Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) vs Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) vs Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) 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 | AMZN | 12.4% revenue growth vs BABA's 5.9% |
| Value | BABA | Lower P/E (3.4x vs 35.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | BABA | 12.2% net margin vs FIVE's 7.0% |
| Stability / Safety | BABA | Beta 0.90 vs FIVE's 1.78, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BABA | 1.2% yield; 2-year raise streak; FIVE, AMZN pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | FIVE | +157.3% vs AMZN's -1.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AMZN | 9.5% ROA vs FIVE's 6.4%, ROIC 14.7% vs 7.4% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Five Below is a specialty value retailer targeting teens and pre-teens with trendy merchandise priced at $5 or less. It generates revenue primarily from retail store sales — over 1,400 locations across the U.S. — with a broad product mix spanning accessories, tech gadgets, games, and seasonal items. The company's competitive advantage lies in its disciplined price-point focus and treasure-hunt shopping experience that drives high foot traffic and repeat visits.
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.
Amazon is a global e-commerce and technology giant that operates online marketplaces, physical stores, and cloud computing services. It generates revenue primarily from online retail sales (~80% of total), Amazon Web Services cloud computing (~15%), and advertising/subscription services like Prime. Its key competitive advantage is an immense logistics network and data infrastructure moat—including AWS's dominant cloud position—that creates massive scale economies and ecosystem lock-in.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AMZN leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). FIVE leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BABA is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.01T annually — 228.6x FIVE's $4.4B. BABA is the more profitable business, keeping 12.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to FIVE's 7.0%. On growth, FIVE holds the edge at +23.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | FIVEFive Below, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4.4B | $1.01T | $716.9B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $582M | $114.6B | $126.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $308M | $123.4B | $77.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $323M | $2.6B | $7.7B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +33.4% | +41.2% | +50.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +8.9% | +10.9% | +11.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +7.0% | +12.2% | +10.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +7.3% | +0.3% | +1.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +23.1% | +4.8% | +13.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +21.0% | -52.0% | +4.8% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.4x trailing earnings, BABA trades at a 62% valuation discount to FIVE's 48.6x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), AMZN offers better value at 1.05x vs FIVE's 6.02x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | FIVEFive Below, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $12.3B | $2.66T | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $14.0B | $2.67T | $2.32T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 48.59x | 18.44x | 29.29x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 35.34x | 3.42x | 27.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 6.02x | — | 1.05x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 28.46x | 104.23x | 18.38x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.18x | 18.33x | 3.14x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.82x | 2.19x | 5.55x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 115.60x | 233.68x | 292.96x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AMZN delivers a 18.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $19 in annual profit, vs $11 for BABA. BABA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.23x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to FIVE's 1.10x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BABA scores 7/9 vs FIVE's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | FIVEFive Below, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +15.8% | +11.1% | +18.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.4% | +6.5% | +9.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +7.4% | +9.6% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.6% | +10.4% | +15.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.10x | 0.23x | 0.37x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.6B | $66.8B | $66.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $332M | $181.7B | $86.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.0B | $248.5B | $153.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 15.74x | 42.78x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth $13,349 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,154 for BABA. Over the past 12 months, FIVE leads with a +157.3% total return vs AMZN's -1.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMZN at 30.6% vs FIVE's 3.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | FIVEFive Below, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +15.5% | -7.5% | -7.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +157.3% | +10.2% | -1.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +9.4% | +69.4% | +122.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +15.2% | -38.5% | +33.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +482.9% | +116.1% | +660.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +3.0% | +19.2% | +30.6% |
Risk & Volatility
BABA is the less volatile stock with a 0.90 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than FIVE's 1.78 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. FIVE currently trades 97.6% from its 52-week high vs BABA's 74.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | FIVEFive Below, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.78x | 0.90x | 1.31x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $229.08 | $192.67 | $258.60 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $52.38 | $95.73 | $161.38 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +97.6% | +74.8% | +81.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 74.3 | 33.4 | 39.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 869K | 10.2M | 40.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: FIVE as "Buy", BABA as "Buy", AMZN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 35.2% upside for AMZN (target: $284) vs -5.1% for FIVE (target: $212). BABA is the only dividend payer here at 1.23% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | FIVEFive Below, Inc. | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… | AMZNAmazon.com, Inc. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $212.19 | $188.62 | $283.97 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 49 | 58 | 94 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.2% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 2 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $12.14 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | +0.5% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) | 100 | 201.67 | +101.7% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 100 | 79.81 | -20.2% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 100 | 248.68 | +148.7% |
Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) returned +33% over 5 years vs Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA)'s -38%. A $10,000 investment in AMZN 5 years ago would be worth $13,349 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) | $1.0B | $3.9B | +287.5% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | $101.1B | $996.3B | +885.1% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | $136.0B | $716.9B | +427.2% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) | 7.2% | 6.5% | -8.9% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 70.7% | 13.1% | -81.5% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 1.7% | 10.8% | +521.4% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) | 36 | 22.8 | -36.7% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 8.8 | 2.7 | -69.3% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 188.6 | 32.2 | -82.9% |
Five Below, Inc. has traded in a 23x–80x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~49x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) | 1.3 | 4.6 | +253.8% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 34 | 53.6 | +57.6% |
| Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) | 0.25 | 7.17 | +2768.0% |
Alibaba Group Holding Limited's EPS grew from $34.00 (2016) to $53.60 (2025) — a 5% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Five Below, Inc. generated $107M FCF in 2024 (+168% vs 2021). Alibaba Group Holding Limited generated $78B FCF in 2025 (-57% vs 2021).
FIVE vs BABA vs AMZN: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is FIVE or BABA or AMZN 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 Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) a "Buy" — based on 49 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 — FIVE or BABA or AMZN?
On trailing P/E, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the cheapest at 18.4x versus Five Below, Inc. at 48.6x. On forward P/E, Alibaba Group Holding Limited is actually cheaper at 3.4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Amazon.com, Inc. wins at 0.97x versus Five Below, Inc.'s 4.38x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — FIVE or BABA or AMZN?
Over the past 5 years, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) delivered a total return of +33.5%, compared to -38.5% for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA). A $10,000 investment in AMZN five years ago would be worth approximately $13K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMZN returned +660.0% versus BABA's +116.1%. 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 — FIVE or BABA or AMZN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.90β versus Five Below, Inc.'s 1.78β — meaning FIVE is approximately 98% more volatile than BABA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 110% for Five Below, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — FIVE or BABA or AMZN?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the more profitable company, earning 13.1% net margin versus 6.5% for Five Below, Inc. — 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 8.4% for FIVE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMZN leads at 50.3%, 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 FIVE or BABA or AMZN more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Amazon.com, Inc. (AMZN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.97x versus Five Below, Inc.'s 4.38x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) trades at 3.4x forward P/E versus 35.3x for Five Below, Inc. — 31.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMZN: 35.2% to $283.97.
07Which pays a better dividend — FIVE or BABA or AMZN?
In this comparison, BABA (1.2% yield) pays a dividend. FIVE, AMZN do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is FIVE or BABA or AMZN 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). Five Below, Inc. (FIVE) carries a higher beta of 1.78 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BABA: +116.1%, FIVE: +482.9%), 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 FIVE and BABA and AMZN?
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 FIVE, AMZN do 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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