Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) vs Walmart Inc. (WMT) 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 | WMT | 4.7% revenue growth vs EPC's -1.3% |
| Value | EPC | Lower P/E (11.8x vs 43.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | WMT | 3.3% net margin vs EPC's -1.8% |
| Stability / Safety | WMT | Beta 0.53 vs EPC's 0.62, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EPC | 2.7% yield, 2-year raise streak, vs WMT's 0.7% |
| Momentum (1Y) | WMT | +30.7% vs EPC's -25.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | WMT | 7.9% ROA vs EPC's -1.0%, ROIC 14.7% vs 2.6% |
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
Edgewell Personal Care is a consumer goods company that manufactures and sells personal care products across three main categories. It generates revenue primarily from wet shave products (~50% of sales), sun and skin care (~30%), and feminine care products (~20%) under brands like Schick, Banana Boat, and Playtex. The company's competitive advantage lies in its portfolio of established, trusted brands with strong shelf presence in retail channels worldwide.
Walmart is the world's largest retailer operating a vast network of physical stores and e-commerce platforms. It generates revenue primarily through retail sales — with Walmart U.S. contributing about 65% of total revenue, Walmart International around 20%, and Sam's Club membership warehouse clubs roughly 15%. Its key competitive advantage is massive scale and supply chain efficiency, enabling everyday low prices that competitors struggle to match.
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
WMT leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). EPC leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WMT is the larger business by revenue, generating $703.1B annually — 324.3x EPC's $2.2B. WMT is the more profitable business, keeping 3.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EPC's -1.8%. On growth, WMT holds the edge at +5.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EPCEdgewell Personal… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $2.2B | $703.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $164M | $42.8B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$38M | $22.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $36M | $15.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +41.3% | +24.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +3.5% | +4.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -1.8% | +3.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +1.7% | +2.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.6% | +5.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -31.7% | +35.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 42.9x trailing earnings, EPC trades at a 8% valuation discount to WMT's 46.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, EPC's 12.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WMT's 24.4x.
| Metric | EPCEdgewell Personal… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.1B | $1.02T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.4B | $1.08T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 42.91x | 46.87x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.82x | 43.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 4.26x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.83x | 24.44x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.48x | 1.43x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.70x | 10.27x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 25.66x | 24.53x |
Profitability & Efficiency
WMT delivers a 22.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $-3 for EPC. WMT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.67x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EPC's 0.99x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), WMT scores 6/9 vs EPC's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | EPCEdgewell Personal… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.6% | +22.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -1.0% | +7.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.6% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.0% | +17.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.99x | 0.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.3B | $56.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $226M | $10.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.5B | $67.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 0.84x | 11.85x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in WMT five years ago would be worth $30,135 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,327 for EPC. Over the past 12 months, WMT leads with a +30.7% total return vs EPC's -25.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WMT at 40.2% vs EPC's -16.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EPCEdgewell Personal… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +34.9% | +13.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -25.8% | +30.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -42.5% | +175.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -16.7% | +201.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -66.1% | +512.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -16.9% | +40.2% |
Risk & Volatility
WMT is the less volatile stock with a 0.53 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than EPC's 0.62 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WMT currently trades 95.0% from its 52-week high vs EPC's 69.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EPCEdgewell Personal… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.62x | 0.53x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $32.96 | $134.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $15.88 | $79.81 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +69.0% | +95.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 72.6 | 49.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 558K | 29.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EPC as "Hold" and WMT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 6.5% upside for WMT (target: $136) vs -0.3% for EPC (target: $23). For income investors, EPC offers the higher dividend yield at 2.71% vs WMT's 0.73%.
| Metric | EPCEdgewell Personal… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $22.67 | $136.31 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 17 | 64 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.7% | +0.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 37 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.62 | $0.94 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +8.5% | +0.8% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewell Personal C… (EPC) | 100 | 59.89 | -40.1% |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | 100 | 321.15 | +221.1% |
Walmart Inc. (WMT) returned +201% over 5 years vs Edgewell Personal C… (EPC)'s -17%. A $10,000 investment in WMT 5 years ago would be worth $30,135 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewell Personal C… (EPC) | $2.3B | $2.2B | -3.3% |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | $485.9B | $713.2B | +46.8% |
Walmart Inc.'s revenue grew from $485.9B (2017) to $713.2B (2026) — a 4.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewell Personal C… (EPC) | 0.2% | 1.1% | +360.6% |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | 2.8% | 3.1% | +9.3% |
Walmart Inc.'s net margin went from 3% (2017) to 3% (2026).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewell Personal C… (EPC) | 19.7 | 32.2 | +63.5% |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | 22.5 | 46.9 | +108.4% |
Edgewell Personal Care Company has traded in a 17x–32x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~43x. Walmart Inc. has traded in a 23x–53x P/E range over 10 years; current trailing P/E is ~47x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Edgewell Personal C… (EPC) | 0.1 | 0.53 | +430.0% |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | 1.46 | 2.73 | +87.0% |
Walmart Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.46 (2017) to $2.73 (2026) — a 7% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Edgewell Personal Care Company generated $41M FCF in 2025 (-76% vs 2021). Walmart Inc. generated $42B FCF in 2026 (+61% vs 2021).
EPC vs WMT: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPC or WMT a better buy right now?
Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) offers the better valuation at 42.9x trailing P/E (11.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Walmart Inc. (WMT) a "Buy" — based on 64 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 — EPC or WMT?
On trailing P/E, Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) is the cheapest at 42.9x versus Walmart Inc. at 46.9x. On forward P/E, Edgewell Personal Care Company is actually cheaper at 11.8x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPC or WMT?
Over the past 5 years, Walmart Inc. (WMT) delivered a total return of +201.3%, compared to -16.7% for Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC). A $10,000 investment in WMT five years ago would be worth approximately $30K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMT returned +512.5% versus EPC's -66.1%. 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 — EPC or WMT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Walmart Inc. (WMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.53β versus Edgewell Personal Care Company's 0.62β — meaning EPC is approximately 18% more volatile than WMT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Walmart Inc. (WMT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 67% versus 99% for Edgewell Personal Care Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EPC or WMT?
Walmart Inc. (WMT) is the more profitable company, earning 3.1% net margin versus 1.1% for Edgewell Personal Care Company — meaning it keeps 3.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EPC leads at 4.3% versus 4.2% for WMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EPC leads at 41.6%, 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 EPC or WMT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) trades at 11.8x forward P/E versus 43.8x for Walmart Inc. — 31.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WMT: 6.5% to $136.31.
07Which pays a better dividend — EPC or WMT?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Edgewell Personal Care Company (EPC) offers the highest yield at 2.7%, versus 0.7% for Walmart Inc. (WMT).
08Is EPC or WMT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Walmart Inc. (WMT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.53), 0.7% yield, +512.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMT: +512.5%, EPC: -66.1%), 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 EPC and WMT?
Both stocks operate in the Consumer Defensive sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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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