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LLY vs. MSFT: Eli Lilly vs. Microsoft Stock Comparison

How do Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT) 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

Eli Lilly (LLY) is classified in the Health Care sector (Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences), whereas Microsoft (MSFT) belongs to Information Technology (Software & Services) — their GICS classifications point to very different parts of the market.

Company profile comparison for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
Profile ItemLLYMSFT
NameEli Lilly and CompanyMicrosoft Corporation Common Stock
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareInformation Technology
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesSoftware & Services
GICS IndustryPharmaceuticalsSoftware
GICS Sub-IndustryPharmaceuticalsSystems Software
Market Capitalization1,206.07 billion USD3,940.41 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENasdaq
Listing DateJune 1, 1972March 13, 1986
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LLY
MSFT
GSPC
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT), 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
Total Return (1Y)52.36%10.30%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)34.18%15.53%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)41.08%11.01%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LLY
MSFT
GSPC
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT), 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)35.34%33.91%
Beta (5Y)0.401.03
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.48%-37.15%
Avg. Volume (3M)2.52M22.95M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LLY and MSFT are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. Each dashed Capital Allocation Line uses that stock's own industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.360.18
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.290.28

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 86.02% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 34.22% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

86.02%

Max
109.18%
LLY
86.02%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

34.22%

Max
53.85%
MSFT
34.22%
Q3
17.90%
Median
6.59%
Q1
-9.59%
Min
-50.52%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their ROE against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Net Margin (TTM)

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 31.90% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Microsoft (MSFT) at 41.17% also retains a top-quartile share.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

31.90%

LLY
31.90%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

41.17%

MSFT
41.17%
Max
41.17%
Q3
15.28%
Median
4.63%
Q1
-5.42%
Min
-33.17%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their net margin against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 49.76% shows unusually strong operating efficiency — above its industry’s operating margin range — and Eli Lilly (LLY) at 53.66% also operates in the top quartile.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

53.66%

Max
83.12%
LLY
53.66%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

49.76%

MSFT
49.76%
Max
46.89%
Q3
17.64%
Median
8.73%
Q1
-2.13%
Min
-30.45%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their operating margin against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
ROE (TTM)86.02%34.22%
ROA (TTM)21.06%14.41%
Net Margin (TTM)31.90%41.17%
Operating Margin (TTM)53.66%49.76%
Gross Margin (TTM)83.63%67.66%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 44.70% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 17.79% 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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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 95.99% sits in the top EPS growth quartile, while Microsoft (MSFT) at 31.60% is closer to the peer norm — faster per-share earnings growth for LLY.

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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
Revenue Growth (YoY)44.70%17.79%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)31.69%16.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)95.99%31.60%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)51.71%22.86%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 1.23 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.39 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for LLY.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.39

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
LLY
1.39
Min
0.10

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

1.23

Max
5.11
Q3
2.77
Median
1.67
MSFT
1.23
Q1
1.01
Min
0.03
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their current ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 0.28 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.23 uses more debt funding than most peers.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.23

Max
1.42
LLY
1.23
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.28

Max
2.52
Q3
1.13
Median
0.40
MSFT
0.28
Q1
0.07
Min
0.00
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.391.23
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.230.28
Net Debt / EBITDA0.960.34

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 0.49% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 0.69% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.49%

LLY
0.49%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

0.69%

MSFT
0.69%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their dividend yield against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 21.71% and Microsoft (MSFT) at 19.00% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

21.71%

LLY
21.71%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

19.00%

MSFT
19.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their payout ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.49%0.69%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)21.71%19.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 27.69 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Eli Lilly (LLY) at 43.95 sits in the richer quartile — LLY needs stronger growth or earnings quality to justify the premium.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

43.95

Max
85.34
LLY
43.95
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

27.69

Max
112.94
Q3
60.32
Median
32.91
MSFT
27.69
Q1
18.77
Min
6.69
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Eli Lilly (LLY) at 13.95 is priced about in line with its industry on P/S ratio, while Microsoft (MSFT) at 11.37 sits in the pricier quartile — MSFT costs more per dollar of sales.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

13.95

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
LLY
13.95
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

11.37

Max
17.91
MSFT
11.37
Q3
8.78
Median
4.25
Q1
2.23
Min
0.02
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Microsoft (MSFT) at 8.38 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while Eli Lilly (LLY) at 29.96 prices above its benchmark range — LLY looks rich relative to book.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

29.96

LLY
29.96
Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

MSFT

Software & Services industry group

8.38

Max
16.63
Q3
8.50
MSFT
8.38
Median
4.30
Q1
1.92
Min
-3.90
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Microsoft (MSFT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against their respective Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences and Software & Services industry group benchmarks.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Microsoft (MSFT)
MetricLLYMSFT
P/E Ratio (TTM)43.9527.69
P/S Ratio (TTM)13.9511.37
P/B Ratio (MRQ)29.968.38
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)0.77%0.08%