How Does Gilead Sciences Stock Stack Up Against Its Peers?
Gilead Sciences’ stock delivered solid 35% returns over the past year, but how does it truly measure up against pharmaceutical peers like JNJ and MRK, who outperformed with 55% and 37% respectively? A closer look reveals GILD’s leading profitability, boasting a 39.7% operating margin and 32.1% FCF margin, alongside a moderate 21.9x PE ratio. While its 2.4% revenue growth trails some rivals and its 2026 outlook was conservative, potentially limiting upside amidst evolving healthcare demands, the company maintains a robust core business and analyst optimism for long-term growth.
- GILD’s 39.7% operating margin, highest among peers, stems from its efficient HIV franchise and strong specialty drug pricing.
- GILD’s 2.4% revenue growth, lagging ABBV, PFE, JNJ, reflects Veklury/cell therapy declines, outpacing MRK/BMY with strong HIV sales.
- GILD’s 34.9% stock gain and 21.9 PE, below MRK/JNJ’s stronger returns, reflect investor pipeline caution versus diverse peer growth.
Here’s how Gilead Sciences stacks up across size, valuation, and profitability versus key peers.
| GILD | ABBV | MRK | BMY | PFE | JNJ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market Cap ($ Bil) | 186.2 | 414.4 | 301.2 | 126.8 | 155.0 | 598.5 |
| Revenue ($ Bil) | 29.4 | 61.2 | 65.0 | 48.2 | 62.8 | 94.2 |
| PE Ratio | 21.9 | 98.1 | 16.5 | 18.0 | 15.8 | 22.3 |
| LTM Revenue Growth | 2.4% | 8.6% | 1.3% | -0.2% | 3.9% | 6.0% |
| LTM Operating Margin | 39.7% | 32.8% | 34.0% | 28.5% | 24.6% | 27.2% |
| LTM FCF Margin | 32.1% | 29.1% | 19.0% | 26.7% | 16.5% | 20.5% |
| 12M Market Return | 34.9% | 15.8% | 36.6% | 9.8% | 10.6% | 54.8% |
For more details on Gilead Sciences, read Buy or Sell GILD Stock. Below we compare GILD’s growth, margin, and valuation with peers across years

Revenue Growth Comparison
- How Cheap Is ExxonMobil Stock Once You Look Two Years Out?
- How Much SanDisk (SNDK) Are You Really Betting On?
- Cisco Stock: Market Risk, Not Portfolio Diversification
- History Has An Opinion On This SNPS Price Level
- LOW Paid Holders $47 Bil While The Stock Went Nowhere
- How Wide Is The Field Of Play For Netflix Stock?
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GILD | 2.4% | 2.4% | 6.0% | -0.6% | |
| ABBV | 8.6% | 8.6% | 3.7% | -6.4% | |
| MRK | 1.3% | 1.3% | 6.7% | 1.4% | |
| BMY | -0.2% | -0.2% | 7.3% | -2.5% | |
| PFE | 3.9% | – | 6.8% | -41.1% | 24.5% |
| JNJ | 6.0% | 6.0% | 4.3% | 6.5% |
Operating Margin Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GILD | 39.7% | 39.7% | 36.9% | 32.6% | |
| ABBV | 32.8% | 32.8% | 21.1% | 24.9% | |
| MRK | 34.0% | 34.0% | 31.5% | 4.9% | |
| BMY | 28.5% | 28.5% | 12.2% | 18.2% | |
| PFE | 24.6% | – | 23.3% | 7.1% | 36.7% |
| JNJ | 27.2% | 27.2% | 23.9% | 25.8% |
PE Ratio Comparison
| LTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GILD | 21.9 | 17.9 | 240.0 | 17.8 | |
| ABBV | 98.1 | 95.6 | 73.5 | 56.3 | |
| MRK | 16.5 | 14.4 | 14.7 | 757.8 | |
| BMY | 18.0 | 15.6 | -12.8 | 13.2 | |
| PFE | 15.8 | – | 17.6 | 70.7 | 5.1 |
| JNJ | 22.3 | 18.6 | 24.8 | 11.3 |
Still not sure about GILD stock? Consider portfolio approach.
Portfolios Over Individual Stock Picks
Stocks soar and sink – the key is staying invested. A balanced portfolio helps you ride market volatility, boosts gains and reduces single stock risk.
The Trefis High Quality (HQ) Portfolio, with a collection of 30 stocks, has a track record of comfortably outperforming its benchmark that includes all 3 – the S&P 500, S&P mid-cap, and Russell 2000 indices. Why is that? HQ Portfolio has posted more than 105% in cumulative return since inception, with less risk versus the benchmark index, as evident in HQ Portfolio performance metrics.