ABBV vs. WAT: AbbVie vs. Waters Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT) 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) and Waters (WAT) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ABBV is classified in Biotechnology while WAT is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Company profile comparison for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Profile Item	ABBV	WAT
Name	AbbVie Inc.	Waters Corporation
Country/Region	United States	United States
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS Industry	Biotechnology	Life Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-Industry	Biotechnology	Life Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization	514.92 billion USD	44.93 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 2013	November 17, 1995
Security Type	Common Stock	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ABBV

WAT

GSPC

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT), 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 Waters (WAT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
Total Return (1Y)	37.33%	27.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	32.74%	23.32%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	24.73%	6.27%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ABBV

WAT

GSPC

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT), 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 Waters (WAT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	25.65%	35.45%
Beta (5Y)	0.21	1.13
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-21.92%	-36.47%
Avg. Volume (3M)	4.76M	816.72K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

ABBV and WAT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.29	0.66
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	2.02	0.98

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Waters (WAT) earns 1.12% 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: --

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.12%

Max: 109.18%
Q3: 6.23%
WAT: 1.12%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): ABBV does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; WAT is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) at 15.67% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Waters (WAT) at 1.76%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.76%

Max: 18.05%
Q3: 4.78%
WAT: 1.76%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) at 39.59% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Waters (WAT) at 11.38%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

11.38%

Max: 83.12%
Q3: 14.77%
WAT: 11.38%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
ROE (TTM)	--	1.12%
ROA (TTM)	10.74%	2.36%
Net Margin (TTM)	15.67%	1.76%
Operating Margin (TTM)	39.59%	11.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)	73.72%	49.83%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at 8.57% and Waters (WAT) at 6.99% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

EPS Growth

Both AbbVie (ABBV) at -0.84% and Waters (WAT) at 0.47% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
Revenue Growth (YoY)	8.57%	6.99%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	1.75%	2.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)	-0.84%	0.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	-29.03%	-2.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: AbbVie (ABBV) shows current ratio of 0.87 against its industry benchmark, while Waters (WAT) has no reading this period.

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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
Q1: 2.47
Min: 0.10
WAT: --

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): WAT does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; ABBV is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Only one side’s leverage can be read here: Waters (WAT) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.34 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: --

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.34

Max: 1.42
Q3: 0.65
WAT: 0.34
Median: 0.15
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): ABBV does not report debt-to-equity ratio, so it has no value marker; WAT is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.87	--
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	--	0.34
Net Debt / EBITDA	2.21	3.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Waters (WAT) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile AbbVie (ABBV) reports a yield of 2.40%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

WAT: 0.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AbbVie (ABBV) reports payout ratio above 100% at 117.35%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings; Waters (WAT) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%).

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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

WAT: 0.00%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.40%	0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	117.35%	0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both look expensive on trailing earnings: AbbVie (ABBV) at 50.05 sits in the richer P/E ratio quartile, and Waters (WAT) at 191.46 is richer still, above its industry range.

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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

191.46

WAT: 191.46
Max: 85.34
Q3: 43.46
Median: 26.69
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both AbbVie (ABBV) at 7.80 and Waters (WAT) at 8.01 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.01

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
WAT: 8.01
Median: 7.30
Q1: 3.01
Min: 0.01

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

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 Waters (WAT) reports 2.94, 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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.94

Max: 13.53
Q3: 6.54
Median: 3.25
WAT: 2.94
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

AbbVie (ABBV) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AbbVie (ABBV) and Waters (WAT)
Metric	ABBV	WAT
P/E Ratio (TTM)	50.05	191.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)	7.80	8.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	-112.34	2.94
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.44%	--