ELV vs. NVS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ELV and NVS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
NVS’s market capitalization of 225.56 billion USD is significantly greater than ELV’s 68.33 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.62 for ELV and 0.53 for NVS, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
NVS is an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), allowing U.S. investors direct exposure to its non-U.S. operations. ELV, on the other hand, is a domestic entity.
| Symbol | ELV | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Elevance Health Inc. | Novartis AG |
| Country | US | CH |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Medical - Healthcare Plans | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Gail Koziara Boudreaux | Vasant Narasimhan |
| Price | 302.45 USD | 114.52 USD |
| Market Cap | 68.33 billion USD | 225.56 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.62 | 0.53 |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| IPO Date | October 30, 2001 | November 7, 1996 |
| ADR | No | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ELV and NVS 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
ELV
13.76%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 13.94%
- Q3
- 13.62%
- Median
- 11.42%
- Q1
- 7.74%
- Min
- 6.98%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, ELV’s Return on Equity of 13.76% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
NVS
30.71%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
NVS’s Return on Equity of 30.71% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ELV
76.64%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 15.50%
- Q3
- 7.12%
- Median
- 5.48%
- Q1
- -3.47%
- Min
- -15.02%
ELV’s Return on Invested Capital of 76.64% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This demonstrates an outstanding ability to deploy capital efficiently and create significant value.
NVS
17.87%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
NVS’s Return on Invested Capital of 17.87% 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.
Net Profit Margin
ELV
2.95%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 3.23%
- Q3
- 2.62%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 1.27%
- Min
- 1.22%
A Net Profit Margin of 2.95% places ELV in the upper quartile for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
NVS
24.16%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
A Net Profit Margin of 24.16% places NVS 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
ELV
40.39%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 4.30%
- Q3
- 3.77%
- Median
- 2.61%
- Q1
- 1.60%
- Min
- -1.64%
ELV’s Operating Profit Margin of 40.39% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
NVS
29.75%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
An Operating Profit Margin of 29.75% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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 | ELV | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.76% | 30.71% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 4.83% | 12.87% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | 76.64% | 17.87% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 2.95% | 24.16% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 40.39% | 29.75% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 75.84% | 75.65% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ELV
1.44
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.91
- Q3
- 1.63
- Median
- 1.43
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.78
ELV’s Current Ratio of 1.44 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NVS
0.79
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
NVS’s Current Ratio of 0.79 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
ELV
0.05
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.06
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.66
At 0.05, ELV’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio is unusually low for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This highlights a conservative capital structure, suggesting the company prioritizes financial stability over aggressive growth funded by debt.
NVS
0.81
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
NVS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.81 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
ELV
55.16
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 6.23
- Q3
- 6.23
- Median
- 5.19
- Q1
- 4.64
- Min
- 3.18
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 55.16, ELV demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
NVS
20.17
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
NVS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.17 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 | ELV | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.44 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 1.44 | 0.61 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.05 | 0.81 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.02 | 0.31 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.69 | 1.11 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 55.16 | 20.17 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ELV and NVS. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ELV
2.75%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 3.88%
- Q3
- 1.78%
- Median
- 0.73%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 2.75%, ELV offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
NVS
3.79%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Yield of 3.79% is consistent with its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ELV
27.12%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 63.88%
- Q3
- 29.91%
- Median
- 12.57%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ELV’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 27.12% is within the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
NVS
60.27%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 60.27% 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 | ELV | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.75% | 3.79% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 27.12% | 60.27% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ELV
11.75
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 18.17
- Q3
- 17.32
- Median
- 15.48
- Q1
- 13.55
- Min
- 12.84
ELV’s P/E Ratio of 11.75 is below the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This may indicate that the stock is potentially undervalued, or it could reflect market concerns about the company’s future prospects.
NVS
17.62
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
NVS’s P/E Ratio of 17.62 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
ELV
0.83
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.41
- Q3
- 1.09
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.60
ELV’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.83 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
NVS
3.06
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
NVS’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.06 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.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ELV
0.34
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 0.94
- Q3
- 0.64
- Median
- 0.43
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.16
ELV’s P/S Ratio of 0.34 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
NVS
4.10
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
NVS’s P/S Ratio of 4.10 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ELV
1.58
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 4.08
- Q3
- 3.83
- Median
- 2.63
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.96
ELV’s P/B Ratio of 1.58 is in the lower quartile for the Medical - Healthcare Plans 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.
NVS
5.91
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 | ELV | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 11.75 | 17.62 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.83 | 3.06 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 0.34 | 4.10 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 1.58 | 5.91 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | 17.08 | 13.58 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 6.49 | 11.13 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 0.31 | 4.56 |