LLY vs. VRTX: Eli Lilly vs. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Comparison
How do Eli Lilly (LLY) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) 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 Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but LLY is classified in Pharmaceuticals while VRTX is classified in Biotechnology.
| Profile Item | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Eli Lilly and Company | Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Common Stock |
| Country/Region | United States | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Biotechnology |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Biotechnology |
| Market Capitalization | 1,206.07 billion USD | 138.71 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 1, 1972 | July 24, 1991 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 52.36% | 34.89% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 34.18% | 14.44% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 41.08% | 23.65% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 35.34% | 29.73% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.40 | 0.29 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -34.48% | -29.07% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 2.52M | 1.25M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 1.36 | 1.03 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 2.29 | 1.68 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 86.02% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 20.80% 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%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
20.80%
- Max
- 109.18%
- VRTX
- 20.80%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 31.90% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 30.70% 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
31.90%
- LLY
- 31.90%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
30.70%
- VRTX
- 30.70%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 53.66% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 35.57% 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
53.66%
- Max
- 83.12%
- LLY
- 53.66%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
35.57%
- Max
- 83.12%
- VRTX
- 35.57%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 86.02% | 20.80% |
| ROA (TTM) | 21.06% | 10.62% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 31.90% | 30.70% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 53.66% | 35.57% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 83.63% | 54.81% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 44.70% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 8.90% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Eli Lilly (LLY) reports EPS growth of 95.99%, ranked against its industry; Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 44.70% | 8.90% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 31.69% | 10.35% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 95.99% | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 51.71% | 6.12% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 1.39 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 2.34 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
1.39
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- LLY
- 1.39
- Min
- 0.10
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.34
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- VRTX
- 2.34
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 0.31 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
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.31
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- VRTX
- 0.31
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.39 | 2.34 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 1.23 | 0.31 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.96 | 0.03 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Eli Lilly (LLY) reports a yield of 0.49%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- VRTX
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Eli Lilly (LLY) reports a payout of 21.71%, ranking against industry peers normally.
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%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- VRTX
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.49% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 21.71% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 35.21 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
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
35.21
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- VRTX
- 35.21
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Eli Lilly (LLY) at 13.95 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 10.71 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
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
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.71
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- VRTX
- 10.71
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Both look rich against book: Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 6.63 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Eli Lilly (LLY) at 29.96 prices even higher, above its industry range.
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
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
6.63
- Max
- 13.53
- VRTX
- 6.63
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | LLY | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 43.95 | 35.21 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 13.95 | 10.71 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 29.96 | 6.63 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 0.77% | 1.69% |