Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) vs Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO)
LLY leads on 8 of 15 compared metrics, though NVO is the cheaper stock.
A side-by-side comparison of Eli Lilly and Company and Novo Nordisk A/S across valuation, profitability, dividends, and growth — built entirely from reported fundamentals, as of June 17, 2026. The ● marks the stronger figure on each row (cheaper multiple, higher margin/return).
Total return — LLY vs NVO
growth of $100 · last 30yLLY +3477.1%NVO +6242.2%NVO compounded faster
LLY NVO
LLY vs NVO: by the numbers
- •LLY is the larger company ($1.06T vs $193.39B market cap).
- •NVO trades at the lower earnings multiple (10.18 vs 39.88 P/E).
- •NVO converts more revenue to profit (37.14% vs 34.98% net margin).
- •LLY grew revenue faster over the past five years (23.17% vs 20.73% CAGR).
- •NVO pays the higher dividend yield (4.14% vs 0.58%).
Which is better, LLY or NVO?
Metric tally: LLY 8 · NVO 7It depends on what you're optimizing for:
ValueNVO(lower P/E)
GrowthLLY(faster 5Y revenue CAGR)
IncomeNVO(higher dividend yield)
QualityLLY(higher ROIC)
Metrics side by side
Valuation
| Metric | LLY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| P/E ratio | 39.88 | 10.18● |
| Forward P/E | 25.18 | — |
| P/S ratio | 13.92 | 3.78● |
| P/B ratio | 32.23 | 6.18● |
| PEG ratio | 0.49● | 8.17 |
| EV / EBITDA | 31.19 | 7.34● |
| FCF yield | 1.35% | 2.50%● |
Profitability
| Metric | LLY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Gross margin | 83.51%● | 81.83% |
| Operating margin | 45.87% | 45.21% |
| Net margin | 34.98% | 37.14%● |
| ROE | 81.01%● | 60.74% |
| ROIC | 30.20%● | 29.53% |
Dividends
| Metric | LLY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend yield | 0.58% | 4.14%● |
| Payout ratio | 28.09% | 49.80% |
Growth (annualized)
| Metric | LLY | NVO |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue CAGR (5Y) | 23.17%● | 20.73% |
| EPS CAGR (5Y) | 28.88%● | 19.59% |
| FCF CAGR (5Y) | 19.54%● | -5.86% |
| Total return CAGR (5Y) | 39.75%● | 3.15% |
Frequently asked
- Which is better, LLY or NVO?
- It depends on your goal. value: NVO (lower P/E); growth: LLY (faster 5Y revenue CAGR); income: NVO (higher dividend yield); quality: LLY (higher ROIC). Across all compared metrics, LLY leads 8 to 7.
- Is LLY or NVO cheaper?
- On trailing earnings, NVO is cheaper: LLY trades at a 39.88 P/E and NVO at 10.18.
- Which has grown faster, LLY or NVO?
- Over the past five years, LLY grew revenue faster — LLY at a 23.17% CAGR versus NVO at 20.73%.
- Does LLY or NVO pay a bigger dividend?
- LLY yields 0.58% and NVO yields 4.14% based on trailing dividends and the latest price.
- Is LLY or NVO more profitable?
- NVO runs the higher net margin — LLY at 34.98% versus NVO at 37.14%.
- Which has been the better investment, LLY or NVO?
- Over the past 10-year, LLY delivered the higher annualized total return — LLY at 33.34% versus NVO at 7.88%. Past performance doesn't predict future results.
Go deeper
Dig into the metrics
Eli Lilly and P/E ratioNovo Nordisk A/S P/E ratioEli Lilly and dividend yieldNovo Nordisk A/S dividend yieldEli Lilly and ROENovo Nordisk A/S ROEEli Lilly and operating marginNovo Nordisk A/S operating marginEli Lilly and revenue growthNovo Nordisk A/S revenue growthEli Lilly and free cash flowNovo Nordisk A/S free cash flow
Eli Lilly and & 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 17, 2026.