Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) 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 LIVE's -5.9% |
| Value | LIVE | Lower P/E (2.8x vs 3.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | BABA | 12.2% net margin vs LIVE's 5.0% |
| Stability / Safety | LIVE | Beta 0.48 vs BABA's 0.90 |
| Dividends | BABA | 1.2% yield; 2-year raise streak; LIVE pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | LIVE | +73.6% vs BABA's +10.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BABA | 6.5% ROA vs LIVE's 5.7%, ROIC 9.6% vs 3.5% |
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
Live Ventures is a diversified holding company operating in flooring manufacturing, steel production, and specialty retail. It generates revenue through three main segments: flooring manufacturing (~40% of sales), steel manufacturing (~35%), and retail operations (~25%) selling entertainment products through its Vintage Stock stores. The company's competitive advantage lies in its operational diversification across recession-resistant industries and its vertically integrated flooring business that controls manufacturing from yarn to finished products.
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 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). LIVE leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BABA is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.01T annually — 2289.8x LIVE's $442M. BABA is the more profitable business, keeping 12.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LIVE's 5.0%. On growth, BABA holds the edge at +4.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LIVELive Ventures Inc… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $442M | $1.01T |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $29M | $114.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $22M | $123.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $22M | $2.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +33.0% | +41.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +3.9% | +10.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +5.0% | +12.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.0% | +0.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.7% | +4.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -112.5% | -52.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 2.8x trailing earnings, LIVE trades at a 85% valuation discount to BABA's 18.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, LIVE's 7.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than BABA's 104.2x.
| Metric | LIVELive Ventures Inc… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $43M | $2.66T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $251M | $2.67T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 2.83x | 18.44x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 3.42x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.29x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.85x | 104.23x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.10x | 18.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.64x | 2.19x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 2.04x | 233.68x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LIVE delivers a 23.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $23 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 LIVE's 2.27x.
| Metric | LIVELive Ventures Inc… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +23.3% | +11.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.7% | +6.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.5% | +9.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +5.3% | +10.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.27x | 0.23x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $208M | $66.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $9M | $181.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $216M | $248.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.01x | 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 $5,740 for LIVE. Over the past 12 months, LIVE leads with a +73.6% total return vs BABA's +10.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BABA at 19.2% vs LIVE's -24.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LIVELive Ventures Inc… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -11.1% | -7.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +73.6% | +10.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -57.0% | +69.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -42.6% | -38.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +50.1% | +116.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -24.5% | +19.2% |
Risk & Volatility
LIVE is the less volatile stock with a 0.48 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BABA's 0.90 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 LIVE's 53.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LIVELive Ventures Inc… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.48x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $25.88 | $192.67 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.25 | $95.73 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +53.9% | +74.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 30.6 | 33.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 7K | 10.2M |
Analyst Outlook
BABA is the only dividend payer here at 1.23% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | LIVELive Ventures Inc… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $188.62 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 58 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $12.14 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.2% | +0.5% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 100 | 368.52 | +268.5% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 100 | 79.81 | -20.2% |
Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) returned -38% over 5 years vs Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE)'s -43%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | $79M | $445M | +463.5% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | $101.1B | $996.3B | +885.1% |
Live Ventures Incorporated's revenue grew from $79M (2016) to $445M (2025) — a 21.2% CAGR. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 22.6% | 5.1% | -77.4% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 70.7% | 13.1% | -81.5% |
Live Ventures Incorporated's net margin went from 23% (2016) to 5% (2025). 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 9.9 | 3 | -69.7% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 8.8 | 2.7 | -69.3% |
Live Ventures Incorporated has traded in a 3x–10x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~3x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Live Ventures Incor… (LIVE) | 5.4 | 4.93 | -8.7% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 34 | 53.6 | +57.6% |
Live Ventures Incorporated's EPS grew from $5.40 (2016) to $4.93 (2025) — a -1% CAGR. Alibaba Group Holding Limited's EPS grew from $34.00 (2016) to $53.60 (2025) — a 5% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Live Ventures Incorporated generated $21M FCF in 2025 (+18% vs 2021). Alibaba Group Holding Limited generated $78B FCF in 2025 (-57% vs 2021).
LIVE vs BABA: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LIVE or BABA a better buy right now?
Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) offers the better valuation at 2.8x trailing P/E, 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 — LIVE or BABA?
On trailing P/E, Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) is the cheapest at 2.8x versus Alibaba Group Holding Limited at 18.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LIVE or BABA?
Over the past 5 years, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) delivered a total return of -38.5%, compared to -42.6% for Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE). 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 LIVE's +50.1%. 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 — LIVE or BABA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Live Ventures Incorporated (LIVE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.48β versus Alibaba Group Holding Limited's 0.90β — meaning BABA is approximately 87% more volatile than LIVE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 2% for Live Ventures Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — LIVE or BABA?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the more profitable company, earning 13.1% net margin versus 5.1% for Live Ventures Incorporated — 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 3.3% for LIVE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BABA leads at 40.0%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — LIVE or BABA?
In this comparison, BABA (1.2% yield) pays a dividend. LIVE does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is LIVE 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%, LIVE: +50.1%), 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.
08What are the main differences between LIVE 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. In terms of investment character: LIVE is a small-cap deep-value stock; BABA is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. BABA pays a dividend while LIVE 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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