BBY vs GM: how the two businesses compare

  • Bigger business: GM, with $185.0B of yearly revenue, about 4.4× BBY's $41.7B.
  • More profitable: BBY keeps 3 cents of each sales dollar as profit, against 2 cents at GM.
  • More cash from each sale: GM turns 15 cents of each sales dollar into operating cash flow, against 5 cents at BBY.

From each company's latest annual SEC filing. Fiscal years can end on different dates.

General Motors (GM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $185.0B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 4.4× BBY's $41.7B (fiscal year ended Jan 2026). BBY's net margin was 2.6% and GM's 1.5%. The SEC classifies them differently (Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores; Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies); what connects them is shared exposure to the Tariffs & trade research theme, not a common industry.

Figures come from each company's own SEC filings. This page compares the businesses; it is not a price target or a verdict.

Sector
Consumer Discretionary
SEC industry
Different
Separate classifications
Fiscal year ends
Different
BBY January 30 · GM December 31
Reviewed
Mar 18, 2026

BBY vs GM: quick comparison

Company factBBYGM
CompanyBest Buy Co., Inc.General Motors Company
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Headquarters—Detroit, Michigan
Founded—1908
SEC industryRetail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics StoresMotor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies
Fiscal year-endJanuary 30December 31
Latest annual filing10-K · 2026-03-1810-K · 2026-01-27

BBY vs GM: audited financials

  • Scale: GM's $185.0B of revenue is about 4.4× BBY's $41.7B.
  • Net margin: BBY kept 2.6% of revenue as net income versus 1.5% at GM.
  • Cash conversion: operating cash flow equalled BBY 4.7% of revenue, or 1.84× net income; GM 14.5% of revenue, or 9.66× net income. A ratio well above 1× usually reflects non-cash charges or working-capital release; well below 1× can reflect working-capital build or non-cash gains.
  • Periods: the fiscal years end about 1 month apart (2026-01-31 for BBY, 2025-12-31 for GM), so each figure reflects somewhat different demand and cost conditions.

BBY: FY ending 2026-01-31 · GM: FY ending 2025-12-31. Figures as tagged in each issuer's SEC XBRL filing; fiscal calendars may not align.

Where BBY and GM overlap, and where they don't

Overlap

  • Shared research theme: Tariffs & trade.

Differences

  • Different SEC industries: BBY files as Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores; GM as Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies.
  • Offset fiscal calendars: BBY's year ends January 30 and GM's December 31, about 1 month apart.
  • Scale: GM reported about 4.4× the annual revenue of BBY.

Overlap is drawn from SEC classifications and Yield Theory research themes. It is not evidence that the companies sell to the same customers or compete product for product.

Best Buy Co., Inc. (BBY)

Best Buy is a consumer-electronics retailer selling computers, appliances, and gadgets with in-home tech services.

General Motors Company (GM)

General Motors is a major US automaker whose brands include Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac. It is balancing profitable gasoline trucks and SUVs with an ongoing transition toward electric vehicles.

What moves each company

Company-specific drivers maintained by Yield Theory. Use them to decide which filing deserves deeper work; they are not predictions.

What moves BBY

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for BBY. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-03-18.

What moves GM

We have not yet published a company-specific driver list for GM. The primary source is Item 1 (Business) and Item 1A (Risk Factors) of its 10-K filed 2026-01-27.

The investment question

You now know GM reports about 4.4× BBY's revenue, and BBY keeps more of each dollar as net income. Those are the facts. The investment question is what each share price already assumes about their exposure to tariffs & trade, and which evidence in the next filings would prove that assumption wrong.

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SEC filing comparison and disclosure evidence

Start with primary filings because fiscal calendars and accounting presentation can make superficially similar quarters incomparable. BBY's fiscal year ends January 30, while GM's ends December 31. Normalize the reporting periods before comparing growth, margins, capital intensity, or guidance.

The current verified House and Senate snapshot contains 2 matched transaction rows for BBY and 5 matched transaction rows for GM. These delayed, range-based disclosures can identify a filing to inspect; they do not establish motive, conviction, or a real-time trading signal.

What this comparison cannot tell you

This page does not contain licensed live prices, a valuation model, earnings estimates, portfolio constraints, or a forecast of future returns. SEC classifications can be broad, company descriptions can lag strategic change, and the latest annual filing may predate a material acquisition or divestiture. Read subsequent quarterly and current reports before making a decision.

A stronger business is not automatically the better stock. Starting valuation, expectations, capital structure, cyclicality, dilution, and the probability of each thesis determine the investment outcome. Use this comparison to frame the work, then verify the numbers in the linked filings and current company disclosures.

BBY vs GM FAQs

Are BBY and GM direct competitors?

Not necessarily. Best Buy files as Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores and General Motors as Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies. The pair is compared because both map to the Tariffs & trade research theme, not because the filings show head-to-head competition.

Is BBY or GM the bigger company by revenue?

General Motors (GM) is the larger business by reported revenue: $185.0B in its fiscal year ended Dec 2025, about 4.4× BBY's $41.7B (fiscal year ended Jan 2026). BBY's net margin was 2.6% and GM's 1.5%. The SEC classifies them differently (Retail-Radio, Tv & Consumer Electronics Stores; Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies); what connects them is shared exposure to the Tariffs & trade research theme, not a common industry. Each figure is the annual amount tagged in the company's own SEC XBRL filing; market value depends on live prices, which this page does not publish.

Which is better, BBY or GM?

There is no context-free winner. Compare the operating exposures, filing evidence, valuation, balance sheet, and risks against the specific thesis you are testing. This page deliberately does not turn a static profile into a buy or sell recommendation.

Does this BBY vs GM comparison include live prices?

No. Yield Theory does not republish unlicensed real-time market data. The financial figures on this page are the audited annual numbers Best Buy Co., Inc. and General Motors Company tagged in their SEC XBRL filings. Use a regulated broker or licensed quote provider for current prices and valuation multiples.

Where does the company information come from?

Company classifications, fiscal year-ends, and filing links come from the SEC EDGAR submissions API snapshot refreshed 2026-11-09. Business summaries and research themes are maintained by Yield Theory.

Data snapshot: SEC EDGAR submissions API, refreshed 2026-11-09. Independent educational research; not investment advice.

Which business differences matter to the investment thesis?

BBY vs GM compares reported results. The reports below show how we connect operating evidence to an investment thesis, its assumptions, catalysts, and risks. $39/month or $249/year.

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