NVS vs. ZTS: Novartis vs. Zoetis Stock Comparison

November 11, 2026

How do Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS) are both classified in the Pharmaceuticals sub-industry within the broader Pharmaceuticals industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.

Zoetis (ZTS) trades as ordinary local shares, while Novartis (NVS) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Profile Item	NVS	ZTS
Name	Novartis AG Sponsored ADR	Zoetis Inc. Class A Common Stock
Country/Region	Switzerland	United States
GICS Sector	Health Care	Health Care
GICS Industry Group	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences	Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Pharmaceuticals
GICS Sub-Industry	Pharmaceuticals	Pharmaceuticals
Market Capitalization	307.00 billion USD	32.26 billion USD
Currency	USD	USD
Exchange	NYSE	NYSE
Listing Date	November 7, 1996	February 1, 2013
Security Type	ADR	Common Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

NVS

ZTS

GSPC

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
Total Return (1Y)	32.98%	-30.10%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)	24.72%	-20.42%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)	18.80%	-16.87%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

NVS

ZTS

GSPC

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)	27.12%	38.23%
Beta (5Y)	0.41	0.66
Max Drawdown (5Y)	-20.42%	-70.45%
Avg. Volume (3M)	2.07M	4.65M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

NVS and ZTS are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)	1.06	-0.90
Sortino Ratio (1Y)	1.46	-1.10

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 24.33% and Zoetis (ZTS) at 57.63% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

24.33%

Max: 109.18%
NVS: 24.33%
Q3: 6.23%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

57.63%

Max: 109.18%
ZTS: 57.63%
Q3: 6.23%
Median: -26.66%
Q1: -64.05%
Min: -167.77%

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Zoetis (ZTS) at 26.41% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Novartis (NVS) at 17.49% also retains a top-quartile share.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

17.49%

Max: 18.05%
NVS: 17.49%
Q3: 4.78%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

26.41%

ZTS: 26.41%
Max: 18.05%
Q3: 4.78%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -4.14%
Min: -17.05%

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 34.27% and Zoetis (ZTS) at 38.19% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

34.27%

Max: 83.12%
NVS: 34.27%
Q3: 14.77%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

38.19%

Max: 83.12%
ZTS: 38.19%
Q3: 14.77%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: -78.82%
Min: -207.40%

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
ROE (TTM)	24.33%	57.63%
ROA (TTM)	10.86%	14.87%
Net Margin (TTM)	17.49%	26.41%
Operating Margin (TTM)	34.27%	38.19%
Gross Margin (TTM)	75.21%	71.65%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Both Novartis (NVS) at 9.57% and Zoetis (ZTS) at 2.28% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both Novartis (NVS) at 21.81% and Zoetis (ZTS) at 10.05% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
Revenue Growth (YoY)	9.57%	2.28%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)	9.25%	5.42%
EPS Growth (YoY)	21.81%	10.05%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)	31.14%	10.27%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 0.88 and Zoetis (ZTS) at 2.35 run current ratio in the tighter-liquidity quartile of industry peers, leaving thinner cushions against current liabilities than typical competitors.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.88

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
Q1: 2.47
NVS: 0.88
Min: 0.10

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.35

Max: 25.13
Q3: 12.13
Median: 5.52
Q1: 2.47
ZTS: 2.35
Min: 0.10

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Both balance sheets lean debt-heavy versus peers, but ZTS is more stretched: Novartis (NVS) at 1.29 sits in the higher-leverage quartile and Zoetis (ZTS) at 2.80 is above its industry benchmark range.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.29

Max: 1.42
NVS: 1.29
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.15
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.80

ZTS: 2.80
Max: 1.42
Q3: 0.65
Median: 0.15
Q1: 0.02
Min: 0.00

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
Current Ratio (MRQ)	0.88	2.35
Debt / Equity (MRQ)	1.29	2.80
Net Debt / EBITDA	1.64	1.92

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 2.88% and Zoetis (ZTS) at 2.55% yield above their industries’ entire benchmark ranges — high enough that dividend safety, not income, becomes the first question.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.88%

NVS: 2.88%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.55%

ZTS: 2.55%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 90.46% and Zoetis (ZTS) at 35.24% pay out more of their earnings than any of their industry peers — the thinnest cover in their groups, so dividend headroom deserves attention.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

90.46%

NVS: 90.46%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

35.24%

ZTS: 35.24%
Max: 0.00%
Q3: 0.00%
Median: 0.00%
Q1: 0.00%
Min: 0.00%

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
Dividend Yield (TTM)	2.88%	2.55%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)	90.46%	35.24%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 31.02 and Zoetis (ZTS) at 13.50 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

31.02

Max: 85.34
Q3: 43.46
NVS: 31.02
Median: 26.69
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

13.50

Max: 85.34
Q3: 43.46
Median: 26.69
ZTS: 13.50
Q1: 13.30
Min: 0.07

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Novartis (NVS) at 5.35 and Zoetis (ZTS) at 3.40 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.35

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
Median: 7.30
NVS: 5.35
Q1: 3.01
Min: 0.01

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.40

Max: 58.18
Q3: 25.77
Median: 7.30
ZTS: 3.40
Q1: 3.01
Min: 0.01

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Both Novartis (NVS) at 8.25 and Zoetis (ZTS) at 9.80 carry a premium to book value versus peers, sitting in the upper P/B ratio quartile of their industries.

NVS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.25

Max: 13.53
NVS: 8.25
Q3: 6.54
Median: 3.25
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

ZTS

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

9.80

Max: 13.53
ZTS: 9.80
Q3: 6.54
Median: 3.25
Q1: 1.69
Min: -5.59

Novartis (NVS) vs. Zoetis (ZTS): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Novartis (NVS) and Zoetis (ZTS)
Metric	NVS	ZTS
P/E Ratio (TTM)	31.02	13.50
P/S Ratio (TTM)	5.35	3.40
P/B Ratio (MRQ)	8.25	9.80
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)	3.67%	6.36%