Abbott Laboratories (ABT) vs Pfizer (PFE)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Pfizer (PFE) has outperformed Abbott Laboratories (ABT) over the past year, gaining 6.6% versus a loss of 25.8%. Over five years, ABT leads with a -16.0% price change compared with -32.5% for PFE. Abbott Laboratories is the larger company by market cap ($170.84 billion vs $159.59 billion), about 1.1 times the size.
On valuation, Pfizer trades at a lower forward P/E (9.7x vs 16.3x for Abbott Laboratories). Pfizer offers the higher dividend yield (6.14% vs 2.51%). Abbott Laboratories converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 14.7% versus 12.4%.
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 | ABT | PFE |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $98.73 | $28.00 |
| Market cap | $170.84B | $159.59B |
| 1-day change | +0.58% | +1.82% |
| YTD return | -21.20% | +12.45% |
| 1-year return | -25.78% | +6.59% |
| 5-year return | -15.97% | -32.51% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 31.64 | 36.84 |
| Forward P/E | 16.28 | 9.67 |
| EPS (TTM) | $3.12 | $0.76 |
| Dividend yield | 2.51% | 6.14% |
| Annual dividend | $2.48 | $1.72 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $44.33B | $62.58B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +5.67% | -1.65% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $6.52B | $7.77B |
| Gross margin | 56.42% | 74.33% |
| Operating margin | 18.17% | — |
| Net margin | 14.72% | 12.42% |
| 52-week high | $135.13 | $29.21 |
| 52-week low | $81.97 | $23.62 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -26.94% | -4.14% |
| Analyst consensus | strong_buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +22.27% | +3.25% |
| Average volume | 9.56M | 36.02M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.73B | 5.70B |
| Employees | 122,000 | 75,000 |
| Sector | Health Care | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations | Drug Manufacturers - General |
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
- PFE has outperformed ABT by 32.4 percentage points over the past year.
- Pfizer offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (6.14% vs 2.51%).
- Abbott Laboratories grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+5.67% vs -1.65%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: Abbott Laboratories in Health Care and Pfizer in Healthcare.
About Abbott Laboratories
ABT stock →Abbott Laboratories, together with its subsidiaries, discovers, develops, manufactures, and sells health care products worldwide. It operates in four segments: Established Pharmaceutical Products, Diagnostic Products, Nutritional Products, and Medical Devices.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 122,000 employees
About Pfizer
PFE stock →Pfizer Inc. discovers, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells biopharmaceutical products in the United States and internationally.
Healthcare · Drug Manufacturers - General · 75,000 employees
ABT vs PFE FAQ
Which is bigger, Abbott Laboratories or Pfizer?
Abbott Laboratories (ABT) is larger, with a market capitalization of $170.84B compared with $159.59B for Pfizer (PFE).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ABT or PFE?
PFE returned +6.59% over the past 12 months, compared with -25.78% for ABT (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ABT or PFE?
ABT has the lower trailing P/E at 31.6, versus 36.8 for PFE. 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, Abbott Laboratories or Pfizer?
Pfizer has the higher yield at 6.14%, compared with 2.51% for Abbott Laboratories.
Are Abbott Laboratories and Pfizer in the same industry?
No. Abbott Laboratories is in the Health Care sector, while Pfizer is in Healthcare.