CNC vs. NVO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at CNC and NVO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
CNC is a standard domestic listing, while NVO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | CNC | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Centene Corporation | Novo Nordisk A/S |
| Country | United States | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Health Care Providers & Services | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 18.40 billion USD | 216.69 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | December 13, 2001 | April 30, 1981 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of CNC 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | CNC | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 6.22% | 5.55% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 27.69% | -10.49% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -38.31% | -29.53% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -37.32% | -59.81% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 2.86% | -1.55% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -39.95% | -50.17% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 10.00M | 8.31M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 14.43M | 7.13M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 53.24% | 44.27% |
| Beta | 0.47 | 1.58 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
CNC
-20.61%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 24.67%
- Q3
- 15.54%
- Median
- 8.37%
- Q1
- 5.49%
- Min
- -2.09%
CNC has a negative Return on Equity of -20.61%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
NVO
66.95%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.95%
- Q3
- 20.34%
- Median
- 11.59%
- Q1
- 3.32%
- Min
- -10.91%
NVO’s Return on Equity of 66.95% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
CNC
-2.85%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 9.33%
- Q3
- 4.80%
- Median
- 2.90%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -3.28%
CNC has a negative Net Profit Margin of -2.85%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
NVO
32.88%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 39.07%
- Q3
- 19.28%
- Median
- 13.48%
- Q1
- 5.73%
- Min
- -8.86%
A Net Profit Margin of 32.88% places NVO in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
CNC
-3.07%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 18.35%
- Q3
- 8.71%
- Median
- 5.10%
- Q1
- 2.10%
- Min
- -3.07%
CNC has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -3.07%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
NVO
42.03%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 45.58%
- Q3
- 24.35%
- Median
- 18.05%
- Q1
- 7.58%
- Min
- -11.88%
An Operating Profit Margin of 42.03% places NVO in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | CNC | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -20.61% | 66.95% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -6.26% | 21.29% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -2.85% | 32.88% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -3.07% | 42.03% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 8.14% | 82.05% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
CNC
1.08
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.00
- Q3
- 1.56
- Median
- 1.28
- Q1
- 0.92
- Min
- 0.01
CNC’s Current Ratio of 1.08 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NVO
0.78
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 5.45
- Q3
- 2.99
- Median
- 1.98
- Q1
- 1.29
- Min
- 0.78
NVO’s Current Ratio of 0.78 falls into the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals 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 (MRQ)
CNC
0.84
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.41
- Q3
- 1.39
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.46
- Min
- 0.00
CNC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.84 is typical for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
NVO
0.60
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 1.79
- Q3
- 0.78
- Median
- 0.31
- Q1
- 0.08
- Min
- 0.00
NVO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.60 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals 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 (TTM)
CNC
7.06
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.46
- Median
- 4.52
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
CNC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.06 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
NVO
149.07
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 43.60
- Median
- 10.15
- Q1
- 2.37
- Min
- -42.71
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 149.07, NVO demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | CNC | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.78 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.08 | 0.57 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.84 | 0.60 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 7.06 | 149.07 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
CNC
0.00%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.51%
- Q3
- 2.66%
- Median
- 1.06%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNC currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
NVO
3.77%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.72%
- Q3
- 3.48%
- Median
- 1.90%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 3.77%, NVO offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
CNC
0.00%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 187.56%
- Q3
- 81.14%
- Median
- 33.42%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNC has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
NVO
68.98%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 199.58%
- Q3
- 85.87%
- Median
- 49.36%
- Q1
- 1.12%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 68.98% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | CNC | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 3.77% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 68.98% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
CNC
--
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 48.86
- Q3
- 32.22
- Median
- 21.78
- Q1
- 13.97
- Min
- 8.01
P/E Ratio data for CNC is currently unavailable.
NVO
13.31
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 52.64
- Q3
- 29.89
- Median
- 20.77
- Q1
- 13.37
- Min
- 5.71
In the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, NVO’s P/E Ratio of 13.31 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
CNC
0.10
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.66
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 0.72
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.10
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, CNC’s P/S Ratio of 0.10 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
NVO
4.38
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 8.74
- Q3
- 4.66
- Median
- 2.37
- Q1
- 1.67
- Min
- 0.11
NVO’s P/S Ratio of 4.38 aligns with the market consensus for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
CNC
0.84
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.33
- Q3
- 4.33
- Median
- 2.48
- Q1
- 1.31
- Min
- 0.65
CNC’s P/B Ratio of 0.84 is in the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. From a value investing perspective, this is favorable, as it suggests the stock is trading at a discount to its net asset value and may offer a greater margin of safety.
NVO
6.88
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.86
- Q3
- 5.28
- Median
- 2.48
- Q1
- 1.57
- Min
- 0.59
NVO’s P/B Ratio of 6.88 is in the upper tier for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | CNC | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | -- | 13.31 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 0.10 | 4.38 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 0.84 | 6.88 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 4.47 | 21.18 |