AbbVie (ABBV) vs Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
AbbVie (ABBV) has outperformed Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) over the past year, gaining 16.5% versus a loss of 35.2%. Over five years, ABBV leads with a +148.2% price change compared with -25.2% for NVO. AbbVie is the larger company by market cap ($479.52 billion vs $168.89 billion), about 2.8 times the size.
On valuation, Novo Nordisk A/S trades at a lower forward P/E (11.5x vs 16.7x for AbbVie). Novo Nordisk A/S offers the higher dividend yield (30.58% vs 2.52%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | ABBV | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $271.36 | $38.26 |
| Market cap | $479.52B | $168.89B |
| 1-day change | +1.75% | +1.95% |
| YTD return | +18.76% | -24.80% |
| 1-year return | +16.55% | -35.17% |
| 5-year return | +148.20% | -25.23% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 76.66 | 9.35 |
| Forward P/E | 16.69 | 11.50 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.54 | $4.09 |
| Dividend yield | 2.52% | 30.58% |
| Annual dividend | $6.83 | $11.70 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $61.16B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +8.57% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $4.23B | — |
| Gross margin | 70.24% | — |
| Operating margin | 24.65% | — |
| Net margin | 6.91% | — |
| 52-week high | $274.94 | $64.16 |
| 52-week low | $190.75 | $35.12 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -1.30% | -40.37% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +3.48% | +20.41% |
| Average volume | 4.84M | 12.54M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.77B | 3.34B |
| Employees | 57,000 | 66,700 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations | Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- AbbVie is about 2.8 times larger than Novo Nordisk A/S by market value ($479.52B vs $168.89B).
- ABBV has outperformed NVO by 51.7 percentage points over the past year.
- AbbVie trades at a higher earnings multiple (76.7x vs 9.4x trailing P/E).
- Novo Nordisk A/S offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (30.58% vs 2.52%).
About AbbVie
ABBV stock →AbbVie Inc., a research-based biopharmaceutical company, engages in the research and development, manufacturing, commercializing, and sale of medicines and therapies worldwide. The company offers Skyrizi to treat autoimmune diseases; Rinvoq to treat inflammatory diseases; Imbruvica for the treatment of adult patients with blood cancers; Venclexta to treat blood cancers; Elahere to treat various cancer; and Epkinly to treat lymphoma; and Emrelis for the treatment of lung cancer.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 57,000 employees
About Novo Nordisk A/S
NVO stock →Novo Nordisk A/S, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the research and development, manufacture, and distribution of pharmaceutical products. It operates through two segments, Obesity and Diabetes Care, and Rare Disease.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 66,700 employees
ABBV vs NVO FAQ
Which is bigger, AbbVie or Novo Nordisk A/S?
AbbVie (ABBV) is larger, with a market capitalization of $479.52B compared with $168.89B for Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ABBV or NVO?
ABBV returned +16.55% over the past 12 months, compared with -35.17% for NVO (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ABBV or NVO?
NVO has the lower trailing P/E at 9.4, versus 76.7 for ABBV. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, AbbVie or Novo Nordisk A/S?
Novo Nordisk A/S has the higher yield at 30.58%, compared with 2.52% for AbbVie.
Are AbbVie and Novo Nordisk A/S in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations industry within the Health Care sector.