Stock analysis · Bull Rankings model

NVS analysis

Novartis AGDrug Manufacturers - General. Scored on the same transparent model behind the daily rankings.

Pharma
NVS
Novartis AG · Drug Manufacturers - General
FCF$17.6bA-
Rev+8.4%B
D/E1.17C
P/E24.0xB+
PEG3.63D
53.4Score
$158.02$300.4B
1Y Target$157.15Analyst consensus · 11 analysts
5Y Target$230.08Compound horizon
10Y Target$341.31Long-dated conviction
FCF$17.6bTTM
A-
FCF $17.6b — top-quartile, exceptional for any sector
Rev+8.4%TTM YoY
B
Revenue +8.4% — at or above S&P median
D/E1.17
C
D/E 1.17 — more levered than most Healthcare peers (≈90th pctile)
P/E24.0x
B+
P/E 24.0 — below the Healthcare median (≈40th pctile)
PEG3.63
D
PEG 3.63 — very expensive; pricing in best-case scenarios

Forward price target — the 1-year figure is the analyst consensus where the stock is covered; the 5- and 10-year figures compound our earnings estimate from there. The DCF below is a separate cross-check on intrinsic value (what it's worth today), not another target.

Quality-growth score · 53.4
Quality86.5
Growth68.3
Value25.8
Why this score
  • Buying back stock
  • Raising its dividend
Entry · Margin of safety
52-week rangeNear 52-week high
7% off the 12-month high
vs DCF fair value4% belowest. fair value ~$164
What the price assumes: free cash flow compounding at ~7% a year for the next decade — vs the ~11% a year our model projects from current growth and analyst estimates.
Quality signals · context only
Gross profitability37% · B+gross profit ÷ total assets (Novy-Marx)
ROIC18.5% · A-return on invested capital — not score-weighted

Model-generatedGenerated by the Bull Rankings model from this company's reported fundamentals, and checked against the figures shown above.

Why now
Drug Manufacturers - General · market cap $300.4b. 7% off the 52-week high of $170.46. 11 sell-side analysts rate this a Hold with a mean 1-yr target of $157.15 (implying -1% upside).
Moat
Net margin 26% sits well above the S&P median (~11%) — suggests structural pricing advantage or cost discipline competitors can't quickly close. ROE 30% — top-decile capital efficiency. Either pricing leverage, low capital intensity, or aggressive buybacks; the durability story depends on which. FCF converts 126% of net income — earnings translate cleanly into cash, a sign that working capital and capex are well-disciplined.
Risk
Trial-readout binary — late-stage clinical trials carry approve/reject outcomes that swing valuation 30%+; the equity is effectively a portfolio of these binary events, not a steady cash-flow business.
Horizon
1-3 yr $157.15 (11-analyst consensus) — fundamentals + valuation re-rating. 5 yr $230.08 at ~8% CAGR — compounding case rests on the competitive position widening. 10 yr $341.31 if current growth sustains into durable earnings power.
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.

NVS vs the Top Picks average

PillarNVSBook avgDiff
Quality0.870.84+0.03
Growth0.680.87-0.19
Value0.260.76-0.50

Averaged across the 30 names in today's Top Picks (mean score 81.5). A name can beat these averages and still be absent from the book — it also applies concentration limits.

Trend
-3.4 over 48 daily scores
From 56.8 (Jun 22) → 53.4 (now)

One point per daily model run. The range autoscales, so a flat-looking line can still hide 1–2 point moves — read the From → To values for the actual range.

Analyst estimate revisions

30-day change-0.1%
90-day change-1.5%
Forward EPS estimate$9.81

Over the last 90 days, what analysts expect NVS to earn is drifting lower (-1.5%). The estimate is derived from price and forward P/E captured at the same instant, so a moving share price does not move this number — only a changed forecast does.

A rising estimate means expectations are improving, not that the price has failed to keep up — and estimates get cut as readily as they get raised. It is not part of the Bull Rankings score. Biggest movers across the market →

Shares to buy
12
Position size
$1,896
3.8% of portfolio
Stop price
$118.52
25% below $158.02
$ at risk if stopped
$474.06
budget $500.00 · 1% of portfolio

Math only — share count is floor(portfolio × risk% ÷ (price × stop%)). Doesn't account for commissions, slippage, gap risk, or position-correlation across your book. Inputs persist locally; never sent to the server. Not investment advice.

Novartis AG (NVS): score, valuation & FAQ

Novartis AG (NVS) is a Drug Manufacturers - General company that scores 53.4 out of 100 on the Bull Rankings quality-growth model — a middling reading. The score blends three pillars — quality (durable returns, healthy margins, low leverage), growth (revenue and earnings), and value (valuation versus sector peers) — into one number, refreshed daily; it is a screen, not a buy recommendation.

Its strongest graded signals are FCF (A-) and P/E (B+), while PEG (D) rate weaker. On valuation, NVS sits about 4% below our discounted-cash-flow fair value (a margin of safety) — the current price implies roughly 7% annual free-cash-flow growth over the next decade.

Is NVS a good stock to buy?

Bull Rankings scores NVS 53.4 out of 100 on its quality-growth model, which is a middling reading. That is driven by FCF (A-) and P/E (B+). A score is a quantitative screen of Novartis AG's fundamentals, not personalised financial advice — weigh it against your own time horizon and risk tolerance, and read the risk factors below before acting.

Why does NVS score 53.4 on Bull Rankings?

The quality-growth score blends three pillars — quality (returns on capital, margins, leverage, earnings quality), growth (revenue and earnings expansion), and value (valuation versus sector peers). NVS earns its highest marks on FCF (A-) and P/E (B+), and is held back by PEG (D). Each pillar is graded against sector-aware thresholds, then combined into the single 0–100 score.

Is NVS overvalued or undervalued?

Based on $158.02, NVS sits about 4% below our discounted-cash-flow fair value (a margin of safety) — the current price implies roughly 7% annual free-cash-flow growth over the next decade. It trades at a 24.0x P/E (graded B+). Discounted-cash-flow estimates are sensitive to growth and discount-rate assumptions, so treat this as a cross-check, not a price target.

What are the main risks of investing in NVS?

Trial-readout binary — late-stage clinical trials carry approve/reject outcomes that swing valuation 30%+; the equity is effectively a portfolio of these binary events, not a steady cash-flow business.

New to these metrics? The guides explain free cash flow, how the score works, and more in the learn hub — or run another name through the screener.

Bull Rankings is an automated fundamentals screen for research and education. It is not investment advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial advisor.

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