NVS vs. WMT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at NVS and WMT, 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, WMT is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | NVS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Novartis AG | Walmart Inc. |
| Country | Switzerland | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Consumer Staples |
| GICS Industry | Pharmaceuticals | Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail |
| Market Capitalization | 254.99 billion USD | 822.48 billion USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | NYSE |
| Listing Date | November 7, 1996 | August 25, 1972 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of NVS and WMT 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 | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 2.34% | -1.06% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 2.27% | 3.79% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 2.04% | 19.07% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 9.24% | 26.27% |
| Month-to-Date Return | -1.03% | -1.07% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 12.87% | 12.85% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 2.80M | 15.78M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 2.81M | 16.23M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 18.12% | 18.93% |
| Beta | -0.01 | 0.66 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
NVS
32.56%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 38.59%
- Q3
- 19.84%
- Median
- 11.85%
- Q1
- 5.40%
- Min
- -10.91%
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.
WMT
24.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 36.53%
- Q3
- 21.48%
- Median
- 13.14%
- Q1
- 8.11%
- Min
- -9.87%
In the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, WMT’s Return on Equity of 24.18% 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
- 40.67%
- Q3
- 19.07%
- Median
- 12.31%
- Q1
- 4.50%
- Min
- -9.91%
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.
WMT
3.08%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 7.25%
- Q3
- 3.98%
- Median
- 2.77%
- Q1
- 1.73%
- Min
- -0.70%
WMT’s Net Profit Margin of 3.08% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
NVS
30.03%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 45.78%
- Q3
- 23.14%
- Median
- 16.68%
- Q1
- 7.98%
- Min
- -7.13%
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.
WMT
4.18%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 9.42%
- Q3
- 5.61%
- Median
- 4.18%
- Q1
- 2.72%
- Min
- 0.23%
WMT’s Operating Profit Margin of 4.18% is around the midpoint for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 32.56% | 24.18% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.32% | 8.07% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 24.90% | 3.08% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | 30.03% | 4.18% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 76.12% | 38.66% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
NVS
0.82
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 4.65
- Q3
- 2.64
- Median
- 1.85
- Q1
- 1.26
- Min
- 0.78
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.
WMT
0.79
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.76
- Q3
- 1.28
- Median
- 0.98
- Q1
- 0.82
- Min
- 0.49
WMT’s Current Ratio of 0.79 falls into the lower quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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
- 1.75
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.35
- Q1
- 0.13
- 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.
WMT
0.56
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 3.61
- Q3
- 1.64
- Median
- 1.00
- Q1
- 0.30
- Min
- 0.00
WMT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.56 is typical for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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
- 43.60
- Median
- 9.83
- Q1
- 2.37
- 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.
WMT
12.72
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 24.36
- Q3
- 13.75
- Median
- 5.79
- Q1
- 3.04
- Min
- -5.51
WMT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.72 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 0.82 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.62 | 0.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 0.77 | 0.56 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | 22.55 | 12.72 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
NVS
3.27%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 7.14%
- Q3
- 3.45%
- Median
- 2.17%
- Q1
- 0.33%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Yield of 3.27% is consistent with its peers in the Pharmaceuticals industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
WMT
0.88%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 6.08%
- Q3
- 3.33%
- Median
- 1.77%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMT’s Dividend Yield of 0.88% is consistent with its peers in the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
NVS
102.24%
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 199.58%
- Q3
- 97.17%
- Median
- 53.47%
- Q1
- 22.97%
- 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.
WMT
33.30%
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 172.48%
- Q3
- 103.93%
- Median
- 54.70%
- Q1
- 24.82%
- Min
- 0.00%
WMT’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 33.30% is within the typical range for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 3.27% | 0.88% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 102.24% | 33.30% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
NVS
17.49
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 45.19
- Q3
- 27.91
- Median
- 20.59
- Q1
- 15.08
- Min
- 3.79
NVS’s P/E Ratio of 17.49 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.
WMT
37.92
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 47.99
- Q3
- 30.23
- Median
- 22.19
- Q1
- 16.85
- Min
- 4.52
A P/E Ratio of 37.92 places WMT in the upper quartile for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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
4.35
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 8.87
- Q3
- 4.56
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.11
NVS’s P/S Ratio of 4.35 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.
WMT
1.17
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 1.79
- Q3
- 0.96
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.37
- Min
- 0.06
WMT’s P/S Ratio of 1.17 is in the upper echelon for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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
6.06
Pharmaceuticals Industry
- Max
- 9.78
- Q3
- 4.99
- Median
- 2.48
- Q1
- 1.53
- Min
- 0.59
NVS’s P/B Ratio of 6.06 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.
WMT
8.68
Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail Industry
- Max
- 8.68
- Q3
- 4.97
- Median
- 2.98
- Q1
- 1.86
- Min
- 0.46
WMT’s P/B Ratio of 8.68 is in the upper tier for the Consumer Staples Distribution & Retail 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.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | NVS | WMT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | 17.49 | 37.92 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 4.35 | 1.17 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 6.06 | 8.68 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | 14.21 | 58.84 |