Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) vs AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | BMY | 7.3% revenue growth vs ABBV's 3.7% |
| Value | BMY | Lower P/E (10.0x vs 16.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | BMY | 12.6% net margin vs ABBV's 4.0% |
| Stability / Safety | BMY | Beta 0.35 vs ABBV's 0.42, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BMY | 3.8% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs ABBV's 2.7% |
| Momentum (1Y) | ABBV | +14.2% vs BMY's +8.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BMY | 6.2% ROA vs ABBV's 1.8%, ROIC 12.4% vs 11.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and markets innovative medicines for serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily from blockbuster drugs like Eliquis (~40% of sales), Opdivo (~25%), and Revlimid (~15%), with the remainder coming from its broader portfolio of oncology, cardiovascular, and immunology treatments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in oncology and immunology research, complemented by strategic acquisitions that have expanded its pipeline and commercial portfolio.
AbbVie is a global biopharmaceutical company that develops and markets innovative medicines for serious health conditions. It generates revenue primarily from prescription drug sales — with immunology drugs like Skyrizi and Rinvoq now driving growth as Humira faces biosimilar competition — and also earns income from its aesthetics portfolio including Botox. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep R&D pipeline, strong patent portfolio, and established commercial infrastructure for launching new blockbuster therapies.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
BMY leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). ABBV leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ABBV and BMY operate at a comparable scale, with $59.6B and $48.0B in trailing revenue. BMY is the more profitable business, keeping 12.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ABBV's 4.0%. On growth, ABBV holds the edge at +9.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $48.0B | $59.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $18.7B | $17.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6.0B | $2.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $15.3B | $20.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +65.8% | +69.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +28.7% | +15.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.6% | +4.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +31.9% | +34.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.8% | +9.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +80.0% | -88.7% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, BMY's 8.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ABBV's 27.0x.
| Metric | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $127.0B | $410.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $167.9B | $472.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -14.14x | 97.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 10.01x | 15.95x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.72x | 26.96x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.63x | 7.28x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.71x | 122.29x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 9.11x | 23.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ABBV delivers a 62.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $62 in annual profit, vs $32 for BMY. BMY carries lower financial leverage with a 3.12x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ABBV's 20.17x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ABBV scores 6/9 vs BMY's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +32.5% | +62.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.2% | +1.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +12.4% | +11.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +13.6% | +9.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 3.12x | 20.17x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $40.9B | $62.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $10.3B | $5.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $51.2B | $67.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.11x | 1.58x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ABBV five years ago would be worth $24,166 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,973 for BMY. Over the past 12 months, ABBV leads with a +14.2% total return vs BMY's +8.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ABBV at 17.7% vs BMY's 0.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +17.8% | +1.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +8.8% | +14.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.9% | +63.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.7% | +141.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +32.4% | +413.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.3% | +17.7% |
Risk & Volatility
BMY is the less volatile stock with a 0.35 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ABBV's 0.42 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BMY currently trades 98.5% from its 52-week high vs ABBV's 94.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.35x | 0.42x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $63.33 | $244.81 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $42.52 | $164.39 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.5% | +94.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 63.9 | 49.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 10.9M | 5.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates BMY as "Hold" and ABBV as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 10.4% upside for ABBV (target: $256) vs -0.2% for BMY (target: $62). For income investors, BMY offers the higher dividend yield at 3.85% vs ABBV's 2.68%.
| Metric | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $62.27 | $256.15 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 41 | 39 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.8% | +2.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 5 | 12 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.40 | $6.22 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.4% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 100 | 94.63 | -5.4% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 100 | 263.26 | +163.3% |
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) returned +142% over 5 years vs Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY)'s +20%. A $10,000 investment in ABBV 5 years ago would be worth $24,166 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | $16.6B | $48.3B | +191.7% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | $22.9B | $56.3B | +146.4% |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's revenue grew from $16.6B (2015) to $48.3B (2024) — a 12.6% CAGR. AbbVie Inc.'s revenue grew from $22.9B (2015) to $56.3B (2024) — a 10.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 9.5% | -18.5% | -296.0% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 22.5% | 7.6% | -66.3% |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's net margin went from 9% (2015) to -19% (2024). AbbVie Inc.'s net margin went from 23% (2015) to 8% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 100.5 | 13.3 | -86.8% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 29.3 | 74.4 | +153.9% |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has traded in a 13x–101x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-14x. AbbVie Inc. has traded in a 17x–74x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~97x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 0.97 | -4.41 | -554.6% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 3.13 | 2.39 | -23.6% |
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's EPS grew from $0.97 (2015) to $-4.41 (2024) — a NaN% CAGR. AbbVie Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.13 (2015) to $2.39 (2024) — a -3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company generated $14B FCF in 2024 (-8% vs 2021). AbbVie Inc. generated $18B FCF in 2024 (-19% vs 2021).
BMY vs ABBV: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BMY or ABBV a better buy right now?
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) offers the better valuation at 97.1x trailing P/E (16.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) a "Buy" — based on 39 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — BMY or ABBV?
On forward P/E, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is actually cheaper at 10.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — BMY or ABBV?
Over the past 5 years, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) delivered a total return of +141.7%, compared to +19.7% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). A $10,000 investment in ABBV five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABBV returned +413.0% versus BMY's +32.4%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — BMY or ABBV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.35β versus AbbVie Inc.'s 0.42β — meaning ABBV is approximately 22% more volatile than BMY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 20% for AbbVie Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — BMY or ABBV?
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the more profitable company, earning 7.6% net margin versus -18.5% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company — meaning it keeps 7.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BMY leads at 20.0% versus 16.2% for ABBV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ABBV leads at 70.0%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is BMY or ABBV more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) trades at 10.0x forward P/E versus 16.0x for AbbVie Inc. — 5.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ABBV: 10.4% to $256.15.
07Which pays a better dividend — BMY or ABBV?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) offers the highest yield at 3.8%, versus 2.7% for AbbVie Inc. (ABBV).
08Is BMY or ABBV better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.42), 2.7% yield, +413.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ABBV: +413.0%, BMY: +32.4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between BMY and ABBV?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. In terms of investment character: BMY is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; ABBV is a large-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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