Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | AZN | 8.6% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | AZN | Lower P/E (20.3x vs 31.1x), PEG 0.93 vs 1.74 |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs AZN's 17.4% |
| Stability / Safety | AZN | Beta 0.27 vs AAPL's 1.28, lower leverage |
| Dividends | AZN | 0.8% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs AAPL's 0.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | AZN | +40.3% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs AZN's 9.0%, ROIC 64.5% 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
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.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
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
AZN leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). AAPL leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 7.4x AZN's $58.7B. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AZN's 17.4%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $58.7B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $19.5B | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $10.2B | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $10.5B | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +81.9% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.4% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +17.4% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.9% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.1% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +54.2% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 35.4x trailing earnings, AAPL trades at a 44% valuation discount to AZN's 63.7x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), AAPL offers better value at 1.98x vs AZN's 2.92x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $323.2B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $347.1B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 63.75x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 20.30x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 2.92x | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.82x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.50x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 13.37x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 27.47x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 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 AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AZN scores 8/9 vs AAPL's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.0% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.0% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.9% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +17.2% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.61x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $24.0B | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5.7B | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $29.7B | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 8.32x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AZN five years ago would be worth $22,160 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, AZN leads with a +40.3% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs AZN's 18.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +15.3% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +40.3% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +65.7% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +121.6% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +296.2% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +18.3% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
AZN is the less volatile stock with a 0.27 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AAPL's 1.28 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 AAPL's 91.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.27x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $212.71 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $91.44 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.0% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.1 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AZN as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 14.7% upside for AAPL (target: $303) vs -49.4% for AZN (target: $106). For income investors, AZN offers the higher dividend yield at 0.78% vs AAPL's 0.39%.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $105.50 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 41 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.8% | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.63 | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.2% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 100 | 207.5 | +107.5% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 361.46 | +261.5% |
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) returned +122% over 5 years vs Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s +110%. A $10,000 investment in AZN 5 years ago would be worth $22,160 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | $23.0B | $58.7B | +155.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
AstraZeneca PLC's revenue grew from $23.0B (2016) to $58.7B (2025) — a 11.0% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 15.2% | 17.5% | +14.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
AstraZeneca PLC's net margin went from 15% (2016) to 17% (2025). Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 54.3 | 53.7 | -1.1% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
AstraZeneca PLC has traded in a 54x–194x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~64x. Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 1.38 | 3.27 | +137.0% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
AstraZeneca PLC's EPS grew from $1.38 (2016) to $3.27 (2025) — a 10% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
AstraZeneca PLC generated $12B FCF in 2025 (+213% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
AZN vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AZN or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) 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.
02Which has the better valuation — AZN or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the cheapest at 35.4x versus AstraZeneca PLC at 63.7x. On forward P/E, AstraZeneca PLC is actually cheaper at 20.3x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. 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 Apple Inc.'s 1.74x — a PEG below 1.0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AZN or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) delivered a total return of +121.6%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in AZN five years ago would be worth approximately $22K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% 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 — AZN or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.27β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 382% 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 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — AZN or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 17.5% for AstraZeneca PLC — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% 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 AZN or AAPL 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 Apple Inc.'s 1.74x. 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 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 10.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAPL: 14.7% to $303.11.
07Which pays a better dividend — AZN or AAPL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) offers the highest yield at 0.8%, versus 0.4% for Apple Inc. (AAPL).
08Is AZN or AAPL 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%, AAPL: +1027%), 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 AZN and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (AZN (Healthcare) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. AZN pays a dividend while AAPL 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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