NVS vs. PLTR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NVS and PLTR, 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, PLTR is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | NVS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Novartis AG | Palantir Technologies Inc. |
| Country | Switzerland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Information Technology |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Software |
| Market Capitalization | 244.23 billion USD | 372.86 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | November 7, 1996 | September 30, 2020 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NVS and PLTR 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 | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.74% | -0.37% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 9.29% | 28.52% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 4.27% | 40.26% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 1.76% | 392.39% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 8.25% | -0.75% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 14.95% | 107.81% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.68M | 92.56M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.20M | 83.69M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.09% | 50.24% |
| Beta | 0.90 | 2.63 |
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.
PLTR
14.64%
Software Industry
- Max
- 59.01%
- Q3
- 21.98%
- Median
- 7.15%
- Q1
- -11.12%
- Min
- -51.24%
PLTR’s Return on Equity of 14.64% is on par with the norm for the Software 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.
PLTR
22.18%
Software Industry
- Max
- 48.14%
- Q3
- 18.23%
- Median
- 5.60%
- Q1
- -9.22%
- Min
- -49.36%
A Net Profit Margin of 22.18% places PLTR in the upper quartile for the Software industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
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.
PLTR
16.55%
Software Industry
- Max
- 57.34%
- Q3
- 20.60%
- Median
- 7.84%
- Q1
- -8.72%
- Min
- -51.37%
PLTR’s Operating Profit Margin of 16.55% is around the midpoint for the Software industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 32.56% | 14.64% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.32% | 11.65% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.90% | 22.18% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.03% | 16.55% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 76.12% | 80.03% |
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.
PLTR
6.32
Software Industry
- Max
- 3.83
- Q3
- 2.31
- Median
- 1.45
- Q1
- 1.03
- Min
- 0.24
PLTR’s Current Ratio of 6.32 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Software industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
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.
PLTR
0.00
Software Industry
- Max
- 2.14
- Q3
- 0.90
- Median
- 0.29
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
PLTR’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.00 is typical for the Software 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.
PLTR
-1.53
Software Industry
- Max
- 67.02
- Q3
- 19.86
- Median
- 0.70
- Q1
- -12.50
- Min
- -53.00
PLTR has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -1.53. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 6.32 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.62 | 6.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.77 | 0.00 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.55 | -1.53 |
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.
PLTR
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 0.08%
- Q3
- 0.03%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR 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)
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.
PLTR
0.00%
Software Industry
- Max
- 1.32%
- Q3
- 0.53%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
PLTR 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 | NVS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.29% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 102.24% | 0.00% |
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.
PLTR
485.17
Software Industry
- Max
- 149.35
- Q3
- 100.21
- Median
- 47.97
- Q1
- 26.77
- Min
- 11.68
At 485.17, PLTR’s P/E Ratio is exceptionally high, exceeding the typical maximum for the Software industry. This suggests the stock may be significantly overvalued compared to its peers and implies high market expectations that could be difficult to meet.
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.
PLTR
107.63
Software Industry
- Max
- 25.24
- Q3
- 13.52
- Median
- 8.15
- Q1
- 4.87
- Min
- 0.98
With a P/S Ratio of 107.63, PLTR trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Software industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
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.
PLTR
54.26
Software Industry
- Max
- 30.95
- Q3
- 14.91
- Median
- 7.75
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.38
At 54.26, PLTR’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Software 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | PLTR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 17.43 | 485.17 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.34 | 107.63 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 6.00 | 54.26 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 14.16 | 216.73 |