NVO vs. PCVX: Novo Nordisk vs. Vaxcyte Stock Comparison
How do Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Vaxcyte (PCVX) 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
Novo Nordisk (NVO) and Vaxcyte (PCVX) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but NVO is classified in Pharmaceuticals while PCVX is classified in Biotechnology.
Novo Nordisk (NVO) has more than two decades of public-market history since April 30, 1981, whereas Vaxcyte (PCVX) listed on June 12, 2020 and has a much shorter record to draw on.
Vaxcyte (PCVX) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.
| Profile Item | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Novo Nordisk A/S Sponsored ADR | Vaxcyte Inc. |
| Country/Region | Denmark | 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 | 177.74 billion USD | 10.11 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | April 30, 1981 | June 12, 2020 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -5.29% | 59.00% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -23.41% | 11.29% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -4.13% | 21.60% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 45.98% | 56.01% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.67 | 1.26 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -74.70% | -76.22% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 12.11M | 2.12M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -0.21 | 0.98 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -0.28 | 1.76 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Vaxcyte (PCVX) reports a negative ROE of -42.68%; negative ROE can reflect losses or negative shareholders’ equity, so it is harder to read as capital efficiency. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports 58.38%, ranking against industry peers normally.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
58.38%
- Max
- 109.18%
- NVO
- 58.38%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
-42.68%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- PCVX
- -42.68%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 33.92% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 0.00% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
33.92%
- NVO
- 33.92%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- PCVX
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 40.05% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 0.00%, which runs around its industry’s norm.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
40.05%
- Max
- 83.12%
- NVO
- 40.05%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- Max
- 83.12%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- PCVX
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 58.38% | -42.68% |
| ROA (TTM) | 19.05% | -24.98% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 33.92% | 0.00% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 40.05% | 0.00% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 83.33% | 0.00% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Only one side can be read here: Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports revenue growth of 6.43%, ranked against its industry; Vaxcyte (PCVX) has no revenue growth figure this period.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports EPS growth of 1.77%, ranked against its industry; Vaxcyte (PCVX) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 6.43% | -- |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 20.43% | -- |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 1.77% | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | 23.52% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 4.56 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.85 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for NVO.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.85
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- NVO
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.10
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.56
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- PCVX
- 4.56
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 0.62 and Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 0.09 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.62
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- NVO
- 0.62
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.09
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- PCVX
- 0.09
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.85 | 4.56 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.62 | 0.09 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 0.49 | -- |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Vaxcyte (PCVX) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a yield of 29.03%, ranking against industry peers normally.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
29.03%
- NVO
- 29.03%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- PCVX
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Vaxcyte (PCVX) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Novo Nordisk (NVO) reports a payout of 45.36%, ranking against industry peers normally.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
45.36%
- NVO
- 45.36%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- PCVX
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 29.03% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 45.36% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
An earnings multiple is available for just one side: Novo Nordisk (NVO) trades at 10.18 times trailing earnings, ranked against its peers, while Vaxcyte (PCVX) has no P/E ratio this period.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.18
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- NVO
- 10.18
- Min
- 0.07
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
--
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
- PCVX
- --
P/S Ratio (TTM)
A sales-based read is only available for Novo Nordisk (NVO), whose P/S ratio of 0.53 ranks against industry peers; Vaxcyte (PCVX) reports no figure this period.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.53
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- NVO
- 0.53
- Min
- 0.01
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
--
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
- PCVX
- --
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
On P/B ratio, both Novo Nordisk (NVO) at 5.43 and Vaxcyte (PCVX) at 3.83 are valued close to their industries’ norm against book — neither stands out from peers.
NVO
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.43
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- NVO
- 5.43
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
PCVX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.83
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- PCVX
- 3.83
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NVO | PCVX |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 10.18 | -- |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 0.53 | -- |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.43 | 3.83 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 18.43% | -5.24% |