What is the main difference between growth stocks and value stocks?

Growth stocks trade at elevated valuation multiples (high P/E, P/S, P/B ratios) because investors expect rapid revenue and earnings expansion. Value stocks trade at lower multiples relative to their earnings, book value, or cash flows, often offering higher dividend yields. For example, NVIDIA trades at 47x earnings reflecting AI-driven growth, while Berkshire Hathaway trades at 16x earnings reflecting mature, diversified operations.

Which performs better — growth stocks or value stocks?

Neither style permanently outperforms. Growth stocks tend to do better when interest rates are low or falling and economic expansion is accelerating. Value stocks tend to outperform when rates are rising, inflation is elevated, and the economy favors established businesses with pricing power. The most consistent long-term approach is holding both and rebalancing based on market conditions.

How do you identify a growth stock using financial metrics?

Key growth stock indicators include: P/E ratios significantly above the market average (S&P 500 averages ~20-22x), high price-to-sales ratios (above 10x), low or zero dividend yields, elevated R&D spending as a percentage of revenue, and high return on equity (ROE) combined with high reinvestment rates. NVIDIA's 26.8% ROE and 8.3% R&D-to-revenue ratio exemplify these characteristics.

Is a low P/E ratio always a sign of a good value stock?

Not necessarily. A low P/E can indicate the market expects earnings to decline (a 'value trap') rather than genuine undervaluation. True value stocks combine low multiples with stable or growing earnings, strong free cash flow generation, manageable debt levels, and often meaningful dividend payments. Berkshire Hathaway's 15.9x P/E is genuine value because it's backed by $177 per share in cash and consistent operating earnings.

How does the interest rate environment affect growth vs value performance?

Higher interest rates increase the discount rate applied to future earnings, which hurts growth stocks disproportionately because more of their value comes from expected future profits. With the 10-year Treasury at 4.08% and Fed funds at 3.64% in February 2026, rates remain elevated enough to support value stocks but have declined enough from 2024 peaks to keep growth viable — creating a balanced environment for both styles.

Deep Dive: Growth Stocks vs Value Stocks — H...

Every investor eventually faces the same fundamental question: should you buy the fast-growing company trading at a premium, or the established business selling at a discount? This debate — growth investing versus value investing — has shaped portfolio strategies for decades, and the answer is rarely as simple as picking one side.

The distinction matters more than ever in February 2026. NVIDIA trades at a P/E ratio of 47x on the back of explosive AI-driven revenue growth. Tesla commands a 247x earnings multiple despite slowing vehicle deliveries. Meanwhile, Coca-Cola offers a steady 26x P/E with a 1.5% dividend yield, and Berkshire Hathaway — Warren Buffett's quintessential value play — trades at just 16x earnings with $177 per share in cash. These aren't abstract categories. They represent fundamentally different bets on what drives investment returns.

This guide breaks down what growth and value stocks actually are, how to identify them using real financial metrics, and when each approach tends to outperform — illustrated with current data from eight major stocks spanning both categories.

What Defines a Growth Stock vs a Value Stock

Growth stocks are companies whose revenue and earnings are expanding significantly faster than the broader market. Investors pay a premium for this growth, resulting in elevated valuation multiples — higher P/E ratios, higher price-to-sales ratios, and higher price-to-book ratios. The bet is that future earnings will justify today's price.

Value stocks, by contrast, trade at lower multiples relative to their earnings, book value, or cash flows. These companies are typically mature businesses with stable revenue streams, established market positions, and often meaningful dividend payouts. Investors buy them because the current price appears to undervalue the company's intrinsic worth.

The distinction isn't just theoretical. Consider NVIDIA at a P/E of 47x versus Berkshire Hathaway at 16x. NVIDIA's premium reflects annualized revenue growth exceeding 50% as data center demand surges. Berkshire's discount reflects its diversified conglomerate structure and massive $177-per-share cash position — the market prices it closer to book value (1.5x) because growth is modest but assets are substantial. Neither valuation is inherently 'right' — each reflects a different investment thesis about where returns come from.

Comparing Real Metrics: Growth Stocks in February 2026

Let's examine four prominent growth stocks using current market data to understand what elevated valuations actually look like in practice.

NVIDIA (NVDA) — Price: $189.82, Market Cap: $4.62 trillion. P/E: 47.0x, Price/Sales: 81.7x, Price/Book: 39.2x. NVIDIA's most recent quarter delivered $2.34 in revenue per share with a net income margin above 56%. Free cash flow yield sits at 0.47%, meaning investors are paying a steep price for every dollar of cash the business generates. ROE of 26.8% and ROIC of 22.2% confirm the business genuinely earns exceptional returns on capital — justifying some premium, though the question is how much.

Tesla (TSLA) — Price: $411.82, Market Cap: $1.55 trillion. P/E: 246.6x, Price/Sales: 58.4x, Price/Book: 17.7x. Tesla's valuation is the most aggressive in this group. Q4 2025 EPS was just $0.26 on $7.71 in revenue per share, with ROE of barely 1%. The stock prices in autonomous driving, energy storage, and robotics optionality rather than current automotive fundamentals — making it more of a venture bet at public market scale.

Amazon (AMZN) — Price: $210.11, Market Cap: $2.26 trillion. P/E: 29.3x, Price/Sales: 11.6x, Price/Book: 6.0x. Among the growth names, Amazon's multiples are the most moderate. Q4 2025 delivered $1.98 in EPS on $19.93 revenue per share. AWS cloud margins and advertising revenue are driving earnings expansion faster than the retail business. Free cash flow yield of 0.60% reflects massive capital expenditure ($3.69 per share quarterly) as Amazon builds AI infrastructure.

Netflix (NFLX) — Price: $78.67, Market Cap: $333 billion. P/E: 31.1x, Price/Sales: 32.9x, Price/Book: 14.9x. Netflix has transitioned from a pure growth story toward a profitability focus. ROE of 9.1% is solid but not exceptional. The ad-supported tier and password-sharing crackdown are driving subscriber growth, though the stock trades well below its 52-week high of $134, suggesting the market is recalibrating expectations.

Growth Stock Valuations — P/E Ratios (February 2026)

Comparing Real Metrics: Value Stocks in February 2026

Now let's examine four classic value stocks to see how the numbers differ across the same metrics.

Coca-Cola (KO) — Price: $79.84, Market Cap: $343 billion. P/E: 26.3x, Price/Sales: 25.4x, Price/Book: 9.3x. Coca-Cola's P/E isn't rock-bottom, but its value characteristics emerge elsewhere: a 1.5% dividend yield, a payout ratio of 193% (reflecting accounting adjustments and consistent dividend commitment), and revenue that barely grows in real terms. Q4 2025 delivered $0.53 in EPS. Investors own KO for income stability and brand durability, not earnings growth.

Procter & Gamble (PG) — Price: $160.78, Market Cap: $376 billion. P/E: 23.8x, Price/Sales: 15.6x, Price/Book: 6.5x. P&G's most recent quarter delivered $1.79 in EPS on $9.16 in revenue per share, with a healthy free cash flow yield of 1.1%. ROE of 8.1% is modest but consistent. The 0.7% dividend yield and 59% payout ratio reflect a business that returns capital steadily. P&G is the archetype of defensive value — boring, predictable, and resistant to economic cycles.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) — Price: $242.49, Market Cap: $584 billion. P/E: 22.0x, Price/Sales: 20.5x, Price/Book: 6.2x. JNJ delivered $2.11 in Q4 EPS and maintains a 0.6% dividend yield with a 61% payout ratio. R&D spending at 17.3% of revenue signals ongoing pharmaceutical pipeline investment. The stock trades near its 52-week high of $247, up from a $141.50 low — suggesting the market is re-rating healthcare as a defensive sector play amid economic uncertainty.

Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) — Price: $498.25, Market Cap: $1.07 trillion. P/E: 15.9x, Price/Sales: 11.4x, Price/Book: 1.5x. Berkshire is the purest value play in this comparison. Trading at just 1.5x book value with $177 per share in cash, it offers the highest earnings yield (2.8%) of any stock in this analysis. Q3 2025 delivered $14.27 in EPS — but much of that is investment income, not operating earnings. Berkshire pays no dividend, instead compounding returns through acquisitions and equity investments.

Value Stock Valuations — P/E Ratios (February 2026)

The Key Metrics That Separate Growth From Value

Beyond P/E ratios, several metrics consistently distinguish growth stocks from value stocks — and understanding them helps investors avoid overpaying for either.

Earnings Yield (inverse of P/E) reveals what investors actually receive per dollar invested. Berkshire Hathaway's 2.8% earnings yield dwarfs NVIDIA's 0.69% and Tesla's 0.06%. This doesn't mean BRK-B is a better investment — it means value investors demand more current income per dollar, while growth investors accept less today in exchange for higher future earnings.

Return on Equity (ROE) measures how efficiently a company generates profit from shareholder capital. NVIDIA leads at 26.8%, followed by JNJ at 6.3% and KO at 7.1%. High ROE combined with high reinvestment rates (like NVIDIA's 8.3% R&D spend) creates the compounding engine that justifies growth premiums.

Free Cash Flow Yield tells you how much cash the business generates relative to its market price. P&G's 1.1% and KO's 0.96% are typical value territory. Tesla's 0.10% and NVIDIA's 0.47% show that growth companies either reinvest heavily or are priced so richly that even strong cash generation looks modest against the market cap.

Dividend Yield and Payout Ratio are the clearest value signals. KO yields 1.5%, PG yields 0.7%, and JNJ yields 0.6% — all with sustainable payout ratios. Growth stocks (NVDA, TSLA, AMZN, NFLX) either pay minimal dividends or none at all, retaining earnings for reinvestment.

Earnings Yield Comparison — Growth vs Value

When Growth Outperforms Value — and Vice Versa

The growth-versus-value debate isn't about which approach is permanently superior — it's about which environment favors each style.

Growth tends to outperform when: interest rates are falling or low (reducing the discount rate on future earnings), economic expansion is accelerating, and technological disruption creates new market categories. The 2020-2021 period was a textbook growth environment — near-zero rates, pandemic-driven digital acceleration, and massive fiscal stimulus. NVIDIA's stock rose from under $30 to over $200 during the subsequent AI boom.

Value tends to outperform when: interest rates are rising (making future earnings less valuable in present terms), inflation is elevated, and economic conditions favor established businesses with pricing power. The current environment — with the 10-year Treasury yield at 4.08% and the Fed funds rate at 3.64% after a cutting cycle from 4.33% — creates a mixed signal. Rates have come down from their 2024 peaks but remain elevated compared to the post-2008 zero-rate era. This has supported a partial rotation into value names like JNJ (up 71% from its 52-week low) and KO (near all-time highs).

The historical record shows extended periods where each style dominates. Value outperformed growth for most of 2000-2007 after the dot-com bubble burst. Growth dominated 2009-2021 during the longest bull market in history. Neither style wins permanently — successful investors either pick the right rotation or hold both and rebalance.

Conclusion

The growth-versus-value distinction is less about picking a winner and more about understanding what you're paying for. When you buy NVIDIA at 47x earnings, you're betting that AI will continue driving 50%+ revenue growth. When you buy Berkshire at 16x earnings, you're betting that $177 per share in cash and a diversified business portfolio are worth more than the market currently acknowledges. Both bets can be correct simultaneously.

For most investors, the practical answer is owning both — tilting toward growth when rates are falling and economic momentum is strong, and toward value when rates are rising and stability matters more. The current environment, with the Fed funds rate at 3.64% and the 10-year yield at 4.08%, suggests a balanced approach. Growth stocks offer extraordinary upside if AI investment cycles play out, while value stocks provide income, lower volatility, and downside protection if the expansion stalls.

The most important takeaway from comparing these eight stocks isn't which category is better — it's that valuation multiples must be understood in context. A 47x P/E is expensive for a utility company but potentially reasonable for a business growing revenue 50% annually. A 16x P/E is cheap for a growth stock but standard for a mature conglomerate. Know what you own, know what you're paying for, and let the data — not labels — guide your allocation.