BMY vs ABBV

For growth investors, AbbVie Inc.

(ABBV) is the stronger pick with 8. 6% 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. 5x trailing P/E (9. 0x 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, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) is the cheapest at 16.

5x versus AbbVie Inc. at 87. 0x. On forward P/E, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company is actually cheaper at 9. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, AbbVie Inc.

(ABBV) delivered a total return of +104. 3%, compared to +5. 9% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABBV returned +309. 7% versus BMY's +8. 0%. 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 Bristol-Myers Squibb Company's 0. 50β — meaning BMY is approximately 49% more volatile than ABBV relative to the S&P 500.

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

(ABBV) is pulling ahead at 8. 6% versus -0. 2% for Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Bristol-Myers Squibb Company grew EPS 178. 2% year-over-year, compared to -0. 8% for AbbVie Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ABBV leads at 1. 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.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) is the more profitable company, earning 14.

6% net margin versus 6. 9% for AbbVie Inc. — meaning it keeps 14. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ABBV leads at 32. 8% versus 26. 3% for BMY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ABBV leads at 70. 2%, 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, Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) trades at 9.

0x forward P/E versus 14. 5x for AbbVie Inc. — 5. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ABBV: 24. 5% to $256. 64.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Bristol-Myers Squibb Company (BMY) offers the highest yield at 4. 3%, versus 3. 2% for AbbVie Inc. (ABBV).

For long-horizon retirement investors, AbbVie Inc.

(ABBV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 34), 3. 2% yield, +309. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ABBV: +309. 7%, BMY: +8. 0%), 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: BMY is a mid-cap deep-value stock; ABBV is a large-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.