ABBV vs LLY

For growth investors, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the stronger pick with 44.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 8. 6% for AbbVie Inc. (ABBV). Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) offers the better valuation at 43. 1x trailing P/E (28. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) a "Buy" — based on 41 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.

On trailing P/E, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the cheapest at 43.

1x versus AbbVie Inc. at 87. 0x. On forward P/E, AbbVie Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) delivered a total return of +424.

9%, compared to +104. 3% for AbbVie Inc. (ABBV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LLY returned +1261% versus ABBV's +309. 7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), AbbVie Inc.

(ABBV) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 34β versus Eli Lilly and Company's 0. 71β — meaning LLY is approximately 110% more volatile than ABBV relative to the S&P 500.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is pulling ahead at 44.

7% versus 8. 6% for AbbVie Inc. (ABBV). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Eli Lilly and Company grew EPS 96. 0% year-over-year, compared to -0. 8% for AbbVie Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, LLY leads at 31. 7% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the more profitable company, earning 31.

7% net margin versus 6. 9% for AbbVie Inc. — meaning it keeps 31. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LLY leads at 45. 6% versus 32. 8% for ABBV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LLY leads at 83. 8%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, AbbVie Inc.

(ABBV) trades at 14. 5x forward P/E versus 28. 6x for Eli Lilly and Company — 14. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LLY: 27. 4% to $1258. 47.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) offers the highest yield at 3. 2%, versus 0. 6% for Eli Lilly and Company (LLY).

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.

71), 0. 6% yield, +1261% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LLY: +1261%, ABBV: +309. 7%), 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.

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: ABBV is a large-cap income-oriented stock; LLY is a large-cap high-growth 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.