Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Sanofi (SNY) vs Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) 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 SNY's 5.5% |
| Value | SNY | Lower P/E (11.5x vs 30.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | LLY | 31.0% net margin vs SNY's 16.7% |
| Stability / Safety | SNY | Beta 0.35 vs LLY's 0.65, lower leverage |
| Dividends | LLY | 0.5% yield; 10-year raise streak; SNY pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | LLY | +15.0% vs SNY's -6.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LLY | 16.0% ROA vs SNY's 6.2%, ROIC 33.7% vs 5.5% |
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
Sanofi is a global pharmaceutical company that develops and markets prescription drugs, vaccines, and consumer healthcare products. It generates revenue primarily from its Pharmaceuticals segment — including specialty care and diabetes treatments — along with Vaccines and Consumer Healthcare divisions. The company's competitive advantage stems from its diversified portfolio, strong R&D pipeline, and established global commercial infrastructure.
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.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
LLY leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SNY leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LLY and SNY operate at a comparable scale, with $59.4B and $46.7B in trailing revenue. LLY is the more profitable business, keeping 31.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SNY's 16.7%. On growth, SNY holds the edge at +59.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SNYSanofi | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $46.7B | $59.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $9.6B | $28.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7.8B | $18.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $8.3B | $9.0B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +72.3% | +83.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.6% | +45.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | +31.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.7% | +15.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +59.9% | +53.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -5.2% | +4.8% |
Valuation Metrics
At 20.3x trailing earnings, SNY trades at a 77% valuation discount to LLY's 89.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SNY's 11.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LLY's 50.5x.
| Metric | SNYSanofi | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $117.5B | $941.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $134.2B | $972.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 20.32x | 89.85x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.47x | 30.86x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 14.62x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 11.91x | 50.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.13x | 20.91x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.40x | 66.65x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 11.21x | 2273.08x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LLY delivers a 77.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $77 in annual profit, vs $11 for SNY. SNY carries lower financial leverage with a 0.30x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LLY's 2.36x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SNY scores 7/9 vs LLY's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SNYSanofi | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.9% | +77.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.2% | +16.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.5% | +33.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.3% | +40.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.30x | 2.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14.1B | $30.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7.7B | $3.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $21.8B | $33.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 17.51x | 26.09x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LLY five years ago would be worth $52,120 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,799 for SNY. Over the past 12 months, LLY leads with a +15.0% total return vs SNY's -6.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LLY at 50.9% vs SNY's 5.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SNYSanofi | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.9% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -6.6% | +15.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +17.0% | +243.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +28.0% | +421.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +70.2% | +1411.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +5.4% | +50.9% |
Risk & Volatility
SNY is the less volatile stock with a 0.35 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. LLY currently trades 92.8% from its 52-week high vs SNY's 80.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SNYSanofi | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.35x | 0.65x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $60.12 | $1133.95 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $44.62 | $623.78 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +80.9% | +92.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.3 | 46.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.2M | 2.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SNY as "Buy" and LLY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 17.2% upside for SNY (target: $57) vs 15.4% for LLY (target: $1214). LLY is the only dividend payer here at 0.49% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | SNYSanofi | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $57.02 | $1214.28 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 44 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 13 | 10 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $5.18 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanofi (SNY) | 100 | 96.98 | -3.0% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 100 | 786.01 | +686.0% |
Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) returned +421% over 5 years vs Sanofi (SNY)'s +28%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanofi (SNY) | $34.7B | $46.7B | +34.6% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | $21.2B | $45.0B | +112.2% |
Sanofi's revenue grew from $34.7B (2016) to $46.7B (2025) — a 3.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanofi (SNY) | 13.6% | 16.7% | +23.2% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 12.9% | 23.5% | +82.3% |
Sanofi's net margin went from 14% (2016) to 17% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanofi (SNY) | 12.8 | 23.9 | +86.7% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 37 | 65.9 | +78.1% |
Sanofi has traded in a 10x–44x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~20x. Eli Lilly and Company has traded in a 15x–101x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~90x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sanofi (SNY) | 1.83 | 2.03 | +10.9% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 2.49 | 11.71 | +370.3% |
Sanofi's EPS grew from $1.83 (2016) to $2.03 (2025) — a 1% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Sanofi generated $9B FCF in 2025 (+5% vs 2021). Eli Lilly and Company generated $414M FCF in 2024 (-92% vs 2021).
SNY vs LLY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SNY or LLY a better buy right now?
Sanofi (SNY) offers the better valuation at 20.3x trailing P/E (11.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Sanofi (SNY) a "Buy" — based on 27 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 — SNY or LLY?
On trailing P/E, Sanofi (SNY) is the cheapest at 20.3x versus Eli Lilly and Company at 89.9x. On forward P/E, Sanofi is actually cheaper at 11.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SNY or LLY?
Over the past 5 years, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) delivered a total return of +421.2%, compared to +28.0% for Sanofi (SNY). 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 SNY's +70.2%. 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 — SNY or LLY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Sanofi (SNY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.35β versus Eli Lilly and Company's 0.65β — meaning LLY is approximately 85% more volatile than SNY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Sanofi (SNY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 30% versus 2% for Eli Lilly and Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SNY or LLY?
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the more profitable company, earning 23.5% net margin versus 16.7% for Sanofi — 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 13.6% for SNY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LLY leads at 81.3%, 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 SNY or LLY more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Sanofi (SNY) trades at 11.5x forward P/E versus 30.9x for Eli Lilly and Company — 19.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SNY: 17.2% to $57.02.
07Which pays a better dividend — SNY or LLY?
In this comparison, LLY (0.5% yield) pays a dividend. SNY does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is SNY or LLY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.65), +1412% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LLY: +1412%, SNY: +70.2%), 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 SNY and LLY?
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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