General Motors (GM): analysis in plain words
Is General Motors cheap or expensive? How it makes money, whether it grows and its risks, explained in plain words and with its official accounts.
General Motors (GM) is listed on the NYSE and we classify it in automotive. Below are its key dated figures, how it makes money, how it compares with its sector, what works for and against General Motors according to those figures, and the questions people ask most about the stock. No buy or sell tips.
General Motors (GM) key figures as of November 4, 2026
| Figure | Value | What it measures |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $92.43 | Last price on November 4, 2026 |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 20.2x | Price over earnings per share |
| Revenue growth | +2.9% | Latest quarter vs the same quarter a year earlier |
| Net margin (TTM) | 2.1% | Profit for every 100 of sales |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 5.5x | Years of operating profit to repay debt |
| Dividend yield | 0.82% | Annual dividend over price |
| Market cap | $78.5 billion | What the stock market values it at |
The General Motors figures come from Yahoo Finance, the same source the Fintols analysis uses, retrieved on November 4, 2026. Any GM figure that is not available shows as N/A: we do not estimate it.
How General Motors makes money
General Motors sells cars, pickups and SUVs under the Chevrolet, GMC, Buick and Cadillac brands. GM North America is its largest segment and main profit driver, GM International includes its joint ventures in China, and GM Financial provides auto loans and leases to buyers and dealers.
Over the last 12 months, General Motors brought in revenue of $187.0 billion. For every 100 it sells, General Motors keeps 11.4 after the direct cost of what it sells (gross margin) and 7.3 after all operating costs (operating margin). With 156,000 full-time employees, that is about $1 million of revenue per employee.
General Motors against its sector
To know whether a General Motors figure is high or low you have to put it next to similar companies. This table compares General Motors with the median of the 5 automotive companies Fintols covers, with data as of November 4, 2026.
| Figure | General Motors | automotive median |
|---|---|---|
| P/E | 20.2x | 20.2x (5) |
| Revenue growth | +2.9% | +1.1% (11) |
| Net margin | 2.1% | 0.5% (11) |
| Dividend yield | 0.82% | 0.82% (11) |
| Net debt / EBITDA | 5.5x | 5.9x (9) |
In short, against the typical automotive company, General Motors grows faster and earns a wider margin. By size, General Motors ranks number 2 of 6 automotive companies quoted in USD on Fintols.
The bull case for General Motors
What works in favour of General Motors, according to its figures as of November 4, 2026:
- Analysts expect General Motors earnings to rise: its P/E on the next 12 months of estimated earnings is 6.2x, below the current 20.2x.
- General Motors generates real cash: $28.5 billion of free cash flow over 12 months, 36.3% of its stock market value.
The main risk for General Motors
Debt is heavy: General Motors carries net debt equal to 5.5x its annual EBITDA. With high interest rates or a weak year, interest payments eat into what it can invest or pay out.
And, like the rest of automotive, General Motors is exposed to the electric-car price war, tariffs and how cyclical car sales are.
Frequently asked questions about General Motors
Is it a good time to buy General Motors stock?
Fintols does not tell you whether to buy or sell General Motors, and nobody knows what the price will do tomorrow. What we can show you is where it stands today. As of November 4, 2026, General Motors stock trades at $92.43, 1% below its 52-week high ($93.70) and 38% above its low ($67.04). Its P/E is 20.2x against a automotive median of 20.2x, and 6.2x on the earnings analysts expect over the next 12 months. With General Motors, as with any stock, timing matters less than understanding the business, investing for the long run and not betting everything on a single company.
Does General Motors pay a dividend?
Yes. As of November 4, 2026, General Motors pays $0.72 per share a year, which at today's price is a yield of 0.82%. It uses 15% of its profit to pay it, which leaves room to keep paying it if profit dips. Its average dividend yield over the last five years is 0.73%. The automotive median on Fintols is 0.82%.
Is General Motors stock expensive?
It depends on what you compare it with. On P/E, General Motors trades at 20.2x its last 12 months of earnings: in line with the automotive median (20.2x). Including its debt, General Motors is valued at 9.5x its EBITDA (EV/EBITDA). A high P/E alone does not make General Motors expensive: it can be justified if earnings grow fast, and a low one can reflect a business in trouble.
Who are General Motors's competitors?
On Fintols we compare General Motors with Ford, Rivian and Ferrari, which are also in automotive. As of November 4, 2026, Ford is worth $50.6 billion; Rivian is worth $20.5 billion; Ferrari is worth €67.0 billion and trades on a P/E of 41.9. Each has a side-by-side comparison with General Motors below.
General Motors competitors
- Ford (F) analysis · General Motors vs Ford comparison
- Rivian (RIVN) analysis · General Motors vs Rivian comparison
- Ferrari (RACE.MI) analysis · General Motors vs Ferrari comparison
To understand General Motors better
- How to Read a Balance Sheet: A Beginner's Guide
- P/E Ratio and EPS Explained: How to Read Them Without Traps
More companies like General Motors: automotive stocks, S&P 500 companies and S&P 100 companies. Open the full GM analysis with its valuation and scenarios. Educational content about General Motors, not investment advice.