NVS vs. PG: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NVS and PG, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
NVS trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, PG is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | NVS | PG |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Novartis AG | The Procter & Gamble Company |
| Country | Switzerland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Household Products |
| Market Capitalization | 245.20 billion USD | 367.85 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 7, 1996 | January 2, 1962 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NVS and PG 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 | NVS | PG |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | -0.41% | 0.57% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 8.24% | -6.83% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 5.12% | -9.04% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 9.24% | -7.11% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 7.80% | 4.37% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 14.48% | -6.33% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.43M | 6.30M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.07M | 8.01M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 16.76% | 15.02% |
| Beta | 0.90 | 0.37 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
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.
PG
30.78%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 226.04%
- Q3
- 106.83%
- Median
- 17.55%
- Q1
- 9.51%
- Min
- -8.31%
PG’s Return on Equity of 30.78% is on par with the norm for the Household Products industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
PG
18.95%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 12.48%
- Q3
- 10.54%
- Median
- 9.15%
- Q1
- 8.81%
- Min
- 8.58%
PG’s Net Profit Margin of 18.95% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Household Products industry. This demonstrates outstanding operational efficiency and a strong competitive advantage in converting revenue into profit.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
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.
PG
23.32%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 21.54%
- Q3
- 16.06%
- Median
- 13.28%
- Q1
- 12.03%
- Min
- 6.49%
PG’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.32% is exceptionally high, placing it well above the typical range for the Household Products industry. This demonstrates outstanding efficiency in managing its core operations, which can be a result of strong pricing power or superior cost control.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | PG |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 32.56% | 30.78% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.32% | 12.85% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.90% | 18.95% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.03% | 23.32% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 76.12% | 51.34% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
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.
PG
0.70
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 3.31
- Q3
- 2.04
- Median
- 1.21
- Q1
- 0.76
- Min
- 0.55
PG’s Current Ratio of 0.70 falls into the lower quartile for the Household Products 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)
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.
PG
0.66
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 1.47
- Q3
- 1.47
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.01
PG’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.66 is typical for the Household Products 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)
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.
PG
47.04
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 83.52
- Q3
- 68.49
- Median
- 13.94
- Q1
- 9.41
- Min
- 4.76
PG’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 47.04 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Household Products industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | PG |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 0.70 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.62 | 0.44 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.77 | 0.66 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.55 | 47.04 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
PG
2.64%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 5.40%
- Q3
- 3.85%
- Median
- 2.82%
- Q1
- 1.83%
- Min
- 0.00%
PG’s Dividend Yield of 2.64% is consistent with its peers in the Household Products industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
PG
61.80%
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 191.34%
- Q3
- 102.63%
- Median
- 70.63%
- Q1
- 34.62%
- Min
- 0.00%
PG’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 61.80% is within the typical range for the Household Products industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | PG |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.29% | 2.64% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 102.24% | 61.80% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
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.
PG
23.40
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 33.84
- Q3
- 22.61
- Median
- 18.73
- Q1
- 14.08
- Min
- 13.61
A P/E Ratio of 23.40 places PG in the upper quartile for the Household Products industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
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.
PG
4.43
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 4.78
- Q3
- 2.70
- Median
- 1.93
- Q1
- 1.27
- Min
- 0.73
PG’s P/S Ratio of 4.43 is in the upper echelon for the Household Products 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.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
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.
PG
7.14
Household Products Industry
- Max
- 14.28
- Q3
- 14.28
- Median
- 4.13
- Q1
- 1.75
- Min
- 1.42
PG’s P/B Ratio of 7.14 is within the conventional range for the Household Products 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 | NVS | PG |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 17.43 | 23.40 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.34 | 4.43 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 6.00 | 7.14 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 14.16 | 26.61 |