Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) vs AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) 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 | LLY | 32.0% revenue growth vs AZN's 8.6% |
| Value | AZN | Lower P/E (20.3x vs 30.9x), PEG 0.93 vs 5.02 |
| Quality / Margins | LLY | 31.0% net margin vs AZN's 17.4% |
| Stability / Safety | AZN | Beta 0.27 vs LLY's 0.65, lower leverage |
| Dividends | LLY | 0.5% yield, 10-year raise streak, vs AZN's 0.8% |
| Momentum (1Y) | AZN | +40.3% vs LLY's +15.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LLY | 16.0% ROA vs AZN's 9.0%, ROIC 33.7% vs 14.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Eli Lilly is a global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and markets innovative medicines for serious diseases like diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. It generates revenue primarily from drug sales — with diabetes treatments like Trulicity and Mounjaro contributing over 50% of revenue — and from oncology and immunology products. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep research and development capabilities, particularly in diabetes and obesity treatments where it has established a strong patent-protected portfolio.
AstraZeneca is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and commercializes prescription medicines across multiple therapeutic areas. It generates revenue primarily from oncology drugs (~40% of total revenue), cardiovascular/renal/metabolism treatments (~30%), and respiratory/immunology products, with the remainder from rare diseases and vaccines. The company's competitive advantage lies in its robust R&D pipeline—particularly in oncology and biologics—and its global commercial infrastructure that spans both developed and emerging markets.
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
LLY leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AZN leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LLY and AZN operate at a comparable scale, with $59.4B and $58.7B in trailing revenue. LLY is the more profitable business, keeping 31.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AZN's 17.4%. On growth, LLY holds the edge at +53.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LLYEli Lilly and Com… | AZNAstraZeneca PLC |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $59.4B | $58.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $28.6B | $19.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $18.4B | $10.2B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $9.0B | $10.5B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +83.0% | +81.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +45.0% | +23.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +31.0% | +17.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +15.2% | +17.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +53.9% | +4.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.8% | +54.2% |
Valuation Metrics
At 63.7x trailing earnings, AZN trades at a 29% valuation discount to LLY's 89.9x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), AZN offers better value at 2.92x vs LLY's 14.62x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | LLYEli Lilly and Com… | AZNAstraZeneca PLC |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $941.7B | $323.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $972.1B | $347.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 89.85x | 63.75x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 30.86x | 20.30x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 14.62x | 2.92x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 50.45x | 17.82x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 20.91x | 5.50x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 66.65x | 13.37x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 2273.08x | 27.47x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LLY delivers a 77.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $77 in annual profit, vs $21 for AZN. AZN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.61x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LLY's 2.36x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AZN scores 8/9 vs LLY's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | LLYEli Lilly and Com… | AZNAstraZeneca PLC |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +77.2% | +21.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +16.0% | +9.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +33.7% | +14.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +40.2% | +17.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 2.36x | 0.61x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $30.4B | $24.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3.3B | $5.7B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $33.6B | $29.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 26.09x | 8.32x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LLY five years ago would be worth $52,120 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $22,160 for AZN. Over the past 12 months, AZN leads with a +40.3% total return vs LLY's +15.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LLY at 50.9% vs AZN's 18.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LLYEli Lilly and Com… | AZNAstraZeneca PLC |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -2.4% | +15.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +15.0% | +40.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +243.3% | +65.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +421.2% | +121.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1411.6% | +296.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +50.9% | +18.3% |
Risk & Volatility
AZN is the less volatile stock with a 0.27 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LLY's 0.65 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AZN currently trades 98.0% from its 52-week high vs LLY's 92.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LLYEli Lilly and Com… | AZNAstraZeneca PLC |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.65x | 0.27x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $1133.95 | $212.71 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $623.78 | $91.44 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +92.8% | +98.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 46.9 | 59.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.6M | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LLY as "Buy" and AZN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 15.4% upside for LLY (target: $1214) vs -49.4% for AZN (target: $106). For income investors, AZN offers the higher dividend yield at 0.78% vs LLY's 0.49%.
| Metric | LLYEli Lilly and Com… | AZNAstraZeneca PLC |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $1214.28 | $105.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 44 | 41 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.5% | +0.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 10 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $5.18 | $1.63 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.3% | +0.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 100 | 827.82 | +727.8% |
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 100 | 215.94 | +115.9% |
Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) returned +421% over 5 years vs AstraZeneca PLC (AZN)'s +122%. A $10,000 investment in LLY 5 years ago would be worth $52,120 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | $21.2B | $45.0B | +112.2% |
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | $23.0B | $58.7B | +155.4% |
AstraZeneca PLC's revenue grew from $23.0B (2016) to $58.7B (2025) — a 11.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 12.9% | 23.5% | +82.3% |
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 15.2% | 17.5% | +14.8% |
AstraZeneca PLC's net margin went from 15% (2016) to 17% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 37 | 65.9 | +78.1% |
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 54.3 | 53.7 | -1.1% |
Eli Lilly and Company has traded in a 15x–101x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~90x. AstraZeneca PLC has traded in a 54x–194x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~64x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 2.49 | 11.71 | +370.3% |
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 1.38 | 3.27 | +137.0% |
AstraZeneca PLC's EPS grew from $1.38 (2016) to $3.27 (2025) — a 10% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Eli Lilly and Company generated $414M FCF in 2024 (-92% vs 2021). AstraZeneca PLC generated $12B FCF in 2025 (+213% vs 2021).
LLY vs AZN: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LLY or AZN a better buy right now?
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) offers the better valuation at 63.7x trailing P/E (20.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) a "Buy" — based on 44 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 — LLY or AZN?
On trailing P/E, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the cheapest at 63.7x versus Eli Lilly and Company at 89.9x. On forward P/E, AstraZeneca PLC is actually cheaper at 20.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: AstraZeneca PLC wins at 0.93x versus Eli Lilly and Company's 5.02x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LLY or AZN?
Over the past 5 years, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) delivered a total return of +421.2%, compared to +121.6% for AstraZeneca PLC (AZN). A $10,000 investment in LLY five years ago would be worth approximately $52K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LLY returned +1412% versus AZN's +296.2%. 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 — LLY or AZN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.27β versus Eli Lilly and Company's 0.65β — meaning LLY is approximately 145% more volatile than AZN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 61% versus 2% for Eli Lilly and Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — LLY or AZN?
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the more profitable company, earning 23.5% net margin versus 17.5% for AstraZeneca PLC — meaning it keeps 23.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LLY leads at 38.9% versus 23.4% for AZN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AZN leads at 81.9%, 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 LLY or AZN more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0.93x versus Eli Lilly and Company's 5.02x. A PEG below 1.0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) trades at 20.3x forward P/E versus 30.9x for Eli Lilly and Company — 10.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LLY: 15.4% to $1214.28.
07Which pays a better dividend — LLY or AZN?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) offers the highest yield at 0.8%, versus 0.5% for Eli Lilly and Company (LLY).
08Is LLY or AZN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.27), 0.8% yield, +296.2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AZN: +296.2%, LLY: +1412%), 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 LLY and AZN?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. AZN pays a dividend while LLY does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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