AMGN vs GILD vs ABBV vs BMY vs JNJ

For growth investors, Amgen Inc.

(AMGN) is the stronger pick with 9. 9% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 2% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) offers the better valuation at 16. 3x trailing P/E (8. 9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Amgen Inc. (AMGN) a "Buy" — based on 38 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, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) is the cheapest at 16.

3x versus AbbVie Inc. at 85. 5x. On forward P/E, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is actually cheaper at 8. 9x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Amgen Inc. wins at 5. 01x versus Johnson & Johnson's 34. 17x.

Over the past 5 years, Gilead Sciences, Inc.

(GILD) delivered a total return of +124. 2%, compared to +5. 2% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABBV returned +295. 5% versus BMY's +6. 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), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

06β versus Gilead Sciences, Inc. 's 0. 66β — meaning GILD is approximately 1054% more volatile than JNJ relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 51% versus 6% for Amgen Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Amgen Inc.

(AMGN) is pulling ahead at 9. 9% versus -0. 2% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Gilead Sciences, Inc. grew EPS 1684% year-over-year, compared to -57. 8% for Johnson & Johnson. Over a 3-year CAGR, AMGN leads at 11. 8% 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.

Gilead Sciences, Inc.

(GILD) is the more profitable company, earning 28. 9% net margin versus 6. 9% for AbbVie Inc. — meaning it keeps 28. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GILD leads at 40. 1% versus 24. 9% for JNJ. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GILD leads at 86. 7%, 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.

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, Amgen Inc. (AMGN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 5. 01x versus Johnson & Johnson's 34. 17x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) trades at 8. 9x forward P/E versus 19. 2x for Johnson & Johnson — 10. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ABBV: 26. 6% to $256. 64.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) offers the highest yield at 4. 4%, versus 2. 2% for Johnson & Johnson (JNJ).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

06), 2. 2% yield, +132. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (JNJ: +132. 3%, GILD: +87. 8%), 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: AMGN is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; GILD is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; ABBV is a large-cap income-oriented stock; BMY is a mid-cap deep-value stock; JNJ 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.