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AZN vs. PCVX: AstraZeneca vs. Vaxcyte Stock Comparison

How do AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX) 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 Vaxcyte (PCVX) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but AZN is classified in Pharmaceuticals while PCVX is classified in Biotechnology.

AstraZeneca (AZN) has more than two decades of public-market history since May 12, 1993, whereas Vaxcyte (PCVX) listed on June 12, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Vaxcyte (PCVX) 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.

Company profile comparison for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
Profile ItemAZNPCVX
NameAstraZeneca PLC American Depositary SharesVaxcyte Inc.
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryPharmaceuticalsBiotechnology
GICS Sub-IndustryPharmaceuticalsBiotechnology
Market Capitalization289.14 billion USD10.11 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateMay 12, 1993June 12, 2020
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

AZN
PCVX
GSPC
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
Total Return (1Y)12.64%59.00%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)15.75%11.29%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)10.63%21.60%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

AZN
PCVX
GSPC
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)28.21%56.01%
Beta (5Y)0.221.26
Max Drawdown (5Y)-27.87%-76.22%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.14M2.12M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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AZN and PCVX are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.300.98
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.441.76

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Vaxcyte (PCVX) reports a negative ROE of -42.68%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile AstraZeneca (AZN) reports 22.57%, ranking against industry peers normally.

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%

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

-42.68%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
PCVX
-42.68%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

AstraZeneca (AZN) at 17.68% retains a top-quartile share of revenue as profit, ahead of Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 0.00%, which keeps about the industry-typical 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%

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
PCVX
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

AstraZeneca (AZN) at 29.57% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 0.00%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

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%

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

Max
83.12%
Q3
14.77%
PCVX
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
ROE (TTM)22.57%-42.68%
ROA (TTM)8.59%-24.98%
Net Margin (TTM)17.68%0.00%
Operating Margin (TTM)29.57%0.00%
Gross Margin (TTM)81.78%0.00%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Only one side can be read here: AstraZeneca (AZN) reports revenue growth of 8.63%, ranked against its industry; Vaxcyte (PCVX) has no revenue growth figure this period.

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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: AstraZeneca (AZN) reports EPS growth of 45.33%, ranked against its industry; Vaxcyte (PCVX) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
Revenue Growth (YoY)8.63%--
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)9.82%--
EPS Growth (YoY)45.33%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)45.80%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 4.56 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while AstraZeneca (AZN) at 1.01 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for AZN.

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

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.56

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
PCVX
4.56
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 0.09 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

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.09

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
PCVX
0.09
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.014.56
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.660.09
Net Debt / EBITDA1.23--

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Vaxcyte (PCVX) 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%

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

PCVX
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Vaxcyte (PCVX) 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%

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

PCVX
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.73%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)45.38%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

An earnings multiple is available for just one side: AstraZeneca (AZN) trades at 26.37 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Vaxcyte (PCVX) has no P/E ratio this period.

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

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
PCVX
--
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): PCVX does not report P/E ratio, so it has no value marker; AZN is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

A sales-based read is only available for AstraZeneca (AZN), whose P/S ratio of 4.63 ranks against industry peers; Vaxcyte (PCVX) reports no figure this period.

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

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
PCVX
--
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AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): PCVX does not report P/S ratio, so it has no value marker; AZN is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 5.59 and Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 3.83 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

PCVX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.83

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
PCVX
3.83
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
AstraZeneca (AZN) vs. Vaxcyte (PCVX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for AstraZeneca (AZN) and Vaxcyte (PCVX)
MetricAZNPCVX
P/E Ratio (TTM)26.37--
P/S Ratio (TTM)4.63--
P/B Ratio (MRQ)5.593.83
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.95%-5.24%