Alerus Financial Corp (ALRS)vsBerkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-B)
ALRS
Alerus Financial Corp
$28.95
+0.84%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $726.72M
BRK-B
Berkshire Hathaway Inc
$488.13
+1.98%
FINANCIAL SERVICES · Cap: $1.02T
Smart Verdict
WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison
Berkshire Hathaway Inc generates 158605% more annual revenue ($375.39B vs $236.53M). BRK-B leads profitability with a 19.3% profit margin vs 11.5%. BRK-B trades at a lower P/E of 14.1x. BRK-B earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 62/100 (C+).
ALRS
Buy60
out of 100
Grade: C+
BRK-B
Buy62
out of 100
Grade: C+
Key Strengths & Concerns
Side-by-side fundamental analysis
Key Strengths
Reasonable price relative to book value
Strong operational efficiency at 40.0%
Earnings expanding 71.2% YoY
18.7% revenue growth
Mega-cap, among the largest globally
Reasonable price relative to book value
Earnings expanding 119.6% YoY
Conservative balance sheet, low leverage
Attractively priced relative to earnings
Generating 5.5B in free cash flow
Areas to Watch
Moderate valuation
Smaller company, higher risk/reward
ROE of 4.7% — below average capital efficiency
Weak financial health signals
4.4% revenue growth
Weak financial health signals
Expensive relative to growth rate
Comparative Analysis Report
WallStSmart ResearchBull Case : ALRS
The strongest argument for ALRS centers on Price/Book, Operating Margin, EPS Growth. Revenue growth of 18.7% demonstrates continued momentum.
Bull Case : BRK-B
The strongest argument for BRK-B centers on Market Cap, Price/Book, EPS Growth. Profitability is solid with margins at 19.3% and operating margin at 14.3%.
Bear Case : ALRS
The primary concerns for ALRS are P/E Ratio, Market Cap, Return on Equity.
Bear Case : BRK-B
The primary concerns for BRK-B are Revenue Growth, Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio.
Key Dynamics to Monitor
ALRS profiles as a growth stock while BRK-B is a value play — different risk/reward profiles.
ALRS carries more volatility with a beta of 0.69 — expect wider price swings.
ALRS is growing revenue faster at 18.7% — sustainability is the question.
BRK-B generates stronger free cash flow (5.5B), providing more financial flexibility.
Bottom Line
BRK-B scores higher overall (62/100 vs 60/100), backed by strong 19.3% margins. Both earn "Buy" and "Buy" ratings respectively — the choice depends on your investment horizon and risk tolerance.
This analysis is generated from publicly available financial data. Not financial advice.
Alerus Financial Corp
FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA
Alerus Financial Corporation, through its subsidiary, Alerus Financial, National Association, provides various financial services to businesses and consumers. The company is headquartered in Grand Forks, North Dakota.
Visit Website →Berkshire Hathaway Inc
FINANCIAL SERVICES · INSURANCE - DIVERSIFIED · USA
Berkshire Hathaway Inc. is an American multinational conglomerate holding company headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. The company wholly owns GEICO, Duracell, Dairy Queen, BNSF, Lubrizol, Fruit of the Loom, Helzberg Diamonds, Long & Foster, FlightSafety International, Pampered Chef, Forest River, and NetJets, and also owns 38.6% of Pilot Flying J; and significant minority holdings in public companies Kraft Heinz Company (26.7%), American Express (18.8%), The Coca-Cola Company (9.32%), Bank of America (11.9%), and Apple (6.3%).
Visit Website →Compare with Other BANKS - REGIONAL Stocks
Want to dig deeper into these stocks?