A vs. NVS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at A and NVS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
A is a standard domestic listing, while NVS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | A | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Agilent Technologies, Inc. | Novartis AG |
| Country | United States | Switzerland |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 33.83 billion USD | 246.34 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 18, 1999 | November 7, 1996 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of A and NVS 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | A | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -0.15% | 3.47% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 5.57% | 11.69% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -13.01% | 4.09% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -14.23% | 9.24% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.62% | 7.12% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -10.59% | 13.75% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 1.08M | 2.89M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 1.89M | 3.36M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 27.93% | 17.00% |
| Beta | 1.27 | 0.08 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
A
19.46%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 6.22%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
In the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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.
NVS
32.56%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
In the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, NVS’s Return on Equity of 32.56% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
A
17.59%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 27.28%
- Q3
- 16.17%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -3.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 17.59% places A in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
NVS
24.90%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
A Net Profit Margin of 24.90% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
A
21.36%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 33.15%
- Q3
- 19.34%
- Median
- 13.02%
- Q1
- 8.05%
- Min
- -4.38%
An Operating Profit Margin of 21.36% places A in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
NVS
30.03%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 30.03% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | A | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.46% | 32.56% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 9.94% | 13.32% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.59% | 24.90% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 21.36% | 30.03% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 53.77% | 76.12% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
A
2.09
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.40
- Min
- 0.43
A’s Current Ratio of 2.09 aligns with the median group of the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NVS
0.82
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
NVS’s Current Ratio of 0.82 falls into the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
A
0.57
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.83
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
A’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.57 is typical for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
NVS
0.77
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
NVS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.77 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals 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 (TTM)
A
254.50
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 29.61
- Q3
- 23.24
- Median
- 6.07
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- -14.08
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 254.50, A demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
NVS
22.55
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
NVS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.55 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | A | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.09 | 0.82 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.60 | 0.62 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.57 | 0.77 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 254.50 | 22.55 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
A
0.82%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.80%
- Q3
- 0.78%
- Median
- 0.37%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.82%, A offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
NVS
3.29%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Yield of 3.29% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
A
23.76%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 156.00%
- Q3
- 65.73%
- Median
- 23.81%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
A’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 23.76% is within the typical range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
NVS
102.24%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 102.24% is in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | A | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.82% | 3.29% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 23.76% | 102.24% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
A
29.14
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 117.96
- Q3
- 65.59
- Median
- 37.26
- Q1
- 27.51
- Min
- 1.73
A’s P/E Ratio of 29.14 is within the middle range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
NVS
17.43
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
NVS’s P/E Ratio of 17.43 is within the middle range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
A
5.13
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.46
- Q3
- 6.70
- Median
- 4.24
- Q1
- 2.68
- Min
- 0.73
A’s P/S Ratio of 5.13 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
NVS
4.34
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
NVS’s P/S Ratio of 4.34 aligns with the market consensus for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
A
5.00
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.99
- Q3
- 4.69
- Median
- 3.30
- Q1
- 1.88
- Min
- 1.02
A’s P/B Ratio of 5.00 is in the upper tier for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
NVS
6.00
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
NVS’s P/B Ratio of 6.00 is in the upper tier for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | A | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 29.14 | 17.43 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 5.13 | 4.34 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 5.00 | 6.00 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 28.58 | 14.16 |