WallStSmart

Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-A)vsColumbia Financial Inc (CLBK)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Berkshire Hathaway Inc generates 143204% more annual revenue ($371.44B vs $259.20M). CLBK leads profitability with a 21.6% profit margin vs 18.0%. BRK-A trades at a lower P/E of 15.3x. CLBK earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 57/100 (C).

BRK-A

Buy

51

out of 100

Grade: C-

Growth: 3.3Profit: 7.5Value: 5.0Quality: 8.0
Piotroski: 3/9Altman Z: 2.46

CLBK

Buy

57

out of 100

Grade: C

Growth: 8.7Profit: 6.5Value: 4.7Quality: 5.8
Piotroski: 6/9

Key Strengths & Concerns

Side-by-side fundamental analysis

Key Strengths

BRK-A6 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Market CapQuality
$1.02T10/10

Mega-cap, among the largest globally

Price/BookValuation
1.4x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Operating MarginProfitability
33.0%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 33.0%

Debt/EquityHealth
0.219/10

Conservative balance sheet, low leverage

P/E RatioValuation
15.3x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

Free Cash FlowQuality
$4.99B8/10

Generating 5.0B in free cash flow

CLBK5 strengths · Avg: 8.6/10
Operating MarginProfitability
33.4%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 33.4%

Profit MarginProfitability
21.6%9/10

Keeps 22 of every $100 in revenue as profit

Price/BookValuation
1.7x8/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Revenue GrowthGrowth
18.5%8/10

18.5% revenue growth

EPS GrowthGrowth
48.0%8/10

Earnings expanding 48.0% YoY

Areas to Watch

BRK-A4 concerns · Avg: 2.3/10
Piotroski F-ScoreQuality
3/93/10

Weak financial health signals

PEG RatioValuation
9.682/10

Expensive relative to growth rate

Revenue GrowthGrowth
-0.7%2/10

Revenue declined 0.7%

EPS GrowthGrowth
-2.5%2/10

Earnings declined 2.5%

CLBK4 concerns · Avg: 3.3/10
P/E RatioValuation
34.6x4/10

Premium valuation, high expectations priced in

Market CapQuality
$1.98B3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

Return on EquityProfitability
4.9%3/10

ROE of 4.9% — below average capital efficiency

Debt/EquityHealth
1.023/10

Elevated debt levels

Comparative Analysis Report

WallStSmart Research

Bull Case : BRK-A

The strongest argument for BRK-A centers on Market Cap, Price/Book, Operating Margin. Profitability is solid with margins at 18.0% and operating margin at 33.0%.

Bull Case : CLBK

The strongest argument for CLBK centers on Operating Margin, Profit Margin, Price/Book. Profitability is solid with margins at 21.6% and operating margin at 33.4%. Revenue growth of 18.5% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : BRK-A

The primary concerns for BRK-A are Piotroski F-Score, PEG Ratio, Revenue Growth.

Bear Case : CLBK

The primary concerns for CLBK are P/E Ratio, Market Cap, Return on Equity.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

BRK-A profiles as a declining stock while CLBK is a growth play — different risk/reward profiles.

BRK-A carries more volatility with a beta of 0.70 — expect wider price swings.

CLBK is growing revenue faster at 18.5% — sustainability is the question.

BRK-A generates stronger free cash flow (5.0B), providing more financial flexibility.

Bottom Line

CLBK scores higher overall (57/100 vs 51/100), backed by strong 21.6% margins and 18.5% revenue growth. 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.

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 →

Columbia Financial Inc

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA

Columbia Financial, Inc. is the banking holding company for Columbia Bank that provides financial services to businesses and consumers in the United States.

Visit Website →

Want to dig deeper into these stocks?