AZN vs. NVO: AstraZeneca vs. Novo Nordisk Stock Comparison

Company Profile

AstraZeneca (AZN) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) 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 Novo Nordisk (NVO) trade as ADRs — their core financials are comparable, but keep FX, depositary-program fees, and dividend withholding in view for each.

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

Trailing Returns

Calendar-Year Returns

Performance Metrics

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

Return Distribution

Risk Metrics

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Profitability

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 23.48% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 71.40% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 17.19% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 37.21% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 27.94% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 61.57% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 8.63% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 6.43% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 45.33% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 1.77% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 0.91 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.79 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 0.72 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.72 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 1.95% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 23.58% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 47.70% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 42.59% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

Dividend Metrics

Valuation

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 11.90 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while AstraZeneca (AZN) at 24.76 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for NVO, though growth and earnings durability still matter.

Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.67 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while AstraZeneca (AZN) at 4.35 prices around its industry’s middle — NVO costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

On P/B ratio, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 5.54 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 7.08 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

Valuation Metrics