Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) 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
Novartis (NVS) has outperformed Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO) over the past year, gaining 9.0% versus a loss of 35.3%. Over five years, NVS leads with a +72.1% price change compared with -25.3% for NVO. Novartis is the larger company by market cap ($272.33 billion vs $168.89 billion), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Novo Nordisk A/S trades at a lower forward P/E (11.5x vs 14.6x for Novartis). Novo Nordisk A/S offers the higher dividend yield (30.58% vs 3.26%).
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 | NVO | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $38.26 | $143.28 |
| Market cap | $168.89B | $272.33B |
| 1-day change | +1.95% | +1.77% |
| YTD return | -24.92% | +4.01% |
| 1-year return | -35.28% | +9.01% |
| 5-year return | -25.35% | +72.09% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 9.35 | 21.64 |
| Forward P/E | 11.50 | 14.63 |
| EPS (TTM) | $4.09 | $6.62 |
| Dividend yield | 30.58% | 3.26% |
| Annual dividend | $11.70 | $4.67 |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $13.98B |
| 52-week high | $64.16 | $170.46 |
| 52-week low | $35.12 | $121.57 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -40.37% | -15.95% |
| Analyst consensus | hold | hold |
| Avg. price target upside | +20.41% | +8.19% |
| Average volume | 12.47M | 1.96M |
| Shares outstanding | 3.34B | 1.90B |
| Employees | 66,700 | 75,267 |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Drug Manufacturers - General | 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
- NVS has outperformed NVO by 44.3 percentage points over the past year.
- Novartis trades at a higher earnings multiple (21.6x vs 9.4x trailing P/E).
- Novo Nordisk A/S offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (30.58% vs 3.26%).
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.
Healthcare · Drug Manufacturers - General · 66,700 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).
Healthcare · Drug Manufacturers - General · 75,267 employees
NVO vs NVS FAQ
Which is bigger, Novo Nordisk A/S or Novartis?
Novartis (NVS) is larger, with a market capitalization of $272.33B compared with $168.89B for Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, NVO or NVS?
NVS returned +9.01% over the past 12 months, compared with -35.28% for NVO (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, NVO or NVS?
NVO has the lower trailing P/E at 9.4, versus 21.6 for NVS. 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, Novo Nordisk A/S or Novartis?
Novo Nordisk A/S has the higher yield at 30.58%, compared with 3.26% for Novartis.
Are Novo Nordisk A/S and Novartis in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry within the Healthcare sector.