Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) 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 | GILD | 6.0% revenue growth vs ABBV's 3.7% |
| Value | ABBV | Lower P/E (16.0x vs 17.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | GILD | 28.9% net margin vs ABBV's 4.0% |
| Stability / Safety | GILD | Beta 0.38 vs ABBV's 0.42, lower leverage |
| Dividends | ABBV | 2.7% yield, 12-year raise streak, vs GILD's 2.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | GILD | +33.1% vs ABBV's +14.2% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GILD | 14.4% ROA vs ABBV's 1.8%, ROIC 3.2% 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
Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing medicines for serious diseases like HIV, viral hepatitis, and cancer. It generates revenue primarily from antiviral drugs — especially HIV treatments like Biktarvy which drive the majority of sales — along with oncology therapies and COVID-19 treatment Veklury. The company's moat lies in its deep expertise in antiviral drug development, a robust HIV franchise with high patient retention, and a pipeline of cell therapy and oncology assets.
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
GILD leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). ABBV leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ABBV is the larger business by revenue, generating $59.6B annually — 2.0x GILD's $29.4B. GILD is the more profitable business, keeping 28.9% 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 | GILDGilead Sciences, … | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $29.4B | $59.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $12.4B | $17.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $8.5B | $2.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $9.7B | $20.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.8% | +69.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +37.4% | +15.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +28.9% | +4.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.8% | +34.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.7% | +9.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +22.5% | -88.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 97.1x trailing earnings, ABBV trades at a 75% valuation discount to GILD's 392.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, ABBV's 27.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than GILD's 45.7x.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $185.6B | $410.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $202.3B | $472.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 391.97x | 97.08x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 17.13x | 15.95x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 45.68x | 26.96x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.45x | 7.28x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.71x | 122.29x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.01x | 23.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ABBV delivers a 62.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $62 in annual profit, vs $38 for GILD. GILD carries lower financial leverage with a 1.39x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ABBV's 20.17x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GILD scores 7/9 vs ABBV's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +37.6% | +62.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +14.4% | +1.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.2% | +11.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.4% | +9.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.39x | 20.17x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $16.7B | $62.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $10.0B | $5.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $26.7B | $67.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.56x | 1.58x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GILD five years ago would be worth $26,249 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $24,166 for ABBV. Over the past 12 months, GILD leads with a +33.1% total return vs ABBV's +14.2%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GILD at 25.2% vs ABBV's 17.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +22.5% | +1.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +33.1% | +14.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +96.4% | +63.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +162.5% | +141.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +101.0% | +413.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +25.2% | +17.7% |
Risk & Volatility
GILD is the less volatile stock with a 0.38 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.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.38x | 0.42x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $157.29 | $244.81 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $93.37 | $164.39 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +94.7% | +94.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.8 | 49.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 6.2M | 5.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GILD as "Buy" and ABBV as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 10.4% upside for ABBV (target: $256) vs 5.7% for GILD (target: $157). For income investors, ABBV offers the higher dividend yield at 2.68% vs GILD's 2.10%.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | ABBVAbbVie Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $157.38 | $256.15 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 58 | 39 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.1% | +2.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 10 | 12 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.12 | $6.22 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.6% | +0.4% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 100 | 189.51 | +89.5% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 100 | 254.41 | +154.4% |
Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) returned +162% over 5 years vs AbbVie Inc. (ABBV)'s +142%. A $10,000 investment in GILD 5 years ago would be worth $26,249 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | $32.6B | $28.8B | -11.9% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | $22.9B | $56.3B | +146.4% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s revenue grew from $32.6B (2015) to $28.8B (2024) — a -1.4% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 55.5% | 1.7% | -97.0% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 22.5% | 7.6% | -66.3% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s net margin went from 55% (2015) to 2% (2024). AbbVie Inc.'s net margin went from 23% (2015) to 8% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 20.4 | 243.1 | +1091.7% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 29.3 | 74.4 | +153.9% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc. has traded in a 15x–243x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~392x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 11.91 | 0.38 | -96.8% |
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 3.13 | 2.39 | -23.6% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s EPS grew from $11.91 (2015) to $0.38 (2024) — a -32% CAGR. AbbVie Inc.'s EPS grew from $3.13 (2015) to $2.39 (2024) — a -3% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Gilead Sciences, Inc. generated $10B FCF in 2024 (-5% vs 2021). AbbVie Inc. generated $18B FCF in 2024 (-19% vs 2021).
GILD vs ABBV: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GILD 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 Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) a "Buy" — based on 58 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 — GILD or ABBV?
On trailing P/E, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the cheapest at 97.1x versus Gilead Sciences, Inc. at 392.0x. On forward P/E, AbbVie Inc. is actually cheaper at 16.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GILD or ABBV?
Over the past 5 years, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) delivered a total return of +162.5%, compared to +141.7% for AbbVie Inc. (ABBV). A $10,000 investment in GILD five years ago would be worth approximately $26K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABBV returned +413.0% versus GILD's +101.0%. 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 — GILD or ABBV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) is the lower-risk stock at 0.38β versus AbbVie Inc.'s 0.42β — meaning ABBV is approximately 11% more volatile than GILD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 139% versus 20% for AbbVie Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — GILD or ABBV?
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the more profitable company, earning 7.6% net margin versus 1.7% for Gilead Sciences, Inc. — meaning it keeps 7.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ABBV leads at 16.2% versus 5.8% for GILD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GILD leads at 78.3%, 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 GILD or ABBV more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) trades at 16.0x forward P/E versus 17.1x for Gilead Sciences, Inc. — 1.2x 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 — GILD or ABBV?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) offers the highest yield at 2.7%, versus 2.1% for Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD).
08Is GILD 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%, GILD: +101.0%), 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 GILD 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. 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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