WallStSmart

Berkshire Hathaway Inc (BRK-A)vsInvestar Holding Corp (ISTR)

VS

Smart Verdict

WallStSmart Research — data-driven comparison

Berkshire Hathaway Inc generates 346645% more annual revenue ($371.44B vs $107.12M). ISTR leads profitability with a 26.7% profit margin vs 18.0%. ISTR trades at a lower P/E of 12.2x. ISTR earns a higher WallStSmart Score of 69/100 (B-).

BRK-A

Buy

51

out of 100

Grade: C-

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

ISTR

Strong Buy

69

out of 100

Grade: B-

Growth: 8.0Profit: 7.5Value: 6.0Quality: 5.0

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

ISTR6 strengths · Avg: 9.2/10
Price/BookValuation
1.0x10/10

Reasonable price relative to book value

Operating MarginProfitability
44.1%10/10

Strong operational efficiency at 44.1%

Revenue GrowthGrowth
57.6%10/10

Revenue surging 57.6% year-over-year

Profit MarginProfitability
26.7%9/10

Keeps 27 of every $100 in revenue as profit

P/E RatioValuation
12.2x8/10

Attractively priced relative to earnings

EPS GrowthGrowth
22.7%8/10

Earnings expanding 22.7% 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%

ISTR1 concerns · Avg: 3.0/10
Market CapQuality
$380.91M3/10

Smaller company, higher risk/reward

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 : ISTR

The strongest argument for ISTR centers on Price/Book, Operating Margin, Revenue Growth. Profitability is solid with margins at 26.7% and operating margin at 44.1%. Revenue growth of 57.6% demonstrates continued momentum.

Bear Case : BRK-A

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

Bear Case : ISTR

The primary concerns for ISTR are Market Cap.

Key Dynamics to Monitor

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

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

ISTR is growing revenue faster at 57.6% — sustainability is the question.

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

Bottom Line

ISTR scores higher overall (69/100 vs 51/100), backed by strong 26.7% margins and 57.6% revenue growth. Both earn "Strong 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%).

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Investar Holding Corp

FINANCIAL SERVICES · BANKS - REGIONAL · USA

Investar Holding Corporation is the banking holding company of Investar Bank offering a range of commercial banking products to individuals and small and medium-sized businesses in southern Louisiana. The company is headquartered in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.

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