cheaper at 2.5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — YSG or BABA?
Over the past 5 years, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) delivered a total return of -38.5%, compared to -95.2% for Yatsen Holding Limited (YSG). A $10,000 investment in BABA five years ago would be worth approximately $6K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BABA returned +116.1% versus YSG's -95.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — YSG or BABA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.90β versus Yatsen Holding Limited's 0.93β — meaning YSG is approximately 3% more volatile than BABA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Yatsen Holding Limited (YSG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 5% versus 23% for Alibaba Group Holding Limited — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — YSG or BABA?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the more profitable company, earning 13.1% net margin versus -20.9% for Yatsen Holding Limited — meaning it keeps 13.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BABA leads at 14.1% versus -12.4% for YSG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — YSG leads at 77.1%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is YSG or BABA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Yatsen Holding Limited (YSG) trades at 2.5x forward P/E versus 3.4x for Alibaba Group Holding Limited — 0.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — YSG or BABA?
In this comparison, BABA (1.2% yield) pays a dividend. YSG does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is YSG or BABA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.90), 1.2% yield, +116.1% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BABA: +116.1%, YSG: -95.2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between YSG and BABA?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Cyclical sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. BABA pays a dividend while YSG does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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