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MTD vs. NVS: Mettler-Toledo vs. Novartis Stock Comparison

How do Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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

Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but MTD is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services while NVS is classified in Pharmaceuticals.

Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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 Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
Profile ItemMTDNVS
NameMettler-Toledo International Inc.Novartis AG Sponsored ADR
Country/RegionSwitzerlandSwitzerland
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesPharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-IndustryLife Sciences Tools & ServicesPharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization34.25 billion USD307.00 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNYSENYSE
Listing DateNovember 14, 1997November 7, 1996
Security TypeCommon StockADR

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

MTD
NVS
GSPC
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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 Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
Total Return (1Y)21.58%32.98%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)19.54%24.72%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)2.36%18.80%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

MTD
NVS
GSPC
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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 Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)31.70%27.12%
Beta (5Y)1.150.41
Max Drawdown (5Y)-43.47%-20.42%
Avg. Volume (3M)197.80K2.07M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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MTD 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 Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.551.06
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.751.46

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Novartis (NVS) earns 24.33% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; Mettler-Toledo (MTD) has no ROE this period.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

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

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

24.33%

Max
109.18%
NVS
24.33%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): MTD does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; NVS is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 22.25% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Novartis (NVS) at 17.49% also retains a top-quartile share.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

22.25%

MTD
22.25%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

17.49%

Max
18.05%
NVS
17.49%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 28.70% and Novartis (NVS) at 34.27% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

28.70%

Max
83.12%
MTD
28.70%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

34.27%

Max
83.12%
NVS
34.27%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
ROE (TTM)--24.33%
ROA (TTM)20.09%10.86%
Net Margin (TTM)22.25%17.49%
Operating Margin (TTM)28.70%34.27%
Gross Margin (TTM)59.16%75.21%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 3.98% 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.

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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 3.88% and Novartis (NVS) at 21.81% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
Revenue Growth (YoY)3.98%9.57%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)0.90%9.25%
EPS Growth (YoY)3.88%21.81%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)3.06%31.14%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 1.10 and Novartis (NVS) at 0.88 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.10

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
MTD
1.10
Min
0.10

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.88

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
NVS
0.88
Min
0.10
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but MTD is more stretched: Novartis (NVS) at 1.29 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 26.06 is above its industry benchmark range.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

26.06

MTD
26.06
Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.29

Max
1.42
NVS
1.29
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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 Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.100.88
Debt / Equity (MRQ)26.061.29
Net Debt / EBITDA1.581.64

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Mettler-Toledo (MTD) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novartis (NVS) reports a yield of 2.88%, ranking against industry peers normally.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

MTD
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.88%

NVS
2.88%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Mettler-Toledo (MTD) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novartis (NVS) reports a payout of 90.46%, ranking against industry peers normally.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

MTD
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

90.46%

NVS
90.46%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%2.88%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%90.46%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 37.38 and Novartis (NVS) at 31.02 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

37.38

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
MTD
37.38
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

31.02

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
NVS
31.02
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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 Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 8.16 and Novartis (NVS) at 5.35 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.16

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
MTD
8.16
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.35

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
NVS
5.35
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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Mettler-Toledo (MTD) 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 8.25 sits in the upper P/B ratio quartile, and Mettler-Toledo (MTD) at 442.71 prices even higher, above its industry range.

MTD

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

442.71

MTD
442.71
Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.25

Max
13.53
NVS
8.25
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
Mettler-Toledo (MTD) vs. Novartis (NVS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Mettler-Toledo (MTD) and Novartis (NVS)
MetricMTDNVS
P/E Ratio (TTM)37.3831.02
P/S Ratio (TTM)8.165.35
P/B Ratio (MRQ)442.718.25
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)1.97%3.67%