Intuitive Surgical, Inc. (ISRG) vs Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO)
NVO leads on 11 of 15 compared metrics.
A side-by-side comparison of Intuitive Surgical, Inc. and Novo Nordisk A/S across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 19, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — ISRG vs NVO
growth of $100 · last 26yISRG +19938.4%NVO +2513.0%ISRG compounded faster
Log scale — wide-divergence pair
ISRG NVO
ISRG vs NVO: by the numbers
- •NVO is the larger company ($191.59B vs $144.07B market cap).
- •NVO trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.18 vs 49.31 P/E).
- •NVO converts more revenue to profit (37.14% vs 28.15% net margin).
- •NVO grew revenue faster over the past five years (20.73% vs 18.39% CAGR).
- •NVO pays a dividend (4.14% yield) while ISRG does not currently pay one.
Which is better, ISRG or NVO?
Metric tally: ISRG 4 · NVO 11It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNVO(lower P/E)
GrowthNVO(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
QualityNVO(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | ISRG | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 49.31 | 10.18● |
| Forward P/E | 34.55 | — |
| P/S ratio | 13.83 | 3.78● |
| P/B ratio | 8.38 | 6.18● |
| PEG ratio | 3.17● | 8.17 |
| EV / EBITDA | 33.41 | 7.34● |
| FCF yield | 1.94% | 2.50%● |
Profitability
| Metric | ISRG | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 66.29% | 81.83%● |
| Operating margin | 30.45% | 45.21%● |
| Net margin | 28.15% | 37.14%● |
| ROE | 17.05% | 60.74%● |
| ROIC | 13.71% | 29.53%● |
Dividends
| Metric | ISRG | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | — | 4.14% |
| Payout ratio | — | 49.80% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | ISRG | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 18.39% | 20.73%● |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 21.51%● | 19.59% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 16.61%● | -5.86% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 6.79%● | 3.08% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, ISRG or NVO?
- It depends on your goal. value: NVO (lower P/E); growth: NVO (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); quality: NVO (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, NVO leads 11 to 4.
- Is ISRG or NVO cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NVO is cheaper: ISRG trades at a 49.31 P/E and NVO at 10.18.
- Which has grown faster, ISRG or NVO?
- Over the past five years, NVO grew revenue faster — ISRG at a 18.39% CAGR versus NVO at 20.73%.
- Does ISRG or NVO pay a bigger dividend?
- NVO pays a dividend (4.14% yield) while ISRG does not currently pay one.
- Is ISRG or NVO more profitable?
- NVO runs the higher net margin — ISRG at 28.15% versus NVO at 37.14%.
- Which has been the better investment, ISRG or NVO?
- Over the past 10-year, ISRG delivered the higher annualized total return — ISRG at 19.02% versus NVO at 7.78%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Intuitive Surgical P/E ratioNovo Nordisk A/S P/E ratioIntuitive Surgical dividend yieldNovo Nordisk A/S dividend yieldIntuitive Surgical ROENovo Nordisk A/S ROEIntuitive Surgical operating marginNovo Nordisk A/S operating marginIntuitive Surgical revenue growthNovo Nordisk A/S revenue growthIntuitive Surgical free cash flowNovo Nordisk A/S free cash flow
Intuitive Surgical & Novo Nordisk A/S appear in these rankings
Figures are sourced from reported fundamentals and the latest end-of-day price. This comparison is informational only and is not investment advice. Past performance does not predict future results. See our methodology. Compiled by TGMCharts Research · data verified June 19, 2026.