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LLY vs. NVS: Eli Lilly vs. Novartis Stock Comparison

How do Eli Lilly (LLY) 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

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

Eli Lilly (LLY) 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
Profile ItemLLYNVS
NameEli Lilly and CompanyNovartis AG Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionUnited StatesSwitzerland
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryPharmaceuticalsPharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-IndustryPharmaceuticalsPharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization1,059.91 billion USD293.94 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateJune 1, 1972November 7, 1996
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

LLY
NVS
GSPC
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Eli Lilly (LLY) 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
Total Return (1Y)51.39%28.29%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)38.89%20.96%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)39.60%14.90%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

LLY
NVS
GSPC
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Eli Lilly (LLY) 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)38.79%21.63%
Beta (5Y)0.500.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)-34.48%-20.42%
Avg. Volume (3M)3.26M1.71M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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LLY 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.221.12
Sortino Ratio (1Y)1.861.70

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both companies show strong equity returns, but Eli Lilly (LLY) at 107.46% is the standout with ROE above its industry range; Novartis (NVS) at 34.93% also sits in the top quartile.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

107.46%

LLY
107.46%
Max
100.65%
Q3
2.50%
Median
-32.62%
Q1
-63.26%
Min
-158.89%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

34.93%

Max
100.65%
NVS
34.93%
Q3
2.50%
Median
-32.62%
Q1
-63.26%
Min
-158.89%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 34.99% and Novartis (NVS) at 23.92% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

34.99%

LLY
34.99%
Max
9.41%
Q3
2.10%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-2.91%
Min
-9.05%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

23.92%

NVS
23.92%
Max
9.41%
Q3
2.10%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-2.91%
Min
-9.05%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 49.39% and Novartis (NVS) at 30.48% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

49.39%

Max
100.30%
LLY
49.39%
Q3
3.47%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-135.53%
Min
-337.81%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

30.48%

Max
100.30%
NVS
30.48%
Q3
3.47%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-135.53%
Min
-337.81%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
ROE (TTM)107.46%34.93%
ROA (TTM)20.74%10.54%
Net Margin (TTM)34.99%23.92%
Operating Margin (TTM)49.39%30.48%
Gross Margin (TTM)82.83%75.55%

Growth

Revenue Growth

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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

Revenue Growth Metrics

Revenue growth metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
Revenue Growth (YoY)44.70%9.57%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)31.69%9.25%

EPS Growth

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

EPS Growth Metrics

EPS growth metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
EPS Growth (YoY)95.99%21.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)51.71%31.14%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.50 and Novartis (NVS) at 0.85 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.50

Max
26.16
Q3
12.32
Median
5.81
Q1
2.72
LLY
1.50
Min
0.23

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.85

Max
26.16
Q3
12.32
Median
5.81
Q1
2.72
NVS
0.85
Min
0.23
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.39 and Novartis (NVS) at 1.21 lean more heavily on debt funding than most peers, landing in the higher-leverage quartile of their industries.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.39

Max
1.60
LLY
1.39
Q3
0.68
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.21

Max
1.60
NVS
1.21
Q3
0.68
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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Eli Lilly (LLY) 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.500.85
Debt / Equity (MRQ)1.391.21
Net Debt / EBITDA1.051.75

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 0.51% and Novartis (NVS) at 3.02% 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

0.51%

LLY
0.51%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.02%

NVS
3.02%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 22.13% and Novartis (NVS) at 67.91% 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

22.13%

LLY
22.13%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

67.91%

NVS
67.91%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.51%3.02%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)22.13%67.91%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 42.19 and Novartis (NVS) at 22.07 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

42.19

Max
79.02
Q3
48.13
LLY
42.19
Median
25.85
Q1
16.21
Min
2.21

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

22.07

Max
79.02
Q3
48.13
Median
25.85
NVS
22.07
Q1
16.21
Min
2.21
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Eli Lilly (LLY) 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 Eli Lilly (LLY) at 14.67 and Novartis (NVS) at 5.20 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

14.67

Max
66.04
Q3
28.87
LLY
14.67
Median
8.21
Q1
3.51
Min
0.01

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.20

Max
66.04
Q3
28.87
Median
8.21
NVS
5.20
Q1
3.51
Min
0.01
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both look rich against book: Novartis (NVS) at 7.63 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Eli Lilly (LLY) at 34.04 prices even higher, above its industry range.

LLY

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

34.04

LLY
34.04
Max
15.46
Q3
7.26
Median
3.82
Q1
1.75
Min
-6.11

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.63

Max
15.46
NVS
7.63
Q3
7.26
Median
3.82
Q1
1.75
Min
-6.11
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Eli Lilly (LLY) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Eli Lilly (LLY) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricLLYNVS
P/E Ratio (TTM)42.1922.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)14.675.20
P/B Ratio (MRQ)34.047.63
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)0.86%4.09%