NVS vs. CL
NVS (Novartis AG) and CL (Colgate-Palmolive Company) are both stocks. NVS operates in Drug Manufacturers - General (Healthcare), while CL operates in Household & Personal Products (Consumer Defensive). Over the past 10 years, NVS returned 10.33%/yr vs 4.21%/yr for CL. At a 0.30 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
NVS vs. CL - Performance Comparison
Loading charts...
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, NVS achieves a 9.43% return, which is significantly lower than CL's 10.27% return. Over the past 10 years, NVS has outperformed CL with an annualized return of 10.33%, while CL has yielded a comparatively lower 4.21% annualized return.
NVS
- 1D
- -1.84%
- 1M
- 0.27%
- YTD
- 9.43%
- 6M
- 15.91%
- 1Y
- 27.84%
- 3Y*
- 17.18%
- 5Y*
- 13.87%
- 10Y*
- 10.33%
CL
- 1D
- -2.83%
- 1M
- -1.69%
- YTD
- 10.27%
- 6M
- 14.49%
- 1Y
- -2.21%
- 3Y*
- 6.80%
- 5Y*
- 3.26%
- 10Y*
- 4.21%
NVS vs. CL - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
NVS Novartis AG | 9.43% | 46.95% | 0.02% | 16.14% | 8.06% | -3.65% | 3.34% | 13.92% | 5.95% | 19.42% |
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 10.27% | -10.98% | 16.57% | 3.78% | -5.44% | 2.08% | 27.17% | 18.60% | -19.19% | 17.88% |
Correlation
The correlation between NVS and CL is 0.45, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.45 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.39 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.40 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.35 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 8, 1996 | 0.30 |
The correlation between NVS and CL shifts across timeframes, from 0.30 (all time) to 0.45 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
NVS:
$280.54B
CL:
$69.29B
NVS:
$6.99
CL:
$2.58
NVS:
20.95
CL:
33.37
NVS:
1.42
CL:
8.62
NVS:
5.06
CL:
3.35
NVS:
7.28
CL:
477.90
NVS:
$56.05B
CL:
$20.80B
NVS:
$42.19B
CL:
$12.49B
NVS:
$22.40B
CL:
$3.92B
Compare stocks, funds, or ETFs
Search for stocks, ETFs, and funds for a quick comparison or use the comparison tool for more options.
Return for Risk
NVS vs. CL — Risk / Return Rank
NVS
CL
NVS vs. CL - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Novartis AG (NVS) and Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL). 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 | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | +1.46 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +1.93 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.24 | 1.00 | +0.24 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.21 | -0.12 | +2.33 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 5.43 | -0.20 | +5.63 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
Loading charts...
Sharpe Ratios by Period
| NVS | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.36 | -0.10 | +1.46 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.74 | 0.17 | +0.57 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.53 | 0.21 | +0.31 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.42 | 0.42 | 0.00 |
Drawdowns
NVS vs. CL - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum NVS drawdown since its inception was -42.10%, smaller than the maximum CL drawdown of -58.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for NVS and CL.
Loading charts...
Drawdown Indicators
| NVS | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -42.10% | -58.91% | +16.81% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -12.65% | -18.64% | +5.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -19.95% | -29.05% | +9.10% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -20.42% | -29.05% | +8.63% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -26.03% | -29.05% | +3.02% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -10.52% | -17.54% | +7.02% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -10.93% | -11.24% | +0.31% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 5.14% | 11.29% | -6.15% |
Volatility
NVS vs. CL - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Novartis AG (NVS) is 6.16%, while Colgate-Palmolive Company (CL) has a volatility of 7.77%. This indicates that NVS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than CL based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
Loading charts...
Volatility by Period
| NVS | CL | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 6.16% | 7.77% | -1.61% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 14.45% | 17.27% | -2.82% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 20.63% | 21.67% | -1.04% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 18.85% | 18.77% | +0.08% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 19.62% | 19.74% | -0.12% |
Dividends
NVS vs. CL - Dividend Comparison
NVS's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 3.26%, more than CL's 2.43% yield.
| Position | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CL Colgate-Palmolive Company | 2.43% | 2.61% | 2.18% | 2.40% | 2.36% | 2.10% | 2.05% | 2.48% | 2.79% | 2.11% | 2.37% | 2.25% |
NVS Novartis AG | 3.26% | 2.90% | 3.84% | 3.44% | 3.70% | 3.86% | 3.22% | 3.03% | 3.47% | 3.24% | 3.73% | 3.10% |
Financials
NVS vs. CL - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Novartis AG and Colgate-Palmolive Company. 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
NVS vs. CL - Profitability Comparison
NVS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Novartis AG reported a gross profit of 10.07B and revenue of 13.52B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 74.4%.
CL - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a gross profit of 3.23B and revenue of 5.32B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 60.6%.
NVS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Novartis AG reported an operating income of 4.24B and revenue of 13.52B, resulting in an operating margin of 31.3%.
CL - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported an operating income of 1.16B and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in an operating margin of 21.7%.
NVS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Novartis AG reported a net income of 3.16B and revenue of 13.52B, resulting in a net margin of 23.3%.
CL - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Colgate-Palmolive Company reported a net income of 646.00M and revenue of 5.32B, resulting in a net margin of 12.1%.
Frequently Asked Questions
NVS and CL have a correlation of 0.45, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
CL has higher volatility (7.77%) compared to NVS (6.16%). In terms of maximum drawdown, NVS dropped -42.10% vs CL's -58.91%.
NVS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (1.36 vs -0.10), 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.
Find the right allocation for NVS and CL
Add both to a portfolio and optimize allocations for your target — whether that's maximizing returns, minimizing drawdowns, or balancing risk across holdings.
Open Portfolio Optimizer