AZN vs. NVO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AZN and NVO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
AZN’s market capitalization stands at 430.65 billion USD, while NVO’s is 306.26 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 0.17 for AZN and 0.22 for NVO, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
AZN and NVO are both American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). This provides U.S. investors with straightforward access to investing in these foreign-listed companies without directly engaging with overseas stock exchanges.
| Symbol | AZN | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AstraZeneca PLC | Novo Nordisk A/S |
| Country | GB | DK |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Drug Manufacturers - General | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Pascal Claude Roland Soriot | Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen |
| Price | 69.45 USD | 69.17 USD |
| Market Cap | 430.65 billion USD | 306.26 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.17 | 0.22 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 12, 1993 | April 30, 1981 |
| ADR | Yes | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AZN and NVO 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
AZN
19.18%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
AZN’s Return on Equity of 19.18% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
NVO
81.24%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
In the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, NVO’s Return on Equity of 81.24% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
AZN
10.93%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
AZN’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.93% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
NVO
38.75%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
NVO’s Return on Invested Capital of 38.75% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This demonstrates an outstanding ability to deploy capital efficiently and create significant value.
Net Profit Margin
AZN
14.14%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
AZN’s Net Profit Margin of 14.14% 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.
NVO
34.51%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
A Net Profit Margin of 34.51% places NVO in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
AZN
19.21%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
AZN’s Operating Profit Margin of 19.21% is around the midpoint for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
NVO
44.53%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
NVO’s Operating Profit Margin of 44.53% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AZN | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 19.18% | 81.24% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 7.31% | 21.39% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 10.93% | 38.75% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 14.14% | 34.51% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 19.21% | 44.53% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 81.41% | 84.33% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AZN
0.90
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
AZN’s Current Ratio of 0.90 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NVO
0.74
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
NVO’s Current Ratio of 0.74 falls into the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AZN
0.77
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
AZN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.77 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.
NVO
0.86
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
NVO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.86 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
AZN
7.95
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
AZN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.95 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
NVO
17.84
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
NVO’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 17.84 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 | AZN | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 0.90 | 0.74 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.70 | 0.56 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.77 | 0.86 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.30 | 0.24 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.49 | 0.50 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.95 | 17.84 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AZN and NVO. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AZN
1.87%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Yield of 1.87% 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.
NVO
2.53%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Yield of 2.53% is consistent with its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AZN
63.60%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
AZN’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 63.60% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
NVO
48.61%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 48.61% 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 | AZN | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 1.87% | 2.53% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 63.60% | 48.61% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AZN
28.12
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
At 28.12, AZN’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.
NVO
19.15
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
NVO’s P/E Ratio of 19.15 is within the middle range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AZN
2.56
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
AZN’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.56 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.
NVO
1.46
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
In the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, NVO’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.46 is a positive indicator. It suggests that the stock may be attractively valued relative to its expected earnings growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AZN
3.98
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
AZN’s P/S Ratio of 3.98 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
NVO
6.68
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 6.68, NVO 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
AZN
5.33
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.
NVO
14.46
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 | AZN | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 28.12 | 19.15 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 2.56 | 1.46 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 3.98 | 6.68 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 5.33 | 14.46 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 22.59 | 27.08 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 13.82 | 13.08 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4.46 | 6.94 |