Gilead Sciences (GILD) vs Novartis (NVS)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 7, 2026.
Summary
Gilead Sciences (GILD) has outperformed Novartis (NVS) over the past year, gaining 25.7% versus a gain of 8.9%. Over five years, GILD leads with a +117.1% price change compared with +71.9% for NVS. Novartis is the larger company by market cap ($272.33 billion vs $182.09 billion), about 1.5 times the size.
On valuation, Novartis trades at a lower forward P/E (14.6x vs 14.8x for Gilead Sciences). Novartis offers the higher dividend yield (3.26% vs 2.19%).
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 | GILD | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $146.85 | $143.28 |
| Market cap | $182.09B | $272.33B |
| 1-day change | +1.82% | +1.77% |
| YTD return | +19.64% | +3.92% |
| 1-year return | +25.75% | +8.92% |
| 5-year return | +117.14% | +71.94% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | — | 21.64 |
| Forward P/E | 14.85 | 14.63 |
| EPS (TTM) | $-2.65 | $6.62 |
| Dividend yield | 2.19% | 3.26% |
| Annual dividend | $3.22 | $4.67 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | $29.44B | — |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | +2.40% | — |
| Net income (latest FY) | $8.51B | $13.98B |
| Gross margin | 78.83% | — |
| Operating margin | 34.04% | — |
| Net margin | 28.90% | — |
| 52-week high | $157.29 | $170.46 |
| 52-week low | $114.02 | $121.57 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -6.64% | -15.95% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +8.46% | +8.19% |
| Average volume | 6.06M | 1.97M |
| Shares outstanding | 1.24B | 1.90B |
| Employees | 17,000 | 75,267 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Biotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances) | 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
- GILD has outperformed NVS by 16.8 percentage points over the past year.
- Novartis offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (3.26% vs 2.19%).
About Gilead Sciences
GILD stock →Gilead Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes medicines in the areas of unmet medical need in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company provides Biktarvy, Descovy, Genvoya, Odefsey, Sunlenca, Symtuza, and YeztugoFor the treatment of HIV-1 infection in patients.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances) · 17,000 employees
About Novartis
NVS stock →Novartis AG researches, develops, manufactures, distributes, markets, and sells pharmaceutical medicines in Switzerland and internationally. The company offers Entresto, an angiotensin receptorneprilysin inhibitor to treat symptomatic chronic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF); Cosentyx to treat plaque psoriasis, pso riatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and nonradiographic axial spondy loarthritis; Kisqali, a selective oral cyclin dependent inhibitor of kinases 4 and 6 (CDK4/6); Promacta/Revolade to treat immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), thrombocytopenia, and patients with severe aplastic anemia (SAA); Tafinlar+Mekinist, an oral combination therapy to treat patients with certain types of cancers; and Jakavi for the treatment of myelofibrosis, polycythemia vera, and acute or chronic graftversushost disease (GvHD).
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 75,267 employees
GILD vs NVS FAQ
Which is bigger, Gilead Sciences or Novartis?
Novartis (NVS) is larger, with a market capitalization of $272.33B compared with $182.09B for Gilead Sciences (GILD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, GILD or NVS?
GILD returned +25.75% over the past 12 months, compared with +8.92% for NVS (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which pays a higher dividend, Gilead Sciences or Novartis?
Novartis has the higher yield at 3.26%, compared with 2.19% for Gilead Sciences.
Are Gilead Sciences and Novartis in the same industry?
Both are in the Health Care sector, but in different industries: Biotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances) for Gilead Sciences and Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations for Novartis.