NVO vs. AZN
NVO (Novo Nordisk A/S) and AZN (AstraZeneca PLC) are both stocks. Both operate in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry within the Healthcare sector. Over the past 10 years, NVO returned 6.56%/yr vs 15.11%/yr for AZN. At a 0.32 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NVO vs. AZN - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NVO achieves a -11.01% return, which is significantly lower than AZN's 0.95% return. Over the past 10 years, NVO has underperformed AZN with an annualized return of 6.56%, while AZN has yielded a comparatively higher 15.11% annualized return.
NVO
- 1D
- 4.17%
- 1M
- -2.50%
- YTD
- -11.01%
- 6M
- -5.65%
- 1Y
- -36.44%
- 3Y*
- -15.71%
- 5Y*
- 3.74%
- 10Y*
- 6.56%
AZN
- 1D
- 3.13%
- 1M
- 0.31%
- YTD
- 0.95%
- 6M
- 3.08%
- 1Y
- 28.01%
- 3Y*
- 10.01%
- 5Y*
- 12.42%
- 10Y*
- 15.11%
NVO vs. AZN - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NVO Novo Nordisk A/S | -11.01% | -39.22% | -15.93% | 54.84% | 22.66% | 63.52% | 23.33% | 28.70% | -12.98% | 52.92% |
AZN AstraZeneca PLC | 0.95% | 43.30% | -0.62% | 1.44% | 19.14% | 19.66% | 3.12% | 35.68% | 13.86% | 33.10% |
Correlation
The correlation between NVO and AZN is 0.26, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.26 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.38 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.42 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since May 18, 1993 | 0.32 |
The correlation between NVO and AZN shifts across timeframes, from 0.26 (1 year) to 0.42 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
NVO:
$194.63B
AZN:
$283.79B
NVO:
$27.42
AZN:
$6.66
NVO:
1.60
AZN:
27.31
NVO:
0.07
AZN:
0.04
NVO:
0.59
AZN:
4.69
NVO:
0.96
AZN:
6.00
NVO:
$327.80B
AZN:
$60.44B
NVO:
$268.30B
AZN:
$49.37B
NVO:
$181.54B
AZN:
$20.47B
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Return for Risk
NVO vs. AZN — Risk / Return Rank
NVO
AZN
NVO vs. AZN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) and AstraZeneca PLC (AZN). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| NVO | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -1.82 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.62 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 0.89 | 1.21 | -0.32 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.66 | 1.83 | -2.50 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.99 | 4.98 | -5.97 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NVO | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.70 | 1.12 | -1.82 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.10 | 0.52 | -0.42 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.20 | 0.61 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.47 | 0.49 | -0.02 |
Drawdowns
NVO vs. AZN - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NVO drawdown since its inception was -74.70%, which is greater than AZN's maximum drawdown of -48.94%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NVO and AZN.
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Drawdown Indicators
| NVO | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -74.70% | -48.94% | -25.76% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -55.03% | -15.43% | -39.60% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -74.70% | -27.87% | -46.83% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -74.70% | -27.87% | -46.83% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -74.70% | -27.87% | -46.83% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -68.21% | -12.78% | -55.43% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -17.76% | -11.37% | -6.39% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 36.98% | 5.65% | +31.33% |
Volatility
NVO vs. AZN - Volatility Comparison
Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) has a higher volatility of 8.89% compared to AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) at 7.05%. This indicates that NVO's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than AZN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| NVO | AZN | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 8.89% | 7.05% | +1.84% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 38.00% | 17.17% | +20.83% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 51.88% | 25.36% | +26.52% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 38.25% | 23.98% | +14.27% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 32.51% | 24.92% | +7.59% |
Dividends
NVO vs. AZN - Dividend Comparison
NVO's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.12%, more than AZN's 2.93% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AZN AstraZeneca PLC | 2.93% | 1.70% | 2.27% | 2.15% | 2.12% | 2.35% | 2.80% | 2.81% | 3.69% | 3.95% | 5.01% | 4.06% |
NVO Novo Nordisk A/S | 4.12% | 3.31% | 1.68% | 1.00% | 1.20% | 1.35% | 1.87% | 2.14% | 1.45% | 1.52% | 2.87% | 0.92% |
Financials
NVO vs. AZN - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Novo Nordisk A/S and AstraZeneca PLC. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
NVO vs. AZN - Profitability Comparison
NVO - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Novo Nordisk A/S reported a gross profit of 83.23B and revenue of 96.82B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 86.0%.
AZN - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, AstraZeneca PLC reported a gross profit of 12.61B and revenue of 15.29B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 82.5%.
NVO - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Novo Nordisk A/S reported an operating income of 59.62B and revenue of 96.82B, resulting in an operating margin of 61.6%.
AZN - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, AstraZeneca PLC reported an operating income of 4.25B and revenue of 15.29B, resulting in an operating margin of 27.8%.
NVO - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Novo Nordisk A/S reported a net income of 48.56B and revenue of 96.82B, resulting in a net margin of 50.2%.
AZN - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, AstraZeneca PLC reported a net income of 3.08B and revenue of 15.29B, resulting in a net margin of 20.2%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NVO and AZN have a correlation of 0.26, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
NVO has higher volatility (8.89%) compared to AZN (7.05%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NVO dropped -74.70% vs AZN's -48.94%.
AZN currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.12 vs -0.70), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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