A vs. GSK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at A and GSK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
GSK’s market capitalization of 78.18 billion USD is significantly greater than A’s 34.48 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
A’s beta of 1.23 points to significantly higher volatility compared to GSK (beta: 0.27), suggesting A has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
GSK is an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), allowing U.S. investors direct exposure to its non-U.S. operations. A, on the other hand, is a domestic entity.
| Symbol | A | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Agilent Technologies, Inc. | GSK plc |
| Country | US | GB |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Medical - Diagnostics & Research | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Padraig McDonnell | Emma Natasha Walmsley |
| Price | 121.38 USD | 38.18 USD |
| Market Cap | 34.48 billion USD | 78.18 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.23 | 0.27 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | November 18, 1999 | March 28, 1980 |
| ADR | No | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of A and GSK by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
A
19.46%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 57.35%
- Q3
- 18.17%
- Median
- 2.69%
- Q1
- -16.72%
- Min
- -48.78%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, A’s Return on Equity of 19.46% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
GSK
22.44%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
GSK’s Return on Equity of 22.44% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
A
11.71%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 42.99%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 3.02%
- Q1
- -11.49%
- Min
- -40.79%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, A’s Return on Invested Capital of 11.71% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
GSK
10.47%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
GSK’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.47% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
A
17.59%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 22.76%
- Q3
- 15.19%
- Median
- 1.64%
- Q1
- -22.25%
- Min
- -78.24%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.59% places A in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
GSK
10.00%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, GSK’s Net Profit Margin of 10.00% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
Operating Profit Margin
A
21.38%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 36.06%
- Q3
- 20.26%
- Median
- 6.15%
- Q1
- -21.89%
- Min
- -82.21%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.38% places A in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
GSK
16.13%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
GSK’s Operating Profit Margin of 16.13% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | A | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.46% | 22.44% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 9.59% | 5.19% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 11.71% | 10.47% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.59% | 10.00% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.38% | 16.13% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 53.79% | 71.61% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
A
2.09
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 6.91
- Q3
- 4.11
- Median
- 2.46
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.73
A’s Current Ratio of 2.09 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
GSK
0.87
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
GSK’s Current Ratio of 0.87 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
A
0.57
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 1.10
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.39
- Q1
- 0.21
- Min
- 0.01
A’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.57 is typical for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
GSK
1.30
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
GSK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.30 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
A
-472.33
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.07
- Q3
- 5.62
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- -38.78
- Min
- -57.46
A has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -472.33. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
GSK
7.65
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
GSK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.65 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | A | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 2.09 | 0.87 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.60 | 0.58 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.57 | 1.30 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.29 | 0.30 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.43 | 1.70 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -472.33 | 7.65 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for A and GSK. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
A
0.81%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 2.76%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.81%, A offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
GSK
4.10%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 4.10%, GSK offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio
A
23.76%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.46%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
A’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 23.76% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
GSK
78.91%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
GSK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 78.91% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | A | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.81% | 4.10% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 23.76% | 78.91% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
A
29.67
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 48.28
- Q3
- 44.64
- Median
- 29.13
- Q1
- 22.34
- Min
- 15.59
A’s P/E Ratio of 29.67 is within the middle range for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
GSK
18.22
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
GSK’s P/E Ratio of 18.22 is within the middle range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
A
3.80
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 4.18
- Q3
- 3.64
- Median
- 2.40
- Q1
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.04
A Forward PEG Ratio of 3.80 places A in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
GSK
2.59
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
GSK’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.59 is within the middle range of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
A
5.20
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 12.53
- Q3
- 6.19
- Median
- 3.58
- Q1
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.58
A’s P/S Ratio of 5.20 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
GSK
1.80
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
In the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, GSK’s P/S Ratio of 1.80 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio
A
5.64
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 10.67
- Q3
- 5.74
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.39
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry.
GSK
4.06
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | A | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 29.67 | 18.22 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 3.80 | 2.59 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 5.20 | 1.80 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 5.64 | 4.06 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 24.63 | 15.61 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 25.95 | 8.60 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 5.51 | 2.25 |