Seek Returns logo

AMZN vs. NVO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on

Here’s a clear look at AMZN and NVO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.

Company Profile

AMZN is a standard domestic listing, while NVO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.

SymbolAMZNNVO
Company NameAmazon.com, Inc.Novo Nordisk A/S
CountryUnited StatesDenmark
GICS SectorConsumer DiscretionaryHealth Care
GICS IndustryBroadline RetailPharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization2,430.96 billion USD244.20 billion USD
ExchangeNasdaqGSNYSE
Listing DateMay 15, 1997April 30, 1981
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of AMZN and NVO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

AMZN vs. NVO: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

SymbolAMZNNVO
5-Day Price Return-0.03%4.72%
13-Week Price Return12.23%-17.05%
26-Week Price Return0.58%-37.87%
52-Week Price Return29.42%-60.23%
Month-to-Date Return-2.64%15.71%
Year-to-Date Return3.90%-41.70%
10-Day Avg. Volume35.82M6.68M
3-Month Avg. Volume43.43M6.63M
3-Month Volatility27.21%65.20%
Beta1.301.52

Profitability

Return on Equity (TTM)

AMZN

23.84%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
49.17%
Q3
28.98%
Median
19.22%
Q1
10.86%
Min
-11.14%

AMZN’s Return on Equity of 23.84% is on par with the norm for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

NVO

77.86%

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
38.59%
Q3
19.84%
Median
11.90%
Q1
5.63%
Min
-9.96%

NVO’s Return on Equity of 77.86% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Net Profit Margin (TTM)

AMZN

10.54%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
19.78%
Q3
11.90%
Median
8.63%
Q1
5.21%
Min
0.82%

AMZN’s Net Profit Margin of 10.54% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.

NVO

35.61%

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
34.51%
Q3
17.73%
Median
12.12%
Q1
5.99%
Min
-7.73%

NVO’s Net Profit Margin of 35.61% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Operating Profit Margin (TTM)

AMZN

11.37%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
27.23%
Q3
15.96%
Median
11.13%
Q1
8.31%
Min
1.77%

AMZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 11.37% is around the midpoint for the Broadline Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

NVO

45.78%

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
41.53%
Q3
23.00%
Median
16.24%
Q1
9.24%
Min
-6.94%

NVO’s Operating Profit Margin of 45.78% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

SymbolAMZNNVO
Return on Equity (TTM)23.84%77.86%
Return on Assets (TTM)11.14%24.22%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)10.54%35.61%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)11.37%45.78%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)49.61%83.95%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

AMZN

1.02

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
3.54
Q3
2.42
Median
1.49
Q1
1.22
Min
0.67

AMZN’s Current Ratio of 1.02 falls into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

NVO

0.78

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
4.49
Q3
2.77
Median
1.74
Q1
1.26
Min
0.11

NVO’s Current Ratio of 0.78 falls into the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)

AMZN

0.15

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
2.14
Q3
1.34
Median
0.63
Q1
0.27
Min
0.00

Falling into the lower quartile for the Broadline Retail industry, AMZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.15 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

NVO

0.59

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
2.44
Q3
1.07
Median
0.42
Q1
0.11
Min
0.00

NVO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.59 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

0.62

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
37.34
Q3
20.63
Median
11.28
Q1
4.22
Min
-19.29

AMZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 0.62 is a critical concern. A value below 1.0 means operating earnings are insufficient to cover interest expenses, indicating severe financial strain and high default risk.

NVO

149.07

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
103.95
Q3
44.18
Median
9.83
Q1
2.82
Min
-42.71

With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 149.07, NVO demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

SymbolAMZNNVO
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.020.78
Quick Ratio (MRQ)0.810.56
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)0.150.59
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)0.62149.07

Growth

Revenue Growth

AMZN vs. NVO: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

AMZN vs. NVO: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

Dividend

Dividend Yield (TTM)

AMZN

0.00%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
5.46%
Q3
2.38%
Median
0.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

AMZN currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.

NVO

3.30%

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
6.98%
Q3
3.32%
Median
2.13%
Q1
0.14%
Min
0.00%

NVO’s Dividend Yield of 3.30% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

0.00%

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
131.17%
Q3
63.48%
Median
29.43%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

AMZN has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.

NVO

61.60%

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
165.20%
Q3
90.59%
Median
49.13%
Q1
28.91%
Min
0.00%

NVO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.60% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

SymbolAMZNNVO
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%3.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%61.60%

Valuation

Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

34.03

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
66.12
Q3
35.17
Median
16.29
Q1
10.47
Min
5.94

AMZN’s P/E Ratio of 34.03 is within the middle range for the Broadline Retail industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.

NVO

13.91

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
42.51
Q3
26.88
Median
19.11
Q1
15.12
Min
0.00

In the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, NVO’s P/E Ratio of 13.91 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)

AMZN

3.59

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
5.40
Q3
3.33
Median
2.04
Q1
0.80
Min
0.16

AMZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.59 is in the upper echelon for the Broadline Retail industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

NVO

4.95

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
7.55
Q3
4.54
Median
2.11
Q1
1.52
Min
0.00

NVO’s P/S Ratio of 4.95 is in the upper echelon for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)

AMZN

6.98

Broadline Retail Industry

Max
9.06
Q3
5.22
Median
3.48
Q1
1.90
Min
0.74

AMZN’s P/B Ratio of 6.98 is in the upper tier for the Broadline Retail industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

NVO

8.87

Pharmaceuticals Industry

Max
9.78
Q3
4.96
Median
2.23
Q1
1.46
Min
0.60

NVO’s P/B Ratio of 8.87 is in the upper tier for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.

AMZN vs. NVO: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Broadline Retail and Pharmaceuticals industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

SymbolAMZNNVO
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)34.0313.91
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)3.594.95
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)6.988.87
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)111.8523.46