NVS vs. AZN

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Novartis AG (NVS) and AstraZeneca PLC (AZN).

Performance

NVS vs. AZN - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Novartis AG (NVS) and AstraZeneca PLC (AZN). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

NVS vs. AZN - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
NVS Novartis AG	15.91%	46.95%	0.02%	16.14%	8.06%	-3.65%	3.34%	13.92%	5.95%	19.42%
AZN AstraZeneca PLC	11.46%	43.30%	-0.62%	1.44%	19.14%	19.66%	3.12%	35.68%	13.86%	33.10%

Fundamentals

Market Cap NVS : $299.15B AZN : $313.54B
EPS NVS : $7.20 AZN : $6.55
PE Ratio NVS : 21.55 AZN : 30.64
PEG Ratio NVS : 1.46 AZN : 0.04
PS Ratio NVS : 5.37 AZN : 5.33
PB Ratio NVS : 6.48 AZN : 6.44
Total Revenue (TTM) NVS : $56.15B AZN : $58.74B
Gross Profit (TTM) NVS : $41.12B AZN : $48.11B
EBITDA (TTM) NVS : $22.99B AZN : $19.83B

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, NVS achieves a 15.91% return, which is significantly higher than AZN's 11.46% return. Over the past 10 years, NVS has underperformed AZN with an annualized return of 12.09%, while AZN has yielded a comparatively higher 16.92% annualized return.

NVS

• 1D: 1.53%
• 1M: -4.24%
• YTD: 15.91%
• 6M: 21.32%
• 1Y: 45.79%
• 3Y*: 23.19%
• 5Y*: 16.79%
• 10Y*: 12.09%

AZN

• 1D: 1.78%
• 1M: -1.47%
• YTD: 11.46%
• 6M: 21.46%
• 1Y: 42.12%
• 3Y*: 15.74%
• 5Y*: 17.86%
• 10Y*: 16.92%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

Return for Risk

NVS vs. AZN — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

NVS

NVS Risk / Return Rank: 90
NVS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
NVS Sortino Ratio Rank: 89
NVS Omega Ratio Rank: 87
NVS Calmar Ratio Rank: 90
NVS Martin Ratio Rank: 91

AZN

AZN Risk / Return Rank: 84
AZN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 85
AZN Sortino Ratio Rank: 82
AZN Omega Ratio Rank: 80
AZN Calmar Ratio Rank: 87
AZN Martin Ratio Rank: 85

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

NVS vs. AZN - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Novartis AG (NVS) 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.

	NVS	AZN	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.13	1.56	+0.57
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	2.74	2.25	+0.49
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.36	1.29	+0.07
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	4.03	3.25	+0.77
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	11.81	8.16	+3.65
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

NVS vs. AZN - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current NVS Sharpe Ratio is 2.13, which is higher than the AZN Sharpe Ratio of 1.56. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of NVS and AZN, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	NVS	AZN	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.13	1.56	+0.57
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.91	0.75	+0.16
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.62	0.68	-0.06
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.43	0.51	-0.08

Correlation

The correlation between NVS and AZN is 0.48, which is considered to be moderate. This suggests that the two assets have some degree of positive relationship in their price movements. Moderate correlation can be acceptable for portfolio diversification, offering a balance between risk and potential returns.

Dividends

NVS vs. AZN - Dividend Comparison

NVS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.08%, more than AZN's 2.65% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
NVS Novartis AG	3.08%	2.90%	3.84%	3.44%	3.70%	3.86%	3.22%	3.03%	3.47%	3.24%	3.73%	3.10%
AZN AstraZeneca PLC	2.65%	1.70%	2.27%	2.15%	2.12%	2.35%	2.80%	2.81%	3.69%	3.95%	5.01%	4.06%

Drawdowns

NVS vs. AZN - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum NVS drawdown since its inception was -42.10%, smaller than the maximum AZN drawdown of -48.94%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NVS and AZN.

Drawdown Indicators

	NVS	AZN	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-42.10%	-48.94%	+6.84%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.76%	-12.24%	+1.48%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-20.42%	-27.87%	+7.45%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-26.03%	-27.87%	+1.84%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-5.23%	-3.70%	-1.53%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-10.94%	-11.38%	+0.44%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.67%	4.88%	-1.21%

Volatility

NVS vs. AZN - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Novartis AG (NVS) is 6.44%, while AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) has a volatility of 7.15%. This indicates that NVS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than AZN based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	NVS	AZN	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	6.44%	7.15%	-0.71%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.50%	19.20%	-4.70%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.68%	27.33%	-5.65%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	18.52%	23.85%	-5.33%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.55%	24.90%	-5.35%

Financials

NVS vs. AZN - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Novartis AG and AstraZeneca PLC over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

NVS - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Novartis AG reported a gross profit of 8.40B and revenue of 13.33B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 63.0%.

AZN - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, AstraZeneca PLC reported a gross profit of 12.39B and revenue of 15.50B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 79.9%.

NVS - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Novartis AG reported an operating income of 3.05B and revenue of 13.33B, resulting in an operating margin of 22.8%.

AZN - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, AstraZeneca PLC reported an operating income of 2.98B and revenue of 15.50B, resulting in an operating margin of 19.2%.

NVS - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, Novartis AG reported a net income of 2.41B and revenue of 13.33B, resulting in a net margin of 18.1%.

AZN - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Apr 2026, AstraZeneca PLC reported a net income of 2.33B and revenue of 15.50B, resulting in a net margin of 15.0%.