AZN vs. UTHR: AstraZeneca vs. United Therapeutics Stock Comparison
How do AstraZeneca (AZN) and United Therapeutics (UTHR) 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 United Therapeutics (UTHR) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but AZN is classified in Pharmaceuticals while UTHR is classified in Biotechnology.
United Therapeutics (UTHR) 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 | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Name | AstraZeneca PLC American Depositary Shares | United Therapeutics Corporation |
| 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 | Biotechnology |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Biotechnology |
| Market Capitalization | 289.14 billion USD | 23.94 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | May 12, 1993 | June 17, 1999 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 12.64% | 28.77% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 15.75% | 37.63% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 10.63% | 23.78% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 28.21% | 35.00% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.22 | 0.49 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -27.87% | -33.00% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.14M | 694.55K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.30 | 0.70 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.44 | 1.29 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 22.57% and United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 19.13% 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%
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
19.13%
- Max
- 109.18%
- UTHR
- 19.13%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 38.61% 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%
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
38.61%
- UTHR
- 38.61%
- 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 United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 28.99% 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%
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
28.99%
- Max
- 83.12%
- UTHR
- 28.99%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 22.57% | 19.13% |
| ROA (TTM) | 8.59% | 10.91% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 17.68% | 38.61% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 29.57% | 28.99% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 81.78% | 86.34% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 8.63% and United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 10.61% 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 United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 13.07% 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 | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 8.63% | 10.61% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 9.82% | 18.02% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 45.33% | 13.07% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 45.80% | 22.92% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 4.61 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
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.61
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- UTHR
- 4.61
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Only one side’s leverage can be read here: AstraZeneca (AZN) carries debt-to-equity ratio of 0.66 against its industry range, while United Therapeutics (UTHR) reports no figure this period.
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
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
--
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
- UTHR
- --
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.01 | 4.61 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.66 | -- |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.23 | -1.53 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) 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%
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- UTHR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
United Therapeutics (UTHR) 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%
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- UTHR
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| 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 United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 21.22 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
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
21.22
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- UTHR
- 21.22
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 4.63 and United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 7.51 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
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
7.51
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- UTHR
- 7.51
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both AstraZeneca (AZN) at 5.59 and United Therapeutics (UTHR) at 3.80 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
UTHR
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.80
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- UTHR
- 3.80
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AZN | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 26.37 | 21.22 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.63 | 7.51 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.59 | 3.80 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.95% | 1.90% |