MS vs. NVO: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at MS and NVO, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
MS is a standard domestic listing, while NVO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | MS | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Morgan Stanley | Novo Nordisk A/S |
| Country | United States | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Financials | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Capital Markets | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 230.06 billion USD | 240.04 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | February 23, 1993 | April 30, 1981 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of MS and NVO by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period. Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | MS | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -2.96% | 6.80% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 10.15% | -19.59% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 5.32% | -44.66% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 41.64% | 67.26% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 1.17% | 10.67% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 14.64% | -44.24% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 4.60M | 10.57M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 5.68M | 6.69M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.37% | 64.82% |
| Beta | 1.34 | 1.51 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
MS
13.95%
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 38.97%
- Q3
- 21.61%
- Median
- 13.77%
- Q1
- 8.31%
- Min
- -4.25%
MS’s Return on Equity of 13.95% is on par with the norm for the Capital Markets industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
NVO
77.86%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
NVO’s Return on Equity of 77.86% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
MS
13.06%
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 66.67%
- Q3
- 35.11%
- Median
- 23.49%
- Q1
- 13.63%
- Min
- -15.18%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, MS’s Net Profit Margin of 13.06% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
NVO
35.61%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
NVO’s Net Profit Margin of 35.61% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
MS
17.07%
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 86.40%
- Q3
- 46.46%
- Median
- 32.80%
- Q1
- 18.32%
- Min
- -21.87%
MS’s Operating Profit Margin of 17.07% is in the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
NVO
45.78%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
NVO’s Operating Profit Margin of 45.78% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | MS | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 13.95% | 77.86% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 1.15% | 24.22% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 13.06% | 35.61% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 17.07% | 45.78% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 54.42% | 83.95% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
MS
0.29
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 3.76
- Q3
- 1.89
- Median
- 1.01
- Q1
- 0.54
- Min
- -0.41
For the Capital Markets industry, the Current Ratio is often not the most suitable measure of short-term liquidity.
NVO
0.78
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
NVO’s Current Ratio of 0.78 falls into the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
MS
7.68
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 6.62
- Q3
- 2.84
- Median
- 1.02
- Q1
- 0.32
- Min
- 0.00
The Debt-to-Equity Ratio is often not the primary focus for assessing leverage in the Capital Markets industry.
NVO
0.59
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
NVO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.59 is typical for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)
MS
1.25
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 126.03
- Q3
- 60.98
- Median
- 11.77
- Q1
- 4.95
- Min
- -36.26
The Interest Coverage Ratio is often not a primary indicator of debt servicing capacity in the Capital Markets industry.
NVO
149.07
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 149.07, NVO demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | MS | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.29 | 0.78 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.29 | 0.56 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 7.68 | 0.59 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 1.25 | 149.07 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
MS
2.78%
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 10.26%
- Q3
- 4.86%
- Median
- 2.78%
- Q1
- 1.22%
- Min
- 0.00%
MS’s Dividend Yield of 2.78% is consistent with its peers in the Capital Markets industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
NVO
3.30%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Yield of 3.30% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
MS
43.20%
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 200.72%
- Q3
- 101.92%
- Median
- 57.97%
- Q1
- 32.36%
- Min
- 0.00%
MS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 43.20% is within the typical range for the Capital Markets industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
NVO
61.60%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVO’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.60% is within the typical range for the Pharmaceuticals industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | MS | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 2.78% | 3.30% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 43.20% | 61.60% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
MS
15.56
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 58.89
- Q3
- 31.00
- Median
- 18.54
- Q1
- 12.09
- Min
- 5.24
MS’s P/E Ratio of 15.56 is within the middle range for the Capital Markets industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
NVO
13.91
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, NVO’s P/E Ratio of 13.91 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
MS
2.03
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 14.49
- Q3
- 7.41
- Median
- 4.68
- Q1
- 2.25
- Min
- 0.04
In the lower quartile for the Capital Markets industry, MS’s P/S Ratio of 2.03 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
NVO
4.95
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
NVO’s P/S Ratio of 4.95 is in the upper echelon for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
MS
2.08
Capital Markets Industry
- Max
- 9.48
- Q3
- 4.94
- Median
- 2.42
- Q1
- 1.21
- Min
- 0.38
MS’s P/B Ratio of 2.08 is within the conventional range for the Capital Markets industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
NVO
8.87
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
NVO’s P/B Ratio of 8.87 is in the upper tier for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | MS | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 15.56 | 13.91 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 2.03 | 4.95 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 2.08 | 8.87 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 10.44 | 23.46 |