NVO vs. TSLA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated on August 31, 2025

Here’s a clear look at NVO and TSLA, 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, TSLA is a standard domestic listing.

Symbol	NVO	TSLA
Company Name	Novo Nordisk A/S	Tesla, Inc.
Country	Denmark	United States
GICS Sector	Health Care	Consumer Discretionary
GICS Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Automobiles
Market Capitalization	248.72 billion USD	1,076.88 billion USD
Exchange	NYSE	NasdaqGS
Listing Date	April 30, 1981	June 29, 2010
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Historical Performance

This chart compares the performance of NVO and TSLA 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.

NVO vs. TSLA: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past one year.

Historical Performance at a Glance

Symbol	NVO	TSLA
5-Day Price Return	-1.40%	-3.67%
13-Week Price Return	-19.00%	-6.85%
26-Week Price Return	-38.88%	10.26%
52-Week Price Return	67.26%	62.27%
Month-to-Date Return	14.09%	8.30%
Year-to-Date Return	-42.52%	-17.33%
10-Day Avg. Volume	6.63M	73.73M
3-Month Avg. Volume	6.59M	102.14M
3-Month Volatility	64.97%	55.37%
Beta	1.52	2.04

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.

TSLA

8.22%

Automobiles Industry

Max: 25.70%
Q3: 12.88%
Median: 6.92%
Q1: 0.71%
Min: -15.89%

TSLA’s Return on Equity of 8.22% is on par with the norm for the Automobiles industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Return on Equity (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

6.54%

Automobiles Industry

Max: 9.92%
Q3: 5.78%
Median: 3.23%
Q1: 0.11%
Min: -5.31%

A Net Profit Margin of 6.54% places TSLA in the upper quartile for the Automobiles industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Net Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

6.06%

Automobiles Industry

Max: 13.07%
Q3: 7.22%
Median: 5.29%
Q1: 0.43%
Min: -4.46%

TSLA’s Operating Profit Margin of 6.06% is around the midpoint for the Automobiles industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Operating Profit Margin (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

Profitability at a Glance

Symbol	NVO	TSLA
Return on Equity (TTM)	77.86%	8.22%
Return on Assets (TTM)	24.22%	4.89%
Net Profit Margin (TTM)	35.61%	6.54%
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)	45.78%	6.06%
Gross Profit Margin (TTM)	83.95%	17.48%

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.

TSLA

2.04

Automobiles Industry

Max: 2.19
Q3: 1.54
Median: 1.26
Q1: 1.09
Min: 0.48

TSLA’s Current Ratio of 2.04 is in the upper quartile for the Automobiles industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Current Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

0.09

Automobiles Industry

Max: 2.34
Q3: 1.13
Median: 0.58
Q1: 0.28
Min: 0.06

Falling into the lower quartile for the Automobiles industry, TSLA’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.09 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

71.48

Automobiles Industry

Max: 77.87
Q3: 42.86
Median: 13.88
Q1: 2.13
Min: -49.07

TSLA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 71.48 is in the upper quartile for the Automobiles industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

Financial Strength at a Glance

Symbol	NVO	TSLA
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.78	2.04
Quick Ratio (MRQ)	0.56	1.35
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)	0.59	0.09
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)	149.07	71.48

Growth

Revenue Growth

NVO vs. TSLA: A side-by-side comparison of their Revenue Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

EPS Growth

NVO vs. TSLA: A side-by-side comparison of their EPS Growth for the MRQ (YoY), TTM (YoY), 3-Year CAGR, and 5-Year CAGR periods.

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.

TSLA

0.00%

Automobiles Industry

Max: 10.71%
Q3: 5.39%
Median: 3.14%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

TSLA 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.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Dividend Yield (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

0.00%

Automobiles Industry

Max: 114.43%
Q3: 59.30%
Median: 37.15%
Q1: 16.40%
Min: 0.00%

TSLA 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.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

Dividend at a Glance

Symbol	NVO	TSLA
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.

TSLA

172.34

Automobiles Industry

Max: 27.69
Q3: 19.99
Median: 9.85
Q1: 6.60
Min: 4.25

At 172.34, TSLA’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Automobiles industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

11.27

Automobiles Industry

Max: 1.52
Q3: 0.84
Median: 0.41
Q1: 0.23
Min: 0.08

With a P/S Ratio of 11.27, TSLA trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Automobiles industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

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.

TSLA

13.23

Automobiles Industry

Max: 4.25
Q3: 2.00
Median: 0.87
Q1: 0.46
Min: 0.19

At 13.23, TSLA’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Automobiles 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.

NVO vs. TSLA: A comparison of their Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) against their respective Pharmaceuticals and Automobiles industry benchmarks.

Valuation at a Glance

Symbol	NVO	TSLA
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)	13.91	172.34
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)	4.95	11.27
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)	8.87	13.23
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM)	23.46	187.03