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GSK vs. RPRX: GSK vs. Royalty Pharma Stock Comparison

How do GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) are both classified in the Pharmaceuticals sub-industry within the broader Pharmaceuticals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

GSK (GSK) has more than two decades of public-market history since March 28, 1980, whereas Royalty Pharma (RPRX) listed on June 16, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.

Royalty Pharma (RPRX) 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
Profile ItemGSKRPRX
NameGSK plc ADRRoyalty Pharma plc Class A Ordinary Shares
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 USD38.70 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateMarch 28, 1980June 16, 2020
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

GSK
RPRX
GSPC
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX), 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

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Trailing total returns for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
Total Return (1Y)13.73%81.08%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)18.65%39.21%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)7.97%14.22%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

GSK
RPRX
GSPC
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX), 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)26.25%22.05%
Beta (5Y)0.310.36
Max Drawdown (5Y)-37.63%-41.98%
Avg. Volume (3M)4.05M3.10M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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GSK and RPRX 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.363.48
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.565.72

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 28.27% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 12.09% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

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%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

12.09%

Max
109.18%
RPRX
12.09%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 25.70% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and GSK (GSK) at 12.97% also retains a top-quartile share.

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%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

25.70%

RPRX
25.70%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 81.32% 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%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

81.32%

Max
83.12%
RPRX
81.32%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
ROE (TTM)28.27%12.09%
ROA (TTM)9.24%5.43%
Net Margin (TTM)12.97%25.70%
Operating Margin (TTM)32.14%81.32%
Gross Margin (TTM)73.79%99.79%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both GSK (GSK) at 4.11% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 5.06% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 23.09% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for GSK.

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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
Revenue Growth (YoY)4.11%5.06%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)3.66%2.06%
EPS Growth (YoY)123.15%23.09%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-27.63%161.10%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both GSK (GSK) at 0.86 and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 1.29 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

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.29

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
RPRX
1.29
Min
0.10
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 0.88 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

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.88

Max
1.42
RPRX
0.88
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
Current Ratio (MRQ)0.861.29
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.300.88
Net Debt / EBITDA1.884.76

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 1.57% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 1.37% 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%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.37%

RPRX
1.37%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both GSK (GSK) at 63.33% and Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 60.46% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

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%

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

60.46%

RPRX
60.46%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
Dividend Yield (TTM)1.57%1.37%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)63.33%60.46%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

GSK (GSK) at 17.54 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 43.99 sits in the richer quartile — RPRX needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

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

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

43.99

Max
85.34
RPRX
43.99
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

GSK (GSK) at 3.01 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 14.79 prices around its industry’s middle — GSK costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

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

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

14.79

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
RPRX
14.79
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): 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 Royalty Pharma (RPRX) at 4.39 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

RPRX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

4.39

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
RPRX
4.39
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
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GSK (GSK) vs. Royalty Pharma (RPRX): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for GSK (GSK) and Royalty Pharma (RPRX)
MetricGSKRPRX
P/E Ratio (TTM)17.5443.99
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.0114.79
P/B Ratio (MRQ)4.024.39
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)5.28%-1.16%