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ABBV vs. MSFT: AbbVie vs. Microsoft Stock Comparison

How do AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

AbbVie (ABBV) is classified in the Health Care sector (Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences), whereas Microsoft (MSFT) belongs to Information Technology (Software & Services) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Profile ItemABBVMSFT
NameAbbVie Inc.Microsoft Corporation Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryBiotechnologySoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryBiotechnologySystems Software
Market Capitalization514.92 billion USD3,940.41 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJanuary 2, 2013March 13, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ABBV
MSFT
GSPC
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
Total Return (1Y)37.33%10.30%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)32.74%15.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.73%11.01%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ABBV
MSFT
GSPC
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)25.65%33.91%
Beta (5Y)0.211.03
Max Drawdown (5Y)-21.92%-37.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.76M22.95M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ABBV and MSFT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.290.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.020.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Microsoft (MSFT) earns 34.22% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; AbbVie (ABBV) has no ROE this period.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
ABBV
--

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

34.22%

Max
53.85%
MSFT
34.22%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): ABBV does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; MSFT is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both AbbVie (ABBV) at 15.67% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 41.17% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

15.67%

Max
18.05%
ABBV
15.67%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

41.17%

MSFT
41.17%
Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 49.76% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and AbbVie (ABBV) at 39.59% also operates in the top quartile.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

39.59%

Max
83.12%
ABBV
39.59%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

49.76%

MSFT
49.76%
Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
ROE (TTM)--34.22%
ROA (TTM)10.74%14.41%
Net Margin (TTM)15.67%41.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)39.59%49.76%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.72%67.66%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 8.57% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 17.79% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at -0.84% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 31.60% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.57%17.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)1.75%16.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)-0.84%31.60%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-29.03%22.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 1.23 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while AbbVie (ABBV) at 0.87 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for ABBV.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.87

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
ABBV
0.87
Min
0.10

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

1.23

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
MSFT
1.23
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Microsoft (MSFT) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.28 against its industry range, while AbbVie (ABBV) reports no figure this period.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
ABBV
--

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.28

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
MSFT
0.28
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): ABBV does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; MSFT is benchmarked against the Software & Services industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.871.23
Debt / Equity (MRQ)--0.28
Net Debt / EBITDA2.210.34

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 2.40% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 0.69% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.40%

ABBV
2.40%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.69%

MSFT
0.69%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports payout ratio above 100% at 117.35%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile Microsoft (MSFT) reports 19.00%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

117.35%

ABBV
117.35%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

19.00%

MSFT
19.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
Dividend Yield (TTM)2.40%0.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)117.35%19.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 27.69 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while AbbVie (ABBV) at 50.05 sits in the richer quartile — ABBV needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

50.05

Max
85.34
ABBV
50.05
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

27.69

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
MSFT
27.69
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) at 7.80 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Microsoft (MSFT) at 11.37 sits in the pricier quartile — MSFT costs more per dollar of sales.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.80

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
ABBV
7.80
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

11.37

Max
17.91
MSFT
11.37
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports a negative P/B ratio of -112.34, meaning negative book equity — the multiple itself is not meaningful for valuation. Meanwhile Microsoft (MSFT) reports 8.38, ranking against industry peers normally.

ABBV

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

-112.34

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
ABBV
-112.34

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

8.38

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
MSFT
8.38
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricABBVMSFT
P/E Ratio (TTM)50.0527.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)7.8011.37
P/B Ratio (MRQ)-112.348.38
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.44%0.08%