Compare StocksGS vs HAL

Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) (GS) vs Halliburton Company (HAL): Which Is the Better Buy in 2026?

As of 2026-08-03, GS is undervalued at $1018, with a DCF intrinsic value of $481431875452 and a margin of safety of 100%. HAL is undervalued at $32, with an intrinsic value of $114 and a margin of safety of 72%. Of the two, GS has the wider margin of safety.

GS
Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The)
$1018.38
VS
HAL
Halliburton Company
$32.25

Rewards

GS
  • Gross margin of 82.1% indicates strong pricing power — typical of businesses with significant intellectual property or brand strength.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $2.58 of earning power — management is an exceptional capital allocator.
HAL
  • Halliburton Company has maintained ROIC above 10% for 4 consecutive years, suggesting solid business economics.
  • Free cash flow has grown at a 10.7% CAGR over the past 4 years, demonstrating strong earnings power growth.
  • Each dollar of retained earnings has created $1.05 of earning power — management is creating shareholder value.

Risks

GS
  • Altman Z-Score of 0.16 places the company in the distress zone — financial patterns resemble those of companies that experienced bankruptcy.
  • Insiders have sold $20.4M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.
HAL
  • Gross margin of 15.1% is low, suggesting a competitive or commodity-like market with limited pricing power.
  • FCF yield of 7.6% suggests reasonable valuation assuming continued moderate growth.
  • Insiders have sold $9.1M worth of stock in the past 3 months — significant insider liquidation.

Key Valuation Metrics

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GS
HAL
Valuation
N/A
Free Cash Flow
$2.05B
N/A
FCF Yield
7.62%
15.72
Trailing P/E
16.88
13.81
Forward P/E
11.08
Quality & Moat
2.46%
ROIC
11.75%
16.95%
ROE
14.92%
82.08%
Gross Margin
15.08%
1.45
PEG Ratio
0.79
Balance Sheet Safety
Net cash
Net Debt / Equity
0.56
N/A
Interest Coverage
N/A
N/A
Net Debt / EBITDA
1.49
1.96%
Dividend Yield
2.11%
GS: 4Ties: 1HAL: 4
GSHAL

Historical Fundamentals

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GS

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

HAL

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

Price ÷ Earnings Per Share — how many years of current earnings you're paying for at today's price. Lower P/E may indicate undervaluation. The dashed forward point is the forward P/E — today's price ÷ analyst consensus EPS.

$1 Retained Earnings Test

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GS
$0.00
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Value Destroyer
Σ Retained
$26.00B
Δ Market Cap
+$535.62
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer
HAL
$-2.55
created per $1 retained over 3 years
Market Cap Declined
Σ Retained
$4.67B
Δ Market Cap
$-11.91B
Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Buffett's "$1 Test": For every $1 of earnings retained, has management created at least $1 of market value?
> $1 created per $1 retained = Value Creator · < $1 created = Value Destroyer

Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) Analysis

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GS
100.0% Margin of Safety
Price is 100.0% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $1018.38
Fair Value: $481431875452.18
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued
HAL
71.6% Margin of Safety
Price is 71.6% below estimated fair value
Current Price: $32.25
Fair Value: $113.73
Strongly undervalued
Undervalued
Fairly valued
Overvalued
Strongly overvalued

Reverse DCF — Market-Implied Growth

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GS

Requires positive FCF to compute implied growth rate.

HAL

What growth rate is the market pricing in at $32?

+4.8%
Market-Implied FCF Growth Rate

Market roughly matching historical growth — reasonable.

Economic Moat Score

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GS
65/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Narrow moat with reinvestment efficiency as the key competitive advantage. Improving margin stability would strengthen the moat.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.
HAL
69/100
Narrow Moat
70+ Wide · 40-69 Narrow · <40 None

Narrow moat with roic consistency as the key competitive advantage. Improving revenue predictability would strengthen the moat.

Composite score measuring competitive advantage durability across four dimensions: returns above cost of capital, pricing power stability, revenue predictability, and capital efficiency. Based on 4 years of fundamental data.

Forensic Accounting

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GS
-2.00
Possible Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.
HAL
-2.68
Unlikely Manipulator
Above -1.78 = likely manipulator · -2.22 to -1.78 = grey zone

M-Score Trend

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Beneish's 8-variable model estimates the probability of earnings manipulation. An M-Score above -1.78 signals elevated risk — companies in this range have historically been 3-5× more likely to be manipulating earnings. Scores between -2.22 and -1.78 fall in a grey zone warranting further investigation.

Ownership Breakdown

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GS
Insiders 0.5%Institutions 74.8%Retail & Other 24.7%
No. of Institutional Holders3,873
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.
HAL
Insiders 0.4%Institutions 84.1%Retail & Other 15.5%
No. of Institutional Holders1,593
High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders — a key signal in Buffett-style analysis. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

High insider ownership aligns management incentives with shareholders. Institutional concentration can indicate smart-money conviction but also crowding risk.

Insider Buying Activity

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GS
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
HESS JOHN B JR.
Director
$2.00M
@ $511.68 · 2025-04-15
JOHNSON KEVIN RONALD
Director
$1.49M
@ $619.02 · 2025-01-17
FLAHERTY MARK A
Director
$29,545
@ $360.30 · 2024-09-27
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises
HAL
0
Buys (3M)
0
Buys (12M)
WEISS JANET L.
Director
$169,162
@ $19.79 · 2025-05-29
Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises

Open market purchases · includes direct & indirect ownership · excludes option exercises.

Insider Selling Activity

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GS
3
Sells (3M)
15
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $78.42M
LESLIE ERICKA T
Officer
$287,951
@ $1151.80 · 2026-07-15
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$6.68M
@ $973.55 · 2026-05-14
RUEMMLER KATHRYN H
General Counsel
$13.42M
@ $939.07 · 2026-05-06
RUEMMLER KATHRYN H
General Counsel
$634,927
@ $929.61 · 2026-05-01
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$9.57M
@ $929.17 · 2026-05-01
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$3.23M
@ $930.70 · 2026-05-01
GOLTEN ALEXANDER SIMON
Officer
$1.04M
@ $936.18 · 2026-04-23
GOLTEN ALEXANDER SIMON
Officer
$1.02M
@ $919.19 · 2026-04-17
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$10.94M
@ $941.57 · 2026-02-09
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$255,387
@ $938.92 · 2026-01-29
HALIO CAREY
Officer
$2.64M
@ $927.17 · 2026-01-27
RUEMMLER KATHRYN H
General Counsel
$8.89M
@ $927.51 · 2026-01-23
HALIO CAREY
Officer
$1.62M
@ $920.62 · 2026-01-23
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$4.49M
@ $923.75 · 2026-01-23
WALDRON JOHN E.
President
$13.69M
@ $750.30 · 2025-08-28
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$5.41M
@ $724.40 · 2025-07-25
ROGERS JOHN F W
Officer
$4.31M
@ $717.39 · 2025-07-23
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$4.71M
@ $712.31 · 2025-07-23
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$3.04M
@ $607.17 · 2025-05-14
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$1.50M
@ $622.15 · 2025-02-26
GOLTEN ALEXANDER SIMON
Officer
$3.31M
@ $636.25 · 2025-01-28
HALIO CAREY
Officer and Treasurer
$2.32M
@ $636.74 · 2025-01-24
HALIO CAREY
Officer
$965,120
@ $624.67 · 2025-01-21
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$1.28M
@ $627.01 · 2025-01-21
RUEMMLER KATHRYN H
General Counsel
$4.76M
@ $634.69 · 2025-01-21
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$4.00M
@ $610.91 · 2024-11-29
VINIAR DAVID A
Director
$3.06M
@ $612.08 · 2024-11-29
ROGERS JOHN F W
Officer
$3.83M
@ $596.36 · 2024-11-06
COLEMAN DENIS P.
Chief Financial Officer
$7.67M
@ $593.03 · 2024-11-06
FREDMAN SHEARA J.
Officer
$1.77M
@ $594.51 · 2024-11-06
SOLOMON DAVID M
Chief Executive Officer
$3.00M
@ $500.29 · 2024-08-15
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives
HAL
2
Sells (3M)
17
Sells (12M)
Total value (12M): $35.10M
CARRE ERIC
Chief Financial Officer
$889,282
@ $35.89 · 2026-06-18
BECKWITH VAN H.
Officer
$8.19M
@ $41.29 · 2026-05-15
MAXWELL MICHAEL CASEY
Officer
$852,445
@ $41.89 · 2026-05-05
MCKEON TIMOTHY M.
Officer and Treasurer
$363,510
@ $42.00 · 2026-04-30
YOUNG TOBI M. EDWARDS
Director
$255,538
@ $41.72 · 2026-04-30
MILLER JEFFREY ALLEN
Chief Executive Officer
$6.34M
@ $40.00 · 2026-03-27
BECKWITH VAN H.
Officer
$663,481
@ $33.82 · 2026-03-16
SLOCUM JEFFREY SHANNON
Chief Operating Officer
$184,015
@ $33.82 · 2026-03-16
MCKEON TIMOTHY M.
Officer and Treasurer
$132,187
@ $34.37 · 2026-03-06
BANKS MARGARET KATHERINE
Director
$88,855
@ $34.17 · 2026-01-26
BECKWITH VAN H.
Officer
$1.90M
@ $34.96 · 2026-01-23
MILLER JEFFREY ALLEN
Chief Executive Officer
$5.99M
@ $34.96 · 2026-01-23
BECKWITH VAN H.
Officer
$574,875
@ $32.30 · 2026-01-09
SLOCUM JEFFREY SHANNON
Chief Operating Officer
$771,808
@ $32.30 · 2026-01-09
POPE LAWRENCE J.
Officer
$3.23M
@ $32.25 · 2026-01-05
BECKWITH VAN H.
Officer
$246,938
@ $27.89 · 2025-12-05
RICHARD MARK
Officer
$4.44M
@ $27.77 · 2025-11-12
CARRE ERIC
Chief Financial Officer
$1.28M
@ $25.00 · 2025-03-14
MCKEON TIMOTHY M.
Officer and Treasurer
$258,226
@ $24.60 · 2025-03-07
BANKS MARGARET KATHERINE
Director
$93,736
@ $24.03 · 2025-03-04
CARRE ERIC
Chief Financial Officer
$3.69M
@ $26.13 · 2025-02-11
Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives

Direct ownership only · excludes indirect, option exercises, planned (10b5-1) sales & derivatives.

🎭 Mr. Market's Mood

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GS
FearGreed
😐Neutral(53/100)

"Market is pricing this stock without strong emotion in either direction"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.
HAL
FearGreed
😨Fear(39/100)

"Market is pessimistic — investigate whether fears are temporary or structural"

Composite sentiment score based on 6 market signals. Inspired by Buffett's "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

Composite sentiment score based on market signals. Inspired by Buffett’s "Mr. Market" allegory — fear = potential opportunity, greed = potential risk. Must be used alongside fundamental analysis, not in isolation.

⚖️ Buffett Signal

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GS
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Neutral (53)
HAL
Awaiting DCF Data

The Buffett Signal cross-references market sentiment with DCF valuation. Configure the DCF Analysis above to generate a signal.

DCF Margin of Safety: N/AMr. Market's Mood: Fear (39)
View GS Full AnalysisView HAL Full Analysis

Frequently Asked Questions: GS vs HAL

Is Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) or Halliburton Company more undervalued in 2026?

Based on our discounted cash flow model, GS trades at a 100.0% margin of safety (intrinsic value $481431875452 vs. price $1018), compared to HAL's 71.6% margin of safety (intrinsic $114 vs. $32).

Which stock has a wider economic moat, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) or Halliburton Company?

HAL scores 69/100 (Narrow moat), while GS scores 65/100 (Narrow moat). The moat score measures competitive advantage durability across ROIC consistency, margin stability, revenue predictability, and reinvestment efficiency.

Is Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) in financial distress?

GS's Altman Z-Score of 0.2 places it in the Distress zone, signaling elevated bankruptcy risk. HAL scores 3.4 (Safe zone). The Altman Z-Score is a five-factor model that predicts insolvency within two years; scores below 1.81 indicate significant distress.

Which stock has higher return on invested capital, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The) or Halliburton Company?

HAL earns 11.7% ROIC versus GS's 2.5%. A higher ROIC means the company generates more profit per dollar of capital employed, a hallmark of durable competitive advantage in Buffett-style analysis.

Which dividend is safer, Goldman Sachs Group, Inc. (The)'s or Halliburton Company's?

HAL's dividend earns a safety score of 94/100 (Very Safe), compared to GS's 79/100 (Safe). HAL has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.