AZN vs. MEDP: AstraZeneca vs. Medpace Stock Comparison
How do AstraZeneca (AZN) and Medpace (MEDP) 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 Medpace (MEDP) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but AZN is classified in Pharmaceuticals while MEDP is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.
Medpace (MEDP) trades as ordinary local shares, while AstraZeneca (AZN) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Name | AstraZeneca PLC American Depositary Shares | Medpace Holdings, Inc. |
| Country/Region | United Kingdom | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 289.14 billion USD | 18.27 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | May 12, 1993 | August 11, 2016 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.64% | 13.29% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 15.75% | 35.26% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 10.63% | 24.49% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 28.21% | 44.16% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.22 | 1.10 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -27.87% | -42.87% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.14M | 258.39K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.30 | 0.20 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.44 | 0.26 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both companies show strong equity returns, but Medpace (MEDP) at 117.88% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; AstraZeneca (AZN) at 22.57% also sits in the top quartile.
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%
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
117.88%
- MEDP
- 117.88%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Medpace (MEDP) at 18.24% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and AstraZeneca (AZN) at 17.68% also retains a top-quartile share.
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%
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
18.24%
- MEDP
- 18.24%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 29.57% and Medpace (MEDP) at 23.12% 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%
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
23.12%
- Max
- 83.12%
- MEDP
- 23.12%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 22.57% | 117.88% |
| ROA (TTM) | 8.59% | 18.71% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 17.68% | 18.24% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 29.57% | 23.12% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 81.78% | 72.24% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 8.63% and Medpace (MEDP) at 19.97% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 45.33% and Medpace (MEDP) at 20.98% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 8.63% | 19.97% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 9.82% | 20.12% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 45.33% | 20.98% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 45.80% | 28.04% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 1.01 and Medpace (MEDP) at 0.83 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
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.83
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- MEDP
- 0.83
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Medpace (MEDP) at 0.29 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while AstraZeneca (AZN) at 0.66 uses more debt funding than most peers.
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
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.29
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- MEDP
- 0.29
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.01 | 0.83 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.66 | 0.29 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.23 | -0.84 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Medpace (MEDP) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile AstraZeneca (AZN) reports a yield of 1.73%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- MEDP
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Medpace (MEDP) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile AstraZeneca (AZN) reports a payout of 45.38%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- MEDP
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.73% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.38% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 26.37 and Medpace (MEDP) at 36.26 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
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
36.26
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- MEDP
- 36.26
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 4.63 and Medpace (MEDP) at 6.44 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
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
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
6.44
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- MEDP
- 6.44
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
AstraZeneca (AZN) at 5.59 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Medpace (MEDP) at 31.23 prices above its benchmark range — MEDP looks rich relative to book.
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
MEDP
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
31.23
- MEDP
- 31.23
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AZN | MEDP |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 26.37 | 36.26 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.63 | 6.44 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.59 | 31.23 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.95% | 2.72% |