Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS) vs Genuine Parts Company (GPC) 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 | GPC | 3.5% revenue growth vs PRTS's -12.9% |
| Quality / Margins | GPC | 0.3% net margin vs PRTS's -9.7% |
| Stability / Safety | GPC | Beta 0.62 vs PRTS's 1.41 |
| Dividends | GPC | 3.4% yield; 37-year raise streak; PRTS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GPC | -1.2% vs PRTS's -26.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GPC | 0.3% ROA vs PRTS's -27.1%, ROIC 8.3% vs -32.1% |
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
CarParts.com is an online retailer of aftermarket auto parts and accessories serving individual consumers and repair shops. It generates revenue primarily through direct e-commerce sales — about 90% from individual consumers and 10% from wholesale to repair shops — via its network of websites and online marketplaces. The company's key advantage is its vertically integrated supply chain and proprietary technology platform that enables fast fulfillment and competitive pricing.
Genuine Parts Company is a leading distributor of automotive and industrial replacement parts through its extensive North American network. It generates revenue primarily from automotive parts distribution (~70% of sales) and industrial parts distribution (~30%), serving both professional repair shops and industrial maintenance customers. The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale, dense distribution network, and long-standing relationships with suppliers and customers that create significant barriers to entry.
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
GPC leads in 5 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). PRTS leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GPC is the larger business by revenue, generating $24.3B annually — 43.3x PRTS's $561M. GPC is the more profitable business, keeping 0.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PRTS's -9.7%. On growth, GPC holds the edge at +4.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PRTSCarParts.com, Inc. | GPCGenuine Parts Com… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $561M | $24.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$31M | $1.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$54M | $66M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$33M | $421M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +32.6% | +36.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -9.5% | +4.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.7% | +0.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -6.0% | +1.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.7% | +4.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.8% | -5.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | PRTSCarParts.com, Inc. | GPCGenuine Parts Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $49M | $16.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $54M | $24.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.00x | 253.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 15.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 13.91x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.08x | 0.68x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.48x | 3.74x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.41x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GPC delivers a 1.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $1 in annual profit, vs $-85 for PRTS. PRTS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.49x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to GPC's 1.86x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GPC scores 4/9 vs PRTS's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | PRTSCarParts.com, Inc. | GPCGenuine Parts Com… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -84.6% | +1.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -27.1% | +0.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -32.1% | +8.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -30.7% | +11.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.49x | 1.86x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $5M | $7.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $36M | $477M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $41M | $8.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -35.10x | 6.41x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GPC five years ago would be worth $12,743 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $370 for PRTS. Over the past 12 months, GPC leads with a -1.2% total return vs PRTS's -26.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GPC at -9.5% vs PRTS's -51.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PRTSCarParts.com, Inc. | GPCGenuine Parts Com… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +42.0% | -3.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -26.8% | -1.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.7% | -25.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -96.3% | +27.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.2% | +69.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -51.6% | -9.5% |
Risk & Volatility
GPC is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PRTS's 1.41 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. GPC currently trades 78.7% from its 52-week high vs PRTS's 52.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PRTSCarParts.com, Inc. | GPCGenuine Parts Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.41x | 0.62x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $1.36 | $151.57 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.39 | $104.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +52.2% | +78.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.1 | 29.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 827K | 942K |
Analyst Outlook
GPC is the only dividend payer here at 3.40% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PRTSCarParts.com, Inc. | GPCGenuine Parts Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $141.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 22 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +3.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 37 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $4.05 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS) | 100 | 20.08 | -79.9% |
| Genuine Parts Compa… (GPC) | 100 | 158.65 | +58.6% |
Genuine Parts Compa… (GPC) returned +27% over 5 years vs CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS)'s -96%. A $10,000 investment in GPC 5 years ago would be worth $12,743 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS) | $304M | $589M | +94.0% |
| Genuine Parts Compa… (GPC) | $15.3B | $24.3B | +58.4% |
Genuine Parts Company's revenue grew from $15.3B (2016) to $24.3B (2025) — a 5.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS) | 0.2% | -6.9% | -2963.4% |
| Genuine Parts Compa… (GPC) | 4.5% | 0.3% | -93.9% |
Genuine Parts Company's net margin went from 4% (2016) to 0% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Genuine Parts Compa… (GPC) | 22.7 | 261.6 | +1052.4% |
Genuine Parts Company has traded in a 15x–262x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~254x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS) | -0.08 | -0.71 | -787.5% |
| Genuine Parts Compa… (GPC) | 4.59 | 0.47 | -89.8% |
Genuine Parts Company's EPS grew from $4.59 (2016) to $0.47 (2025) — a -22% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CarParts.com, Inc. generated $-10M FCF in 2024 (+45% vs 2021). Genuine Parts Company generated $421M FCF in 2025 (-58% vs 2021).
PRTS vs GPC: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PRTS or GPC a better buy right now?
Genuine Parts Company (GPC) offers the better valuation at 253.7x trailing P/E (15.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Genuine Parts Company (GPC) a "Hold" — based on 22 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 is the better long-term investment — PRTS or GPC?
Over the past 5 years, Genuine Parts Company (GPC) delivered a total return of +27.4%, compared to -96.3% for CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS). A $10,000 investment in GPC five years ago would be worth approximately $13K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GPC returned +69.1% versus PRTS's -74.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — PRTS or GPC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.62β versus CarParts.com, Inc.'s 1.41β — meaning PRTS is approximately 129% more volatile than GPC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CarParts.com, Inc. (PRTS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 49% versus 186% for Genuine Parts Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — PRTS or GPC?
Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is the more profitable company, earning 0.3% net margin versus -6.9% for CarParts.com, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GPC leads at 5.0% versus -6.9% for PRTS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GPC leads at 34.6%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — PRTS or GPC?
In this comparison, GPC (3.4% yield) pays a dividend. PRTS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is PRTS or GPC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Genuine Parts Company (GPC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.62), 3.4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GPC: +69.1%, PRTS: -74.2%), 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.
07What are the main differences between PRTS and GPC?
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: PRTS is a small-cap quality compounder stock; GPC is a mid-cap income-oriented stock. GPC pays a dividend while PRTS 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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