EXEL vs. NVO: Exelixis vs. Novo Nordisk Stock Comparison
How do Exelixis (EXEL) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) 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
Exelixis (EXEL) and Novo Nordisk (NVO) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but EXEL is classified in Biotechnology while NVO is classified in Pharmaceuticals.
Exelixis (EXEL) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Exelixis Inc. | Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR |
| Country/Region | United States | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Biotechnology | Pharmaceuticals |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Biotechnology | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 16.98 billion USD | 177.74 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 17, 2000 | April 30, 1981 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 74.98% | -5.29% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 50.33% | -23.41% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 31.10% | -4.13% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 34.17% | 45.98% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.41 | 0.67 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -35.41% | -74.70% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.33M | 12.11M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 2.07 | -0.21 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 3.23 | -0.28 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Exelixis (EXEL) at 44.32% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 58.38% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
44.32%
- Max
- 109.18%
- EXEL
- 44.32%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
58.38%
- Max
- 109.18%
- NVO
- 58.38%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Exelixis (EXEL) at 35.45% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 33.92% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
35.45%
- EXEL
- 35.45%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
33.92%
- NVO
- 33.92%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Exelixis (EXEL) at 40.75% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 40.05% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
40.75%
- Max
- 83.12%
- EXEL
- 40.75%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
40.05%
- Max
- 83.12%
- NVO
- 40.05%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 44.32% | 58.38% |
| ROA (TTM) | 23.52% | 19.05% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 35.45% | 33.92% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 40.75% | 40.05% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 96.26% | 83.33% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Exelixis (EXEL) at 6.98% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 6.43% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Both Exelixis (EXEL) at 57.95% and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 1.77% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 6.98% | 6.43% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 12.93% | 20.43% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 57.95% | 1.77% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 70.59% | 23.52% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Exelixis (EXEL) at 3.21 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.85 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NVO.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.21
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- EXEL
- 3.21
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.85
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- NVO
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Exelixis (EXEL) at 0.09 and Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.62 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.09
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- EXEL
- 0.09
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.62
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- NVO
- 0.62
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 3.21 | 0.85 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.09 | 0.62 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.71 | 0.49 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Exelixis (EXEL) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a yield of 29.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- EXEL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
29.03%
- NVO
- 29.03%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Exelixis (EXEL) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a payout of 45.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- EXEL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
45.36%
- NVO
- 45.36%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 29.03% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 45.36% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 10.18 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Exelixis (EXEL) at 20.83 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for NVO, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
20.83
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- EXEL
- 20.83
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.18
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- NVO
- 10.18
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.53 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Exelixis (EXEL) at 6.80 prices around its industry’s middle — NVO costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
6.80
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- EXEL
- 6.80
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.53
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- NVO
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 5.43 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Exelixis (EXEL) at 9.28 carries an above-peer premium to book — EXEL is pricier on assets.
EXEL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
9.28
- Max
- 13.53
- EXEL
- 9.28
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.43
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- NVO
- 5.43
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | EXEL | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 20.83 | 10.18 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 6.80 | 0.53 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 9.28 | 5.43 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 4.47% | 18.43% |