Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) 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 SBH's -0.4% |
| Value | BABA | Lower P/E (3.4x vs 7.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | BABA | 12.2% net margin vs SBH's 4.9% |
| Stability / Safety | SBH | Beta 0.85 vs BABA's 0.90 |
| Dividends | BABA | 1.2% yield; 2-year raise streak; SBH pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SBH | +78.2% vs BABA's +10.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BABA | 6.5% ROA vs SBH's 6.3%, ROIC 9.6% vs 11.4% |
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
Sally Beauty Holdings is a specialty retailer and distributor of professional beauty supplies operating through two main segments. The company generates revenue primarily from its Sally Beauty Supply stores serving retail customers (~60% of sales) and its Beauty Systems Group segment selling directly to salons and professionals through stores and sales forces (~40%). Its competitive advantage lies in its extensive physical store network—nearly 4,800 locations—and dual-channel approach that serves both retail consumers and professional salon clients.
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
SBH leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). BABA leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BABA is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.01T annually — 273.0x SBH's $3.7B. BABA is the more profitable business, keeping 12.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SBH's 4.9%. On growth, BABA holds the edge at +4.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SBHSally Beauty Hold… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.7B | $1.01T |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $378M | $114.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $180M | $123.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $253M | $2.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +51.7% | +41.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +8.2% | +10.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +4.9% | +12.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.8% | +0.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +0.6% | +4.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -22.4% | -52.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 8.5x trailing earnings, SBH trades at a 54% valuation discount to BABA's 18.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SBH's 7.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than BABA's 104.2x.
| Metric | SBHSally Beauty Hold… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.6B | $2.66T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.0B | $2.67T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 8.50x | 18.44x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 7.77x | 3.42x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.62x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 6.97x | 104.23x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.42x | 18.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.10x | 2.19x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 9.07x | 233.68x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SBH delivers a 21.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 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 SBH's 1.97x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SBH scores 8/9 vs BABA's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SBHSally Beauty Hold… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.9% | +11.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.3% | +6.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +11.4% | +9.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +14.6% | +10.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.97x | 0.23x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.4B | $66.8B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $149M | $181.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.6B | $248.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 3.74x | 15.74x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in SBH five years ago would be worth $9,079 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,154 for BABA. Over the past 12 months, SBH leads with a +78.2% total return vs BABA's +10.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BABA at 19.2% vs SBH's -0.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SBHSally Beauty Hold… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +10.9% | -7.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +78.2% | +10.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -0.1% | +69.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -9.2% | -38.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -49.1% | +116.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -0.0% | +19.2% |
Risk & Volatility
SBH is the less volatile stock with a 0.85 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. SBH currently trades 89.7% from its 52-week high vs BABA's 74.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SBHSally Beauty Hold… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.85x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.92 | $192.67 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.54 | $95.73 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +89.7% | +74.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.7 | 33.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 10.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SBH as "Hold" and BABA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 30.9% upside for BABA (target: $189) vs 10.5% for SBH (target: $18). BABA is the only dividend payer here at 1.23% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | SBHSally Beauty Hold… | BABAAlibaba Group Hol… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.75 | $188.62 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 30 | 58 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $12.14 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +3.4% | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 100 | 131.5 | +31.5% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 100 | 79.81 | -20.2% |
Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) returned -9% over 5 years vs Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA)'s -38%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | $4.0B | $3.7B | -6.4% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | $101.1B | $996.3B | +885.1% |
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s revenue grew from $4.0B (2016) to $3.7B (2025) — a -0.7% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 5.6% | 5.3% | -6.2% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 70.7% | 13.1% | -81.5% |
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s net margin went from 6% (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 12 | 7.5 | -37.5% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 8.8 | 2.7 | -69.3% |
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. has traded in a 7x–13x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sally Beauty Holdin… (SBH) | 1.5 | 1.89 | +26.0% |
| Alibaba Group Holdi… (BABA) | 34 | 53.6 | +57.6% |
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc.'s EPS grew from $1.50 (2016) to $1.89 (2025) — a 3% 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
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. generated $173M FCF in 2025 (-44% vs 2021). Alibaba Group Holding Limited generated $78B FCF in 2025 (-57% vs 2021).
SBH vs BABA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SBH or BABA a better buy right now?
Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) offers the better valuation at 8.5x trailing P/E (7.8x forward), 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 — SBH or BABA?
On trailing P/E, Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) is the cheapest at 8.5x versus Alibaba Group Holding Limited at 18.4x. On forward P/E, Alibaba Group Holding Limited is actually cheaper at 3.4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SBH or BABA?
Over the past 5 years, Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) delivered a total return of -9.2%, compared to -38.5% for Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA). A $10,000 investment in SBH five years ago would be worth approximately $9K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BABA returned +116.1% versus SBH's -49.1%. 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 — SBH or BABA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. (SBH) is the lower-risk stock at 0.85β versus Alibaba Group Holding Limited's 0.90β — meaning BABA is approximately 6% more volatile than SBH relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 23% versus 197% for Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SBH or BABA?
Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) is the more profitable company, earning 13.1% net margin versus 5.3% for Sally Beauty Holdings, 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 8.9% for SBH. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SBH leads at 51.6%, 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 SBH or BABA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Alibaba Group Holding Limited (BABA) trades at 3.4x forward P/E versus 7.8x for Sally Beauty Holdings, Inc. — 4.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BABA: 30.9% to $188.62.
07Which pays a better dividend — SBH or BABA?
In this comparison, BABA (1.2% yield) pays a dividend. SBH does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is SBH 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%, SBH: -49.1%), 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 SBH 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: SBH is a small-cap deep-value stock; BABA is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. BABA pays a dividend while SBH 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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