AZN vs. GSK: AstraZeneca vs. GSK Stock Comparison
How do AstraZeneca (AZN) and GSK (GSK) 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
AstraZeneca (AZN) and GSK (GSK) are both classified in the Pharmaceuticals sub-industry within the broader Pharmaceuticals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) and GSK (GSK) trade as ADRs — their core financials are comparable, but keep FX, depositary-program fees, and dividend withholding in view for each.
| Profile Item | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Name | AstraZeneca PLC American Depositary Shares | GSK plc ADR |
| Country/Region | United Kingdom | United Kingdom |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Pharmaceuticals |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 289.14 billion USD | 100.88 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 12, 1993 | March 28, 1980 |
| Security Type | ADR | ADR |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.64% | 13.73% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 15.75% | 18.65% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 10.63% | 7.97% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 28.21% | 26.25% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.22 | 0.31 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -27.87% | -37.63% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.14M | 4.05M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.30 | 0.36 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.44 | 0.56 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 22.57% and GSK (GSK) at 28.27% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
22.57%
- Max
- 109.18%
- AZN
- 22.57%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
28.27%
- Max
- 109.18%
- GSK
- 28.27%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
For every dollar of sales, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 17.68% and GSK (GSK) at 12.97% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
17.68%
- Max
- 18.05%
- AZN
- 17.68%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
12.97%
- Max
- 18.05%
- GSK
- 12.97%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 29.57% and GSK (GSK) at 32.14% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
29.57%
- Max
- 83.12%
- AZN
- 29.57%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
32.14%
- Max
- 83.12%
- GSK
- 32.14%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 22.57% | 28.27% |
| ROA (TTM) | 8.59% | 9.24% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 17.68% | 12.97% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 29.57% | 32.14% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 81.78% | 73.79% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 8.63% and GSK (GSK) at 4.11% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
GSK (GSK) at 123.15% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while AstraZeneca (AZN) at 45.33% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GSK.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 8.63% | 4.11% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 9.82% | 3.66% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 45.33% | 123.15% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 45.80% | -27.63% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 1.01 and GSK (GSK) at 0.86 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.01
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- AZN
- 1.01
- Min
- 0.10
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.86
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- GSK
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 0.66 and GSK (GSK) at 1.30 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.66
- Max
- 1.42
- AZN
- 0.66
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.30
- Max
- 1.42
- GSK
- 1.30
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.01 | 0.86 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.66 | 1.30 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.23 | 1.88 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 1.73% and GSK (GSK) at 1.57% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.73%
- AZN
- 1.73%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.57%
- GSK
- 1.57%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 45.38% and GSK (GSK) at 63.33% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
45.38%
- AZN
- 45.38%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
63.33%
- GSK
- 63.33%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.73% | 1.57% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.38% | 63.33% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 26.37 and GSK (GSK) at 17.54 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
26.37
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- AZN
- 26.37
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
17.54
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- GSK
- 17.54
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
GSK (GSK) at 3.01 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while AstraZeneca (AZN) at 4.63 prices around its industry’s middle — GSK costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.63
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- AZN
- 4.63
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.01
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- GSK
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 5.59 and GSK (GSK) at 4.02 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
AZN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.59
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- AZN
- 5.59
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
GSK
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.02
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- GSK
- 4.02
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AZN | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 26.37 | 17.54 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.63 | 3.01 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.59 | 4.02 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.95% | 5.28% |