JNJ vs. NVS: Johnson & Johnson vs. Novartis Stock Comparison

August 25, 2026

How do Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS) 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

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

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novartis (NVS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Profile Item	JNJ	NVS
Name	Johnson & Johnson	Novartis AG Sponsored ADR
Country/Region	United States	Switzerland
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Pharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Pharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization	651.25 billion USD	301.95 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	January 2, 1962	November 7, 1996
Security Type	Common Stock	ADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

JNJ

NVS

GSPC

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS), 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 Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
Total Return (1Y)	54.80%	29.08%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	20.80%	19.61%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	11.63%	15.47%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

JNJ

NVS

GSPC

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS), 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 Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	18.72%	21.65%
Beta (5Y)	0.25	0.47
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-18.41%	-20.42%
Avg. Volume (3M)	7.94M	1.86M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

JNJ and NVS 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 Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	2.71	1.16
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	4.44	1.81

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 25.74% and Novartis (NVS) at 30.35% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

25.74%

Max: 102.29%
JNJ: 25.74%
Q3: 3.11%
Median: -33.05%
Q1: -64.06%
Min: -157.61%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

30.35%

Max: 102.29%
NVS: 30.35%
Q3: 3.11%
Median: -33.05%
Q1: -64.06%
Min: -157.61%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 21.48% and Novartis (NVS) at 22.50% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

21.48%

JNJ: 21.48%
Max: 12.02%
Q3: 2.01%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -5.21%
Min: -13.51%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

22.50%

NVS: 22.50%
Max: 12.02%
Q3: 2.01%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -5.21%
Min: -13.51%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 29.19% and Novartis (NVS) at 34.62% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

29.19%

Max: 76.04%
JNJ: 29.19%
Q3: 9.50%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -121.15%
Min: -308.66%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

34.62%

Max: 76.04%
NVS: 34.62%
Q3: 9.50%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -121.15%
Min: -308.66%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
ROE (TTM)	25.74%	30.35%
ROA (TTM)	8.60%	10.25%
Net Margin (TTM)	21.48%	22.50%
Operating Margin (TTM)	29.19%	34.62%
Gross Margin (TTM)	68.14%	74.98%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 6.05% 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.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 90.50% 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 JNJ.

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
Revenue Growth (YoY)	6.05%	9.57%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	5.60%	9.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)	90.50%	21.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	17.90%	31.14%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 1.09 and Novartis (NVS) at 0.86 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.09

Max: 26.78
Q3: 12.59
Median: 5.76
Q1: 2.84
JNJ: 1.09
Min: 0.10

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.86

Max: 26.78
Q3: 12.59
Median: 5.76
Q1: 2.84
NVS: 0.86
Min: 0.10

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 0.58 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Novartis (NVS) at 1.17 uses more debt funding than most peers.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.58

Max: 1.38
Q3: 0.63
JNJ: 0.58
Median: 0.13
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.17

Max: 1.38
NVS: 1.17
Q3: 0.63
Median: 0.13
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
Current Ratio (MRQ)	1.09	0.86
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	0.58	1.17
Net Debt / EBITDA	0.81	1.79

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 1.96% and Novartis (NVS) at 2.99% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.96%

JNJ: 1.96%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.99%

NVS: 2.99%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 60.79% and Novartis (NVS) at 71.60% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

60.79%

JNJ: 60.79%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

71.60%

NVS: 71.60%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
Dividend Yield (TTM)	1.96%	2.99%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	60.79%	71.60%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 31.35 and Novartis (NVS) at 24.00 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

31.35

Max: 84.64
Q3: 44.87
JNJ: 31.35
Median: 27.73
Q1: 16.02
Min: 0.13

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

24.00

Max: 84.64
Q3: 44.87
Median: 27.73
NVS: 24.00
Q1: 16.02
Min: 0.13

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 6.65 and Novartis (NVS) at 5.33 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

6.65

Max: 75.52
Q3: 33.02
Median: 7.47
JNJ: 6.65
Q1: 3.59
Min: 0.01

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.33

Max: 75.52
Q3: 33.02
Median: 7.47
NVS: 5.33
Q1: 3.59
Min: 0.01

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): 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 Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) at 7.66 and Novartis (NVS) at 7.27 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.

JNJ

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.66

Max: 15.44
Q3: 7.74
JNJ: 7.66
Median: 4.00
Q1: 1.86
Min: -6.35

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.27

Max: 15.44
Q3: 7.74
NVS: 7.27
Median: 4.00
Q1: 1.86
Min: -6.35

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Novartis (NVS)
Metric	JNJ	NVS
P/E Ratio (TTM)	31.35	24.00
P/S Ratio (TTM)	6.65	5.33
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	7.66	7.27
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	2.59%	3.94%