NVS vs. VRTX: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NVS and VRTX, 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, VRTX is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | NVS | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Novartis AG | Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated |
| Country | Switzerland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Biotechnology |
| Market Capitalization | 246.34 billion USD | 101.11 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NasdaqGS |
| Listing Date | November 7, 1996 | July 24, 1991 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NVS and VRTX 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 | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 3.47% | 1.04% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 11.69% | -10.51% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 4.09% | -14.75% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 9.24% | -19.20% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 7.12% | -13.68% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 13.75% | -2.07% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.89M | 2.23M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 3.36M | 1.72M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 17.00% | 47.18% |
| Beta | 0.08 | 0.44 |
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.
VRTX
22.14%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 77.14%
- Q3
- 10.76%
- Median
- -20.08%
- Q1
- -42.71%
- Min
- -119.20%
In the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, VRTX’s Return on Equity of 22.14% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
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.
VRTX
31.86%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 59.44%
- Q3
- 16.21%
- Median
- -11.49%
- Q1
- -167.42%
- Min
- -409.07%
A Net Profit Margin of 31.86% places VRTX in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology 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.
VRTX
34.36%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 60.62%
- Q3
- 20.76%
- Median
- -12.41%
- Q1
- -181.14%
- Min
- -482.02%
An Operating Profit Margin of 34.36% places VRTX in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology 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 | NVS | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 32.56% | 22.14% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.32% | 15.87% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.90% | 31.86% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.03% | 34.36% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 76.12% | 86.11% |
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.
VRTX
2.52
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 19.31
- Q3
- 9.38
- Median
- 4.54
- Q1
- 2.45
- Min
- 0.76
VRTX’s Current Ratio of 2.52 aligns with the median group of the Biotechnology industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
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.
VRTX
0.01
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 0.64
- Median
- 0.09
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
VRTX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 is typical for the Biotechnology 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.
VRTX
72.37
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.37
- Q3
- 1.91
- Median
- -7.81
- Q1
- -63.90
- Min
- -153.80
VRTX’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 72.37 is in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 2.52 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.62 | 2.00 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.77 | 0.01 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.55 | 72.37 |
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.
VRTX
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRTX 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.
VRTX
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRTX 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 | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
VRTX
28.00
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 60.14
- Q3
- 38.17
- Median
- 29.01
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
VRTX’s P/E Ratio of 28.00 is within the middle range for the Biotechnology 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)
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.
VRTX
8.92
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 76.98
- Q3
- 36.53
- Median
- 9.49
- Q1
- 4.49
- Min
- 0.00
VRTX’s P/S Ratio of 8.92 aligns with the market consensus for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
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.
VRTX
6.66
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 20.53
- Q3
- 9.76
- Median
- 4.77
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 0.59
VRTX’s P/B Ratio of 6.66 is within the conventional range for the Biotechnology 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 | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 17.43 | 28.00 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.34 | 8.92 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 6.00 | 6.66 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 14.16 | 29.10 |