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ALC vs. EW: Alcon vs. Edwards Lifesciences Stock Comparison

How do Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) both belong to the Health Care Equipment & Supplies industry, though ALC is classified under Health Care Supplies while EW falls under Health Care Equipment.

Company profile comparison for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
Profile ItemALCEW
NameAlcon Inc.Edwards Lifesciences Corporation
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 Equipment
Market Capitalization36.23 billion USD58.73 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateApril 9, 2019March 27, 2000
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ALC
EW
GSPC
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW), 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 Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
Total Return (1Y)1.20%25.08%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)1.17%17.28%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-2.77%-2.77%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ALC
EW
GSPC
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW), 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 Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)29.23%25.58%
Beta (5Y)0.840.78
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.93%-54.32%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.74M3.69M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ALC and EW 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)-0.110.81
Sortino Ratio (1Y)-0.151.23

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 2.94% and Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 9.33% 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%

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

9.33%

Max
47.61%
Q3
14.36%
EW
9.33%
Median
5.45%
Q1
-10.67%
Min
-47.01%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their ROE against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 15.30% 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%

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

15.30%

Max
29.35%
EW
15.30%
Q3
9.33%
Median
2.18%
Q1
-6.29%
Min
-28.46%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 30.15% 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%

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

30.15%

Max
35.43%
EW
30.15%
Q3
14.14%
Median
6.81%
Q1
-0.28%
Min
-16.29%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their operating margin against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
ROE (TTM)2.94%9.33%
ROA (TTM)2.80%8.77%
Net Margin (TTM)5.92%15.30%
Operating Margin (TTM)14.63%30.15%
Gross Margin (TTM)57.22%78.02%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Alcon (ALC) at 4.94% and Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 11.55% 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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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Alcon (ALC) at -3.41% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at -73.74% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.94%11.55%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)6.06%10.77%
EPS Growth (YoY)-3.41%-73.74%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)42.80%-9.14%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Alcon (ALC) at 2.09 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 4.60 sits above its industry’s typical mid-range — comfortable liquidity, though possibly with more idle current assets 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

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

4.60

Max
7.59
EW
4.60
Q3
4.00
Median
1.98
Q1
1.37
Min
0.30
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their current ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 0.06 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

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.06

Max
1.88
Q3
0.91
Median
0.58
Q1
0.16
EW
0.06
Min
0.00
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
Current Ratio (MRQ)2.094.60
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.250.06
Net Debt / EBITDA1.60-1.88

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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%

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

EW
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Edwards Lifesciences (EW) 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%

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

0.00%

EW
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.46%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)26.56%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Alcon (ALC) at 56.77 and Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 59.38 sit in the richer earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, so investors are paying more for TTM earnings than they pay for typical peers.

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

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

59.38

Max
80.41
EW
59.38
Q3
47.62
Median
29.93
Q1
21.19
Min
4.21
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Alcon (ALC) at 3.34 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 8.80 sits in the pricier quartile — EW costs more per dollar of sales.

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

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

8.80

EW
8.80
Max
8.80
Q3
4.32
Median
2.13
Q1
1.10
Min
0.03
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): 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 Edwards Lifesciences (EW) at 5.41 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

EW

Health Care Equipment & Services industry group

5.41

Max
11.68
Q3
6.12
EW
5.41
Median
3.00
Q1
1.73
Min
-1.31
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Alcon (ALC) vs. Edwards Lifesciences (EW): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Health Care Equipment & Services industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Alcon (ALC) and Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
MetricALCEW
P/E Ratio (TTM)56.7759.38
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.348.80
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.685.41
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)3.51%1.95%