HLF
Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
Packaged Foods
Market Cap$1.50B
5Y Perf.-66.9%
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Stock Comparison
HLF vs WMT
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
WMT
Walmart Inc.
Specialty Retail
Market Cap$1.04T
5Y Perf.+214.9%
HLF vs WMT — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | HLF | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Packaged Foods | Specialty Retail |
| Market Cap | $1.50B | $1.04T |
| Revenue (TTM) | $5.13B | $703.06B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $240M | $22.91B |
| Gross Margin | 76.5% | 24.9% |
| Operating Margin | 6.4% | 4.1% |
| Forward P/E | 5.6x | 44.7x |
| Total Debt | $2.34B | $67.09B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $353M | $10.73B |
HLF vs WMT — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
HLF
WMT
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Herbalife Nutrition… (HLF) | 100 | 33.1 | -66.9% |
| Walmart Inc. (WMT) | 100 | 314.9 | +214.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: HLF vs WMT
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: HLF leads in 4 of 7 categories, making it the strongest pick for valuation and capital efficiency and profitability and margin quality. Walmart Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
HLF
Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
The Value Play
HLF carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for value and quality.
- Lower P/E (5.6x vs 44.7x)
- 4.7% margin vs WMT's 3.3%
- +113.4% vs WMT's +32.7%
Best for: value and quality
WMT
Walmart Inc.
The Income Pick
WMT is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 37 yrs, beta 0.12, yield 0.7%
- Rev growth 4.7%, EPS growth 13.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 5.3%
- 499.5% 10Y total return vs HLF's -53.6%
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | WMT | 4.7% revenue growth vs HLF's 0.9% |
| Value | HLF | Lower P/E (5.6x vs 44.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | HLF | 4.7% margin vs WMT's 3.3% |
| Stability / Safety | WMT | Beta 0.12 vs HLF's 1.79 |
| Dividends | WMT | 0.7% yield; 37-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | HLF | +113.4% vs WMT's +32.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | HLF | 8.6% ROA vs WMT's 7.9%, ROIC 24.3% vs 14.7% |
HLF vs WMT — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2025
HLF vs WMT — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLHLFLAGGINGWMT
WMTWalmart Inc.
3leads
HLFHerbalife Nutrition L…
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs WMTMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
HLF5/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
HLF5/5
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
HLF5/7
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
WMT5/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
WMT2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
WMT1/1
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
WMT is the larger business by revenue, generating $703.1B annually — 137.0x HLF's $5.1B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 4.7% (HLF) to 3.3% (WMT).
| Metric | HLFHerbalife Nutriti… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $5.1B | $703.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $417M | $42.8B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $240M | $22.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $374M | $15.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +76.5% | +24.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +6.4% | +4.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +4.7% | +3.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +7.3% | +2.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.8% | +5.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +16.3% | +35.1% |
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 5 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 6.6x trailing earnings, HLF trades at a 86% valuation discount to WMT's 47.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, HLF's 6.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WMT's 24.8x.
| Metric | HLFHerbalife Nutriti… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $1.04T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.5B | $1.09T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.59x | 47.69x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 5.63x | 44.71x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 4.33x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 6.19x | 24.85x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.30x | 1.46x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 10.45x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 5.92x | 24.97x |
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 5 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), WMT scores 6/9 vs HLF's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | HLFHerbalife Nutriti… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +22.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +8.6% | +7.9% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +24.3% | +14.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +27.0% | +17.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.0B | $56.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $353M | $10.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.3B | $67.1B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.64x | 11.85x |
HLF leads this category, winning 5 of 7 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
WMT leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in WMT five years ago would be worth $28,695 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,888 for HLF. Over the past 12 months, HLF leads with a +113.4% total return vs WMT's +32.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WMT at 37.6% vs HLF's 1.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | HLFHerbalife Nutriti… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +13.0% | +15.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +113.4% | +32.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +3.1% | +160.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -71.1% | +186.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -53.6% | +499.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.0% | +37.6% |
WMT leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
WMT leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
WMT is the less volatile stock with a 0.12 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than HLF's 1.79 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. WMT currently trades 96.7% from its 52-week high vs HLF's 71.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | HLFHerbalife Nutriti… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.79x | 0.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $20.40 | $134.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.59 | $91.89 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +71.0% | +96.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 53.5 | 55.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 17.2M |
WMT leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
WMT leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates HLF as "Buy" and WMT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 10.4% upside for HLF (target: $16) vs 5.3% for WMT (target: $137). WMT is the only dividend payer here at 0.72% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | HLFHerbalife Nutriti… | WMTWalmart Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $16.00 | $137.04 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 26 | 64 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 37 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.94 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | +0.8% |
WMT leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Key Takeaway
HLF leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). WMT leads in 3 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Best OverallHerbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF)Leads 3 of 6 categories
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HLF vs WMT: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is HLF or WMT a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Walmart Inc.
(WMT) is the stronger pick with 4. 7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 0. 9% for Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF). Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) offers the better valuation at 6. 6x trailing P/E (5. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 — HLF or WMT?
On trailing P/E, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) is the cheapest at 6. 6x versus Walmart Inc. at 47. 7x. On forward P/E, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. is actually cheaper at 5. 6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — HLF or WMT?
Over the past 5 years, Walmart Inc.
(WMT) delivered a total return of +186. 9%, compared to -71. 1% for Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMT returned +499. 5% versus HLF's -53. 6%. 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 — HLF or WMT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Walmart Inc.
(WMT) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 12β versus Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. 's 1. 79β — meaning HLF is approximately 1433% more volatile than WMT relative to the S&P 500.
05Which is growing faster — HLF or WMT?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Walmart Inc.
(WMT) is pulling ahead at 4. 7% versus 0. 9% for Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Walmart Inc. grew EPS 13. 3% year-over-year, compared to -12. 0% for Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.. Over a 3-year CAGR, WMT leads at 5. 3% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
06Which has better profit margins — HLF or WMT?
Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) is the more profitable company, earning 4. 5% net margin versus 3. 1% for Walmart Inc. — meaning it keeps 4. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HLF leads at 8. 8% versus 4. 2% for WMT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — HLF leads at 75. 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.
07Is HLF or WMT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Herbalife Nutrition Ltd.
(HLF) trades at 5. 6x forward P/E versus 44. 7x for Walmart Inc. — 39. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HLF: 10. 4% to $16. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — HLF or WMT?
In this comparison, WMT (0.
7% yield) pays a dividend. HLF does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is HLF 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. 12), 0. 7% yield, +499. 5% 10Y return). Herbalife Nutrition Ltd. (HLF) carries a higher beta of 1. 79 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (WMT: +499. 5%, HLF: -53. 6%), 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.
10What are the main differences between HLF 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.
In terms of investment character: HLF is a small-cap deep-value stock; WMT is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. WMT pays a dividend while HLF 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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Revenue Growth>
%
(HLF: 7.8% · WMT: 5.8%)Net Margin>
%
(HLF: 4.7% · WMT: 3.3%)P/E Ratio<
x
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