AXP vs. LLY: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AXP and LLY, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
LLY’s market capitalization of 739.87 billion USD is significantly greater than AXP’s 229.88 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
AXP’s beta of 1.25 points to significantly higher volatility compared to LLY (beta: 0.39), suggesting AXP has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
| Symbol | AXP | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | American Express Company | Eli Lilly and Company |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Financial Services | Healthcare |
| Industry | Financial - Credit Services | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Stephen Joseph Squeri | David A. Ricks |
| Price | 328.13 USD | 780.67 USD |
| Market Cap | 229.88 billion USD | 739.87 billion USD |
| Beta | 1.25 | 0.39 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | June 1, 1972 | June 1, 1972 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AXP and LLY 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.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AXP
34.05%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 34.05%
- Q3
- 18.70%
- Median
- 10.57%
- Q1
- 3.55%
- Min
- -12.12%
In the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry, AXP’s Return on Equity of 34.05% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
LLY
76.92%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
LLY’s Return on Equity of 76.92% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
AXP
8.40%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 68.11%
- Q3
- 32.26%
- Median
- 9.52%
- Q1
- 3.37%
- Min
- -7.03%
Return on Invested Capital is often not a primary measure of capital efficiency in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
LLY
25.72%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
In the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, LLY’s Return on Invested Capital of 25.72% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
AXP
13.64%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 39.42%
- Q3
- 20.10%
- Median
- 12.91%
- Q1
- 5.82%
- Min
- -14.80%
AXP’s Net Profit Margin of 13.64% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Financial - Credit Services industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
LLY
22.66%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
LLY’s Net Profit Margin of 22.66% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
AXP
17.36%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 77.26%
- Q3
- 42.86%
- Median
- 17.99%
- Q1
- 10.82%
- Min
- -14.94%
AXP’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.36% is around the midpoint for the Financial - Credit Services industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
LLY
40.70%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
An Operating Profit Margin of 40.70% places LLY in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 34.05% | 76.92% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 3.64% | 12.42% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 8.40% | 25.72% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.64% | 22.66% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.36% | 40.70% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 82.37% | 81.70% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AXP
0.32
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 8.15
- Q3
- 4.39
- Median
- 2.62
- Q1
- 1.06
- Min
- 0.15
For the Financial - Credit Services industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
LLY
1.37
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
LLY’s Current Ratio of 1.37 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AXP
1.69
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 4.69
- Q3
- 2.55
- Median
- 1.20
- Q1
- 0.55
- Min
- 0.00
AXP’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.69 is typical for the Financial - Credit Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
LLY
2.44
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
LLY’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.44 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AXP
1.59
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 17.48
- Q3
- 7.42
- Median
- 1.59
- Q1
- 0.38
- Min
- -7.77
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
LLY
23.61
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
LLY’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 23.61 is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 1.37 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.32 | 1.06 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 1.69 | 2.44 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.19 | 0.43 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.03 | 2.18 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.59 | 23.61 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AXP and LLY. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AXP
0.93%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 14.68%
- Q3
- 2.97%
- Median
- 1.03%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXP’s Dividend Yield of 0.93% is consistent with its peers in the Financial - Credit Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
LLY
0.72%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
LLY’s Dividend Yield of 0.72% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the company’s strategy likely favors retaining earnings for growth over providing a high dividend income.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AXP
20.01%
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 169.58%
- Q3
- 38.15%
- Median
- 18.30%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AXP’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 20.01% is within the typical range for the Financial - Credit Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
LLY
43.74%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
LLY’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 43.74% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.93% | 0.72% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 20.01% | 43.74% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AXP
22.38
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 42.04
- Q3
- 25.88
- Median
- 12.28
- Q1
- 9.55
- Min
- 3.09
AXP’s P/E Ratio of 22.38 is within the middle range for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
LLY
63.17
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
At 63.17, LLY’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AXP
2.10
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 2.76
- Q3
- 1.57
- Median
- 0.82
- Q1
- 0.51
- Min
- 0.06
A Forward PEG Ratio of 2.10 places AXP in the upper quartile for the Financial - Credit Services industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
LLY
2.81
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
LLY’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.81 is within the middle range of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AXP
3.05
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 6.24
- Q3
- 3.02
- Median
- 1.54
- Q1
- 0.75
- Min
- 0.32
The P/S Ratio is often not a primary valuation tool in the Financial - Credit Services industry.
LLY
15.10
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
With a P/S Ratio of 15.10, LLY trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AXP
7.37
Financial - Credit Services Industry
- Max
- 3.58
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.84
- Min
- 0.07
At 7.37, AXP’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Financial - Credit Services industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
LLY
44.50
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AXP | LLY |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 22.38 | 63.17 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.10 | 2.81 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.05 | 15.10 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.37 | 44.50 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 20.31 | 1518.61 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 15.56 | 47.64 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.06 | 15.82 |