Seek Returns

ALC vs. ALGN: Alcon vs. Align Stock Comparison

How do Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN) 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

Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN) are both classified in the Health Care Supplies sub-industry within the broader Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Company profile comparison for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
Profile ItemALCALGN
NameAlcon Inc.Align Technology Inc.
Country/RegionSwitzerlandUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupHealth Care Equipment & ServicesHealth Care Equipment & Services
GICS IndustryHealth Care Equipment & SuppliesHealth Care Equipment & Supplies
GICS Sub-IndustryHealth Care SuppliesHealth Care Supplies
Market Capitalization36.23 billion USD11.70 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateApril 9, 2019January 30, 2001
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ALC
ALGN
GSPC
Loading price history…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN), 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

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
Total Return (1Y)1.20%27.43%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.17%-2.84%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.77%-24.73%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ALC
ALGN
GSPC
Loading price history…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN), 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

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.23%40.49%
Beta (5Y)0.841.67
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.93%-82.44%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.74M942.14K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ALC and ALGN 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 Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.110.57
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.150.89

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 2.94% and Align (ALGN) at 11.91% land near their industries’ usual ROE ranges, so capital efficiency looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.94%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
Median
5.45%
ALC
2.94%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.91%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
ALGN
11.91%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Align (ALGN) at 11.83% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Alcon (ALC) at 5.92%, which keeps about the industry-typical share.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.92%

Max
29.35%
Q3
9.33%
ALC
5.92%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

11.83%

Max
29.35%
ALGN
11.83%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their net margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 14.63% and Align (ALGN) at 20.13% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

14.63%

Max
35.43%
ALC
14.63%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

20.13%

Max
35.43%
ALGN
20.13%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
ROE (TTM)2.94%11.91%
ROA (TTM)2.80%8.01%
Net Margin (TTM)5.92%11.83%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.63%20.13%
Gross Margin (TTM)57.22%71.53%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Alcon (ALC) at 4.94% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Align (ALGN) at 0.90% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Alcon (ALC) at -3.41% and Align (ALGN) at 0.53% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.94%0.90%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.06%2.61%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.41%0.53%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)42.80%7.02%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 2.09 and Align (ALGN) at 1.43 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.09

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
ALC
2.09
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.43

Max
7.59
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
ALGN
1.43
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Align (ALGN) at 0.03 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Alcon (ALC) at 0.25 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.25

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
ALC
0.25
Q1
0.16
Min
0.00

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.03

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
ALGN
0.03
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.091.43
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.250.03
Net Debt / EBITDA1.60-1.04

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Align (ALGN) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Alcon (ALC) reports a yield of 0.46%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.46%

ALC
0.46%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

ALGN
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Align (ALGN) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Alcon (ALC) reports a payout of 26.56%, ranking against industry peers normally.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

26.56%

ALC
26.56%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

ALGN
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.46%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.56%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Align (ALGN) at 24.20 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Alcon (ALC) at 56.77 sits in the richer quartile — ALC needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

56.77

Max
80.41
ALC
56.77
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

24.20

Max
80.41
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
ALGN
24.20
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Alcon (ALC) at 3.34 and Align (ALGN) at 2.81 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

3.34

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
ALC
3.34
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.81

Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
ALGN
2.81
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Alcon (ALC) at 1.68 sits in the lower P/B ratio quartile against book while Align (ALGN) at 2.73 is valued near its industry’s middle — ALC is cheaper on assets, though weigh it against ROE and asset quality.

ALC

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

1.68

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
ALC
1.68
Min
-1.31

ALGN

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

2.73

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
Median
3.00
ALGN
2.73
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
Loading chart…
Alcon (ALC) vs. Align (ALGN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Align (ALGN)
MetricALCALGN
P/E Ratio (TTM)56.7724.20
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.342.81
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.682.73
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.51%4.90%