Seek Returns

GSK vs. PFE: GSK vs. Pfizer Stock Comparison

How do GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE) 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

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

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

Company profile comparison for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
Profile ItemGSKPFE
NameGSK plc ADRPfizer Inc.
Country/RegionUnited KingdomUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryPharmaceuticalsPharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-IndustryPharmaceuticalsPharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization100.88 billion USD167.52 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateMarch 28, 1980June 1, 1972
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GSK
PFE
GSPC
Loading price history…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
Total Return (1Y)13.73%28.65%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.65%6.41%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.97%-3.98%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GSK
PFE
GSPC
Loading price history…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)26.25%21.72%
Beta (5Y)0.310.35
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.63%-58.96%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.05M33.67M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
GSK and PFE are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.361.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.561.73

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

GSK (GSK) at 28.27% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Pfizer (PFE) at 4.47% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for GSK.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

28.27%

Max
109.18%
GSK
28.27%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.47%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
PFE
4.47%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

For every dollar of sales, both GSK (GSK) at 12.97% and Pfizer (PFE) at 6.34% retain more as net profit than most peers, landing in the top net margin quartile of their industries.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

12.97%

Max
18.05%
GSK
12.97%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

6.34%

Max
18.05%
PFE
6.34%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 32.14% and Pfizer (PFE) at 33.38% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

32.14%

Max
83.12%
GSK
32.14%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

33.38%

Max
83.12%
PFE
33.38%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
ROE (TTM)28.27%4.47%
ROA (TTM)9.24%5.59%
Net Margin (TTM)12.97%6.34%
Operating Margin (TTM)32.14%33.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.79%74.90%

Growth

Revenue Growth

GSK (GSK) at 4.11% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Pfizer (PFE) at -1.65% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

GSK (GSK) at 123.15% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Pfizer (PFE) at -3.55% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GSK.

Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.11%-1.65%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.66%-14.80%
EPS Growth (YoY)123.15%-3.55%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-27.63%-37.12%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both GSK (GSK) at 0.86 and Pfizer (PFE) at 1.42 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.86

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
GSK
0.86
Min
0.10

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.42

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
PFE
1.42
Min
0.10
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both GSK (GSK) at 1.30 and Pfizer (PFE) at 0.71 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.30

Max
1.42
GSK
1.30
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.71

Max
1.42
PFE
0.71
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.861.42
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.300.71
Net Debt / EBITDA1.881.97

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 1.57% and Pfizer (PFE) at 7.30% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.57%

GSK
1.57%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.30%

PFE
7.30%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Pfizer (PFE) reports payout ratio above 100% at 245.71%, meaning dividends exceeded current-period earnings and sustainability needs extra context. Meanwhile GSK (GSK) reports 63.33%, ranking against industry peers normally.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

63.33%

GSK
63.33%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

245.71%

PFE
245.71%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.57%7.30%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)63.33%245.71%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 17.54 and Pfizer (PFE) at 41.99 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

17.54

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
GSK
17.54
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

41.99

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
PFE
41.99
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 3.01 and Pfizer (PFE) at 2.63 fetch a relatively low price per dollar of sales, landing in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile of their industries.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.01

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
GSK
3.01
Min
0.01

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.63

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
PFE
2.63
Min
0.01
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

On P/B ratio, both GSK (GSK) at 4.02 and Pfizer (PFE) at 1.88 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

GSK

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.02

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
GSK
4.02
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

PFE

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.88

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
PFE
1.88
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
GSK (GSK) vs. Pfizer (PFE): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for GSK (GSK) and Pfizer (PFE)
MetricGSKPFE
P/E Ratio (TTM)17.5441.99
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.012.63
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.021.88
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.28%7.76%