Align Technology (ALGN) vs Edwards Lifesciences (EW)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Edwards Lifesciences (EW) has outperformed Align Technology (ALGN) over the past year, gaining 11.2% versus a gain of 6.0%. Over five years, EW leads with a -24.9% price change compared with -76.1% for ALGN. Edwards Lifesciences is the larger company by market cap ($48.69 billion vs $10.09 billion), about 4.8 times the size.
On valuation, Align Technology trades at a lower forward P/E (11.4x vs 25.0x for Edwards Lifesciences). Edwards Lifesciences converts more of its revenue into profit, with a net margin of 17.7% versus 10.2%.
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 | ALGN | EW |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $142.10 | $84.47 |
| Market cap | $10.09B | $48.69B |
| 1-day change | +0.76% | +0.27% |
| YTD return | -9.68% | -1.18% |
| 1-year return | +5.97% | +11.22% |
| 5-year return | -76.08% | -24.89% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 24.71 | 50.28 |
| Forward P/E | 11.42 | 24.97 |
| EPS (TTM) | $5.75 | $1.68 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $4.03B | $6.07B |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +0.90% | +11.55% |
| Net income (latest FY) | $410.35M | $1.07B |
| Gross margin | 67.19% | 78.01% |
| Operating margin | 13.53% | 20.84% |
| Net margin | 10.17% | 17.69% |
| 52-week high | $200.44 | $96.29 |
| 52-week low | $124.91 | $72.30 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -29.11% | -12.28% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +41.95% | +20.71% |
| Average volume | 900.35K | 3.84M |
| Shares outstanding | 71.04M | 576.40M |
| Employees | 20,435 | 16,000 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Industrial Specialties | Industrial Specialties |
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
- Edwards Lifesciences is about 4.8 times larger than Align Technology by market value ($48.69B vs $10.09B).
- Edwards Lifesciences trades at a higher earnings multiple (50.3x vs 24.7x trailing P/E).
- Edwards Lifesciences is more profitable, keeping 17.7 cents of every revenue dollar as net income versus 10.2 cents for Align Technology.
- Edwards Lifesciences grew revenue faster in its latest fiscal year (+11.55% vs +0.90%).
About Align Technology
ALGN stock →Align Technology, Inc. provides Invisalign clear aligners, Vivera retainers, and iTero intraoral scanners and services in the United States, Switzerland, and internationally.
Health Care · Industrial Specialties · 20,435 employees
About Edwards Lifesciences
EW stock →Edwards Lifesciences Corporation provides products and technologies to treat advanced cardiovascular diseases in the United States, Europe, Japan, and internationally. It offers transcatheter heart valve replacement products for minimally invasive replacement of aortic heart valves under the Edwards SAPIEN family of valves system; and transcatheter heart valve repair and replacement products to treat mitral and tricuspid valve diseases under the PASCAL and EVOQUE brands.
Health Care · Industrial Specialties · 16,000 employees
ALGN vs EW FAQ
Which is bigger, Align Technology or Edwards Lifesciences?
Edwards Lifesciences (EW) is larger, with a market capitalization of $48.69B compared with $10.09B for Align Technology (ALGN).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, ALGN or EW?
EW returned +11.22% over the past 12 months, compared with +5.97% for ALGN (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, ALGN or EW?
ALGN has the lower trailing P/E at 24.7, versus 50.3 for EW. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Align Technology and Edwards Lifesciences in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Industrial Specialties industry within the Health Care sector.