GSK vs. NVS: GSK vs. Novartis Stock Comparison

Company Profile

GSK (GSK) and Novartis (NVS) are both classified in the Pharmaceuticals sub-industry within the broader Pharmaceuticals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Both GSK (GSK) and Novartis (NVS) trade as ADRs — their core financials are comparable, but keep FX, depositary-program fees, and dividend withholding in view for each.

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 GSK (GSK) at 28.27% 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 GSK (GSK) at 12.97% 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 GSK (GSK) at 32.14% 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 GSK (GSK) at 4.11% 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.

GSK (GSK) at 123.15% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Novartis (NVS) at 21.81% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GSK.

Growth Metrics

Financial Strength

Both GSK (GSK) at 0.86 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.

Both GSK (GSK) at 1.30 and Novartis (NVS) at 1.29 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

Financial Strength Metrics

Dividends

Both GSK (GSK) at 1.57% 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 GSK (GSK) at 63.33% 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 GSK (GSK) at 17.54 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.

GSK (GSK) at 3.01 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Novartis (NVS) at 5.35 prices around its industry’s middle — GSK costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

GSK (GSK) at 4.02 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