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AZN vs. CVS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated

Here’s a clear look at AZN and CVS, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.

Company Overview

AZN dominates in value with a market cap of 432.07 billion USD, eclipsing CVS’s 78.57 billion USD by roughly 5.50×.

CVS carries a higher beta at 0.60, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while AZN remains steadier at 0.18.

AZN trades as an ADR, giving U.S. investors a simple on-ramp to its foreign shares, while CVS remains a standard domestic listing.

SymbolAZNCVS
Company NameAstraZeneca PLCCVS Health Corporation
CountryGBUS
SectorHealthcareHealthcare
IndustryDrug Manufacturers - GeneralMedical - Healthcare Plans
CEOMr. Pascal Claude Roland Soriot D.V.M., M.B.A.Mr. J. David Joyner CEBS
Price69.68 USD62.11 USD
Market Cap432.07 billion USD78.57 billion USD
Beta0.180.60
ExchangeNASDAQNYSE
IPO DateMay 12, 1993November 20, 1996
ADRYesNo

Performance Comparison

This chart compares the performance of AZN and CVS over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).

Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.

Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

Valuation Metrics Comparison

For a detailed comparison of valuation metrics between AZN and CVS, please refer to the table below.

SymbolAZNCVS
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)27.8214.83
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)2.501.27
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)3.930.21
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)5.271.02
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)22.3513.23
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)13.6910.98
EV-to-Sales (TTM)4.420.40
EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM)25.0925.20

Dividend Comparison

CVS stands out with a 4.28% dividend yield—around 208% above AZN’s 1.39%—highlighting its emphasis on generous payouts.

SymbolAZNCVS
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.39%4.28%

Financial Strength Metrics Comparison

This section dives into the financial resilience of AZN and CVS, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.

  • With current ratios of 0.90 and 0.82, both AZN and CVS have less current assets than short-term liabilities, which could strain their working capital and force reliance on additional financing.
  • Both AZN (quick ratio 0.70) and CVS (quick ratio 0.63) fall below 0.8, meaning their most liquid assets—excluding inventory—aren’t enough to meet short-term obligations. This could force them to rely on receivables, inventory turn, or external financing.
SymbolAZNCVS
Current Ratio (TTM)0.900.82
Quick Ratio (TTM)0.700.63
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)0.771.06
Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM)0.300.32
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)7.953.18