ALNY vs. NVO: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals vs. Novo Nordisk Stock Comparison
How do Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) 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
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ALNY is classified in Biotechnology while NVO is classified in Pharmaceuticals.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR |
| Country/Region | United States | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Biotechnology | Pharmaceuticals |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Biotechnology | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 20.89 billion USD | 177.74 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | June 1, 2004 | April 30, 1981 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -64.57% | -5.29% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -1.58% | -23.41% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -3.13% | -4.13% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 54.08% | 45.98% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.45 | 0.67 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -68.25% | -74.70% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.90M | 12.11M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -1.27 | -0.21 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -1.45 | -0.28 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both companies show strong equity returns, but Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 138.07% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 58.38% also sits in the top quartile.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
138.07%
- ALNY
- 138.07%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
58.38%
- Max
- 109.18%
- NVO
- 58.38%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 52.85% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 33.92% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
52.85%
- ALNY
- 52.85%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
33.92%
- NVO
- 33.92%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 23.72% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 40.05% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
23.72%
- Max
- 83.12%
- ALNY
- 23.72%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
40.05%
- Max
- 83.12%
- NVO
- 40.05%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 138.07% | 58.38% |
| ROA (TTM) | 9.51% | 19.05% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 52.85% | 33.92% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 23.72% | 40.05% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 77.28% | 83.33% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 65.19% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 6.43% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ALNY.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports EPS growth of 1.77%, ranked against its industry; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 65.19% | 6.43% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 52.98% | 20.43% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | 1.77% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | 23.52% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 2.48 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.85 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NVO.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.48
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- ALNY
- 2.48
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.85
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- NVO
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.62 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 0.83 uses more debt funding than most peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.83
- Max
- 1.42
- ALNY
- 0.83
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.62
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- NVO
- 0.62
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.48 | 0.85 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.83 | 0.62 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.57 | 0.49 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a yield of 29.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ALNY
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
29.03%
- NVO
- 29.03%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a payout of 45.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ALNY
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
45.36%
- NVO
- 45.36%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 29.03% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 45.36% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 7.88 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 10.18 sit in the cheaper earnings-multiple quartile for P/E ratio, with the market paying less for a dollar of trailing earnings than it pays for typical peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
7.88
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- ALNY
- 7.88
- Min
- 0.07
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.18
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- NVO
- 10.18
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.53 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 4.17 prices around its industry’s middle — NVO costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.17
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- ALNY
- 4.17
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.53
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- NVO
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 5.79 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 5.43 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.79
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- ALNY
- 5.79
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.43
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- NVO
- 5.43
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 7.88 | 10.18 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.17 | 0.53 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.79 | 5.43 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.57% | 18.43% |