NVO vs. QGEN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NVO and QGEN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NVO trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, QGEN is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | NVO | QGEN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Novo Nordisk A/S | Qiagen N.V. |
| Country | Denmark | Netherlands |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 244.20 billion USD | 10.60 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | April 30, 1981 | June 28, 1996 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NVO and QGEN 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 | NVO | QGEN |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 4.72% | -0.59% |
| 13-Week Price Return | -17.05% | 15.55% |
| 26-Week Price Return | -37.87% | 24.68% |
| 52-Week Price Return | -60.23% | 4.67% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 15.71% | -0.89% |
| Year-to-Date Return | -41.70% | 9.81% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 6.68M | 0.99M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 6.63M | 1.41M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 65.20% | 21.47% |
| Beta | 1.52 | 0.68 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
QGEN
10.66%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.96%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 6.22%
- Q1
- 3.86%
- Min
- -6.95%
QGEN’s Return on Equity of 10.66% is on par with the norm for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
QGEN
18.30%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 27.28%
- Q3
- 16.17%
- Median
- 7.24%
- Q1
- 3.00%
- Min
- -3.05%
A Net Profit Margin of 18.30% places QGEN in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
QGEN
22.84%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 33.15%
- Q3
- 19.34%
- Median
- 13.02%
- Q1
- 8.05%
- Min
- -4.38%
An Operating Profit Margin of 22.84% places QGEN in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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 | NVO | QGEN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 77.86% | 10.66% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 24.22% | 6.40% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 35.61% | 18.30% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 45.78% | 22.84% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 83.95% | 63.73% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
QGEN
1.61
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 4.76
- Q3
- 2.77
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.40
- Min
- 0.43
QGEN’s Current Ratio of 1.61 aligns with the median group of the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
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.
QGEN
0.41
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.83
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.18
- Min
- 0.00
QGEN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.41 is typical for the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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)
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.
QGEN
27.84
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 29.61
- Q3
- 23.24
- Median
- 6.07
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- -14.08
QGEN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 27.84 is in the upper quartile for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NVO | QGEN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.78 | 1.61 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.56 | 1.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.59 | 0.41 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 149.07 | 27.84 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
QGEN
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 1.80%
- Q3
- 0.78%
- Median
- 0.37%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
QGEN 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.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
QGEN
0.00%
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 156.00%
- Q3
- 65.73%
- Median
- 23.81%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
QGEN 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.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NVO | QGEN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.30% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 61.60% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
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.
QGEN
28.51
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 117.96
- Q3
- 65.59
- Median
- 37.26
- Q1
- 27.51
- Min
- 1.73
QGEN’s P/E Ratio of 28.51 is within the middle range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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)
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.
QGEN
5.22
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.46
- Q3
- 6.70
- Median
- 4.24
- Q1
- 2.68
- Min
- 0.73
QGEN’s P/S Ratio of 5.22 aligns with the market consensus for the Life Sciences Tools & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
QGEN
2.97
Life Sciences Tools & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.99
- Q3
- 4.69
- Median
- 3.30
- Q1
- 1.88
- Min
- 1.02
QGEN’s P/B Ratio of 2.97 is within the conventional range for the Life Sciences Tools & Services 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NVO | QGEN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 13.91 | 28.51 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.95 | 5.22 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 8.87 | 2.97 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 23.46 | 21.47 |