DHR vs. NVS: Danaher vs. Novartis Stock Comparison

Company Profile

Danaher (DHR) and Novartis (NVS) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but DHR is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services while NVS is classified in Pharmaceuticals.

Danaher (DHR) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novartis (NVS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

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 Danaher (DHR) at 8.19% and Novartis (NVS) at 24.33% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

For every dollar of sales, both Danaher (DHR) at 16.91% and Novartis (NVS) at 17.49% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

Both Danaher (DHR) at 21.13% and Novartis (NVS) at 34.27% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

Profitability Metrics

Growth

Both Danaher (DHR) at 2.90% and Novartis (NVS) at 9.57% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Both Danaher (DHR) at -4.54% and Novartis (NVS) at 21.81% 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 Danaher (DHR) at 1.63 and Novartis (NVS) at 0.88 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

Danaher (DHR) at 0.52 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Novartis (NVS) at 1.29 uses more debt funding than most peers.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

Both Danaher (DHR) at 0.67% and Novartis (NVS) at 2.88% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

Both Danaher (DHR) at 25.17% and Novartis (NVS) at 90.46% 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

Both Danaher (DHR) at 38.12 and Novartis (NVS) at 31.02 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

On P/S ratio, both Danaher (DHR) at 6.32 and Novartis (NVS) at 5.35 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

Danaher (DHR) at 3.02 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Novartis (NVS) at 8.25 carries an above-peer premium to book — NVS is pricier on assets.

Valuation Metrics