Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) vs Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) 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 BMY's 7.3% |
| Value | BMY | Lower P/E (10.0x vs 20.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | AZN | 17.4% net margin vs BMY's 12.6% |
| Stability / Safety | AZN | Beta 0.27 vs BMY's 0.35, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BMY | 3.8% yield, 5-year raise streak, vs AZN's 0.8% |
| Momentum (1Y) | AZN | +40.3% vs BMY's +8.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AZN | 9.0% ROA vs BMY's 6.2%, ROIC 14.9% vs 12.4% |
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
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.
Bristol-Myers Squibb is a global biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and markets innovative medicines for serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily from blockbuster drugs like Eliquis (~40% of sales), Opdivo (~25%), and Revlimid (~15%), with the remainder coming from its broader portfolio of oncology, cardiovascular, and immunology treatments. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in oncology and immunology research, complemented by strategic acquisitions that have expanded its pipeline and commercial portfolio.
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
BMY leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook). AZN leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AZN and BMY operate at a comparable scale, with $58.7B and $48.0B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 17.4% (AZN) to 12.6% (BMY).
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $58.7B | $48.0B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $19.5B | $18.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $10.2B | $6.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $10.5B | $15.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +81.9% | +65.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +23.4% | +28.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +17.4% | +12.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +17.9% | +31.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.1% | +2.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +54.2% | +80.0% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, BMY's 8.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AZN's 17.8x.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $323.2B | $127.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $347.1B | $167.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 63.75x | -14.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 20.30x | 10.01x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 2.92x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.82x | 8.72x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.50x | 2.63x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 13.37x | 7.71x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 27.47x | 9.11x |
Profitability & Efficiency
BMY delivers a 32.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $32 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 BMY's 3.12x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AZN scores 8/9 vs BMY's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.0% | +32.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.0% | +6.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.9% | +12.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +17.2% | +13.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.61x | 3.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $24.0B | $40.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5.7B | $10.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $29.7B | $51.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 8.32x | 5.11x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AZN five years ago would be worth $22,160 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,973 for BMY. Over the past 12 months, AZN leads with a +40.3% total return vs BMY's +8.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AZN at 18.3% vs BMY's 0.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +15.3% | +17.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +40.3% | +8.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +65.7% | +0.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +121.6% | +19.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +296.2% | +32.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +18.3% | +0.3% |
Risk & Volatility
AZN is the less volatile stock with a 0.27 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BMY's 0.35 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.27x | 0.35x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $212.71 | $63.33 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $91.44 | $42.52 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.0% | +98.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.1 | 63.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 10.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AZN as "Buy" and BMY as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply -0.2% upside for BMY (target: $62) vs -49.4% for AZN (target: $106). For income investors, BMY offers the higher dividend yield at 3.85% vs AZN's 0.78%.
| Metric | AZNAstraZeneca PLC | BMYBristol-Myers Squ… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $105.50 | $62.27 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 41 | 41 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.8% | +3.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.63 | $2.40 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.2% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 100 | 215.94 | +115.9% |
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 100 | 94.63 | -5.4% |
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) returned +122% over 5 years vs Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY)'s +20%. 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% |
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | $19.4B | $48.3B | +148.6% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 15.2% | 17.5% | +14.8% |
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 22.9% | -18.5% | -180.7% |
AstraZeneca PLC's net margin went from 15% (2016) to 17% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 54.3 | 53.7 | -1.1% |
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 100.5 | 13.3 | -86.8% |
AstraZeneca PLC has traded in a 54x–194x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~64x. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company has traded in a 13x–101x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~-14x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) | 1.38 | 3.27 | +137.0% |
| Bristol-Myers Squib… (BMY) | 2.65 | -4.41 | -266.4% |
AstraZeneca PLC's EPS grew from $1.38 (2016) to $3.27 (2025) — a 10% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
AstraZeneca PLC generated $12B FCF in 2025 (+213% vs 2021). Bristol-Myers Squibb Company generated $14B FCF in 2024 (-8% vs 2021).
AZN vs BMY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AZN or BMY 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 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 BMY?
On forward P/E, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is actually cheaper at 10.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AZN or BMY?
Over the past 5 years, AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) delivered a total return of +121.6%, compared to +19.7% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). 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: AZN returned +296.2% versus BMY's +32.4%. 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 BMY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.27β versus Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's 0.35β — meaning BMY is approximately 31% 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 3% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — AZN or BMY?
AstraZeneca PLC (AZN) is the more profitable company, earning 17.5% net margin versus -18.5% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company — meaning it keeps 17.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AZN leads at 23.4% versus 20.0% for BMY. 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 BMY more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) trades at 10.0x forward P/E versus 20.3x for AstraZeneca PLC — 10.3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BMY: -0.2% to $62.27.
07Which pays a better dividend — AZN or BMY?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) offers the highest yield at 3.8%, versus 0.8% for AstraZeneca PLC (AZN).
08Is AZN or BMY 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%, BMY: +32.4%), 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 BMY?
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: AZN is a large-cap quality compounder stock; BMY is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.
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