SYK vs. BDX

Last updated Jun 3, 2026

SYK (Stryker Corporation) and BDX (Becton, Dickinson and Company) are both stocks. Both are in the Healthcare sector — SYK in Medical Devices, BDX in Medical Instruments & Supplies. Over the past 10 years, SYK returned 11.18%/yr vs 2.63%/yr for BDX. At a 0.39 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

SYK vs. BDX - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Stryker Corporation (SYK) and Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, SYK achieves a -16.32% return, which is significantly lower than BDX's -4.73% return. Over the past 10 years, SYK has outperformed BDX with an annualized return of 11.18%, while BDX has yielded a comparatively lower 2.63% annualized return.

SYK

• 1D: -2.06%
• 1M: -0.49%
• YTD: -16.32%
• 6M: -19.60%
• 1Y: -22.25%
• 3Y*: 2.76%
• 5Y*: 4.34%
• 10Y*: 11.18%

BDX

• 1D: -0.62%
• 1M: -3.27%
• YTD: -4.73%
• 6M: -2.40%
• 1Y: 11.00%
• 3Y*: -8.29%
• 5Y*: -3.19%
• 10Y*: 2.63%

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

SYK vs. BDX - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SYK Stryker Corporation	-16.32%	-1.48%	21.34%	23.80%	-7.42%	10.22%	18.17%	35.33%	2.43%	30.84%
BDX Becton, Dickinson and Company	-4.73%	-12.61%	-5.38%	-2.67%	5.08%	1.88%	-6.75%	22.20%	6.61%	31.24%

Correlation

The correlation between SYK and BDX is 0.52, which is moderate. They share some common price drivers but move independently often enough to provide real diversification benefit when combined.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.52
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.44
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.49
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.52
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Feb 2, 1988	0.39

The correlation between SYK and BDX shifts across timeframes, from 0.39 (all time) to 0.52 (1 year), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

Fundamentals

Market Cap SYK : $113.36B BDX : $40.53B
EPS SYK : $8.63 BDX : $3.99
PE Ratio SYK : 33.97 BDX : 36.22
PS Ratio SYK : 4.49 BDX : 1.93
PB Ratio SYK : 2.45 BDX : 1.68
Total Revenue (TTM) SYK : $25.27B BDX : $21.37B
Gross Profit (TTM) SYK : $16.09B BDX : $9.93B
EBITDA (TTM) SYK : $5.48B BDX : $4.16B

Return for Risk

SYK vs. BDX — Risk / Return Rank

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

SYK

SYK Risk / Return Rank: 6
SYK Sharpe Ratio Rank: 4
SYK Sortino Ratio Rank: 6
SYK Omega Ratio Rank: 8
SYK Calmar Ratio Rank: 11
SYK Martin Ratio Rank: 1

BDX

BDX Risk / Return Rank: 51
BDX Sharpe Ratio Rank: 55
BDX Sortino Ratio Rank: 51
BDX Omega Ratio Rank: 48
BDX Calmar Ratio Rank: 49
BDX Martin Ratio Rank: 51

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.

SYK vs. BDX - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Stryker Corporation (SYK) and Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX). 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.

	SYK	BDX	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	-1.01	0.44	-1.46
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	-1.38	0.94	-2.32
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	0.84	1.10	-0.26
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	-0.77	0.39	-1.16
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	-1.92	0.97	-2.89
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

SYK vs. BDX - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current SYK Sharpe Ratio is -1.01, which is lower than the BDX Sharpe Ratio of 0.44. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SYK and BDX, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	SYK	BDX	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	-1.01	0.44	-1.46
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.18	-0.14	+0.32
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.43	0.11	+0.31
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.55	0.42	+0.13

Drawdowns

SYK vs. BDX - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SYK drawdown since its inception was -58.63%, which is greater than BDX's maximum drawdown of -51.17%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SYK and BDX.

Drawdown Indicators

	SYK	BDX	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-58.63%	-51.17%	-7.46%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-29.45%	-22.73%	-6.72%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-29.45%	-40.06%	+10.61%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-31.68%	-40.06%	+8.38%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-43.80%	-40.06%	-3.74%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-26.77%	-31.75%	+4.98%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-13.10%	-11.57%	-1.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	11.76%	9.21%	+2.55%

Volatility

SYK vs. BDX - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Stryker Corporation (SYK) is 8.61%, while Becton, Dickinson and Company (BDX) has a volatility of 9.90%. This indicates that SYK experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than BDX based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	SYK	BDX	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	8.61%	9.90%	-1.29%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	17.77%	18.18%	-0.41%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	22.03%	24.91%	-2.88%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	24.13%	23.25%	+0.88%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	26.31%	23.56%	+2.75%

Dividends

SYK vs. BDX - Dividend Comparison

SYK's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.17%, less than BDX's 2.43% yield.

Position	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
BDX Becton, Dickinson and Company	2.43%	2.15%	1.71%	1.51%	1.38%	1.34%	1.28%	1.14%	1.34%	1.37%	1.64%	1.60%
SYK Stryker Corporation	1.17%	0.97%	0.90%	1.02%	1.16%	0.97%	0.96%	1.02%	1.23%	1.13%	1.31%	1.52%

Financials

SYK vs. BDX - Profitability Comparison

The chart below illustrates the profitability comparison between Stryker Corporation and Becton, Dickinson and Company over time, highlighting three key metrics: Gross Profit Margin, Operating Margin, and Net Profit Margin.

SYK - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Stryker Corporation reported a gross profit of 3.81B and revenue of 6.02B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 63.3%.

BDX - Gross Margin

Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Becton, Dickinson and Company reported a gross profit of 2.15B and revenue of 4.71B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 45.7%.

SYK - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Stryker Corporation reported an operating income of 936.00M and revenue of 6.02B, resulting in an operating margin of 15.6%.

BDX - Operating Margin

Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Becton, Dickinson and Company reported an operating income of 94.00M and revenue of 4.71B, resulting in an operating margin of 2.0%.

SYK - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Stryker Corporation reported a net income of 745.00M and revenue of 6.02B, resulting in a net margin of 12.4%.

BDX - Net Margin

Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Becton, Dickinson and Company reported a net income of -311.00M and revenue of 4.71B, resulting in a net margin of -6.6%.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both SYK and BDX in my portfolio?

SYK and BDX have a correlation of 0.52, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, SYK or BDX?

BDX has higher volatility (9.90%) compared to SYK (8.61%). In terms of maximum drawdown, SYK dropped -58.63% vs BDX's -51.17%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

BDX currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (0.44 vs -1.01), 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.