NFLX vs. NVS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NFLX and NVS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NFLX is a standard domestic listing, while NVS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors access to its foreign-listed shares.
| Symbol | NFLX | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Netflix, Inc. | Novartis AG |
| Country | United States | Switzerland |
| GICS Sector | Communication Services | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Entertainment | Pharmaceuticals |
| Market Capitalization | 515.80 billion USD | 246.34 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | May 23, 2002 | November 7, 1996 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | ADR |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NFLX and NVS 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 | NFLX | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -1.36% | 3.47% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 1.86% | 11.69% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 16.30% | 4.09% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 76.30% | 9.24% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 4.70% | 7.12% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 36.19% | 13.75% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.89M | 2.89M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.74M | 3.36M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 24.97% | 17.00% |
| Beta | 1.61 | 0.08 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
NFLX
42.50%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 42.50%
- Q3
- 22.75%
- Median
- 12.88%
- Q1
- 7.15%
- Min
- -6.84%
In the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry, NFLX’s Return on Equity of 42.50% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
NVS
32.56%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.90%
- Q1
- 5.63%
- Min
- -9.96%
In the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, NVS’s Return on Equity of 32.56% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
NFLX
24.58%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 45.25%
- Q3
- 23.93%
- Median
- 14.60%
- Q1
- 4.89%
- Min
- -22.94%
A Net Profit Margin of 24.58% places NFLX in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
NVS
24.90%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 17.73%
- Median
- 12.12%
- Q1
- 5.99%
- Min
- -7.73%
A Net Profit Margin of 24.90% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
NFLX
29.51%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 46.83%
- Q3
- 28.87%
- Median
- 15.26%
- Q1
- 8.95%
- Min
- -5.53%
An Operating Profit Margin of 29.51% places NFLX in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
NVS
30.03%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 41.53%
- Q3
- 23.00%
- Median
- 16.24%
- Q1
- 9.24%
- Min
- -6.94%
An Operating Profit Margin of 30.03% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NFLX | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 42.50% | 32.56% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 19.42% | 13.32% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.58% | 24.90% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 29.51% | 30.03% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 48.49% | 76.12% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
NFLX
1.34
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 6.80
- Q3
- 3.77
- Median
- 1.87
- Q1
- 0.86
- Min
- 0.39
NFLX’s Current Ratio of 1.34 aligns with the median group of the Entertainment industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
NVS
0.82
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.49
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.74
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.11
NVS’s Current Ratio of 0.82 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)
NFLX
0.58
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 1.65
- Q3
- 0.71
- Median
- 0.14
- Q1
- 0.04
- Min
- 0.00
NFLX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.58 is typical for the Entertainment industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
NVS
0.77
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 2.44
- Q3
- 1.07
- Median
- 0.42
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
NVS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.77 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)
NFLX
23.05
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 62.11
- Q3
- 31.19
- Median
- 7.50
- Q1
- 2.02
- Min
- -6.33
NFLX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 23.05 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Entertainment industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
NVS
22.55
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 103.95
- Q3
- 44.18
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.82
- Min
- -42.71
NVS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 22.55 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Pharmaceuticals industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NFLX | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.34 | 0.82 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 1.34 | 0.62 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.58 | 0.77 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 23.05 | 22.55 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
NFLX
0.00%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 2.54%
- Q3
- 1.29%
- Median
- 0.61%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NFLX currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
NVS
3.29%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 6.98%
- Q3
- 3.32%
- Median
- 2.13%
- Q1
- 0.14%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Yield of 3.29% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
NFLX
0.00%
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 82.30%
- Q3
- 45.76%
- Median
- 29.16%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
NFLX has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
NVS
102.24%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 165.20%
- Q3
- 90.59%
- Median
- 49.13%
- Q1
- 28.91%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 102.24% is in the upper quartile for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NFLX | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 3.29% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 102.24% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
NFLX
49.96
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 53.51
- Q3
- 45.31
- Median
- 33.16
- Q1
- 18.21
- Min
- 3.89
A P/E Ratio of 49.96 places NFLX in the upper quartile for the Entertainment industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
NVS
17.43
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 42.51
- Q3
- 26.88
- Median
- 19.11
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
NVS’s P/E Ratio of 17.43 is within the middle range for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
NFLX
12.28
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 12.81
- Q3
- 7.20
- Median
- 4.68
- Q1
- 3.32
- Min
- 0.79
NFLX’s P/S Ratio of 12.28 is in the upper echelon for the Entertainment 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.
NVS
4.34
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.55
- Q3
- 4.54
- Median
- 2.11
- Q1
- 1.52
- Min
- 0.00
NVS’s P/S Ratio of 4.34 aligns with the market consensus for the Pharmaceuticals industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
NFLX
22.84
Entertainment Industry
- Max
- 17.11
- Q3
- 8.38
- Median
- 5.24
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 0.67
At 22.84, NFLX’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Entertainment industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
NVS
6.00
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.96
- Median
- 2.23
- Q1
- 1.46
- Min
- 0.60
NVS’s P/B Ratio of 6.00 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 | NFLX | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 49.96 | 17.43 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 12.28 | 4.34 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 22.84 | 6.00 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 60.23 | 14.16 |