Novartis vs Roche: Revenue, Profit and Business Model
Novartis reported $56.7B of revenue in FY2025 and $14B of net income. Roche reported ~$76B of revenue in FY2025 and ~$15.5B of net income.
Latest financial snapshot
Financial summary
Novartis
Novartis grew FY2025 net sales 8% to $54.5 billion with a core operating margin above 40% and free cash flow of $17.6 billion. 2026 is a reset year: US generics of Entresto and Promacta cut Q1 2026 net sales 5% at constant currencies to $13.1 billion and core operating income 14%. Q2 2026 net sales rose 1% cc to $14.4 billion with a 41.2% core margin, though net income fell 19%. Management guides for low single-digit sales growth and a low single-digit decline in core operating income for 2026 at constant currencies.
Roche
Roche's 2025 group sales were ~$73.8 billion (CHF 61.5 billion), up 7% at constant exchange rates but only 2% in Swiss francs. Core operating profit grew 13% CER to ~$26.2 billion (CHF 21.8 billion), core EPS was CHF 19.46, and IFRS net income jumped to ~$16.6 billion (CHF 13.8 billion) from ~$11 billion (CHF 9.2 billion) in 2024, when impairments depressed profit. In H1 2026 core operating margin widened 1.7 points to 39.0%, while a strong franc pushed reported sales down 2%. The board raised the dividend to CHF 9.80, the 39th consecutive increase, and guided for mid-single-digit CER sales growth and high-single-digit core EPS growth in 2026.
Revenue and profit by year
Where the revenue comes from
Novartis
- Cardiovascular, Renal, And MetabolicMajor
Medicines such as Entresto and Leqvio sold through specialist and primary-care channels.
- OncologyMajor
Cancer medicines and radioligand therapies including Kisqali, Pluvicto, and Scemblix.
- ImmunologyMajor
Autoimmune and inflammatory disease products, including Cosentyx.
- NeuroscienceMaterial
Neurology products including Kesimpta and related pipeline programs.
- Established Brands And Other Medicines
Complementary
Remaining prescription medicines sold across global markets.
Roche
- Prescription medicines
- Biologics and oncology drugs
- Diagnostic instruments
- Diagnostic reagents and tests
- Sequencing and molecular diagnostics
- Clinical data and companion diagnostics
Business model and strategy
Novartis
How it makes money
Novartis earns almost all of its revenue by selling patented prescription medicines to wholesalers, hospitals, pharmacies and national health systems in about 140 countries. FY2025 net sales of $54.5 billion came from four core areas (cardiovascular-renal-metabolic, immunology, neuroscience and oncology) plus established brands.
Growth strategy
Novartis concentrates on four therapeutic areas and on the US, its largest market. It pairs internal research with bolt-on acquisitions of late-stage or platform biotechs: Chinook (2023, kidney disease), MorphoSys (2024, myelofibrosis), Kate Therapeutics (2024, gene therapy capsids) and Avidity Biosciences (closed February 27, 2026, about $12 billion, neuromuscular RNA medicines).
Competitive advantage
Novartis's edge rests on scale in late-stage development and specialist platforms that are hard to copy. It owns the leading commercial radioligand therapy franchise (Pluvicto and Lutathera) along with dedicated isotope manufacturing sites in the US and Europe, an siRNA cardiovascular drug (Leqvio), and, since February 2026, Avidity Biosciences' antibody-oligonucleotide conjugate platform.
Roche
How it makes money
Roche makes money in two ways. The Pharmaceuticals Division (~$57.2 billion (CHF 47.7 billion) in 2025) sells patented medicines, mostly biologics, in oncology, neuroscience, immunology, ophthalmology and haemophilia; top growth drivers in 2025 were Phesgo, Xolair, Ocrevus, Hemlibra and Vabysmo.
Growth strategy
Roche is building a cardiovascular, renal and metabolic franchise through acquisitions of Carmot Therapeutics (2023, $2.7 billion upfront) and 89bio (2025, up to about $3.5 billion), the petrelintide partnership with Zealand Pharma, and a new Innovation Center in Boston opened in September 2026.
Competitive advantage
Roche's edge comes from three things: scale in both drugs and diagnostics, a long-horizon ownership structure, and a federated R&D model. The Hoffmann and Oeri family pool holds the majority of voting shares, which shields management from takeover pressure.
Questions about Novartis vs Roche
Which company has higher revenue — Novartis AG or F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG?
Novartis AG reported $56.7B (FY2025), while F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG reported ~$76B (FY2025). By last reported revenue, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG is the larger business, with Novartis AG reporting a smaller revenue base.
What is the market cap of Novartis AG vs F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG?
Novartis AG's market capitalisation stands at $275.3B, while F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG's is $355.0B. F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG carries the higher market valuation, reflecting investors' expectations of its future earnings power relative to Novartis AG.
Which is more financially efficient — Novartis AG or F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG?
Novartis AG generates $753k / employee in revenue per employee, while F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG generates $674k / employee. Novartis AG shows higher revenue efficiency per headcount, though this reflects business model differences — capital-light software companies routinely outperform labour-intensive manufacturers on this metric.
How do Novartis AG and F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG make money?
Novartis AG and F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG generate revenue in fundamentally different ways. Novartis AG: Novartis earns almost all of its revenue by selling patented prescription medicines to wholesalers, hospitals, pharmacies and national health systems in about 140 countries. F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG: Roche makes money in two ways.
Which company is valued higher relative to revenue — Novartis AG or F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG?
On a price-to-sales (P/S) basis, Novartis AG trades at 4.9x P/S and F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG at 4.7x P/S. Novartis AG commands a higher revenue multiple, typically indicating that investors expect faster growth or higher future margins compared to F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG. A higher multiple is not inherently better — it may also signal that the stock is priced for perfection.
Is Novartis AG bigger than F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG?
By last reported revenue, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG (~$76B (FY2025)) is the larger company compared to Novartis AG ($56.7B (FY2025)). Revenue scale is one dimension of size — market capitalisation, employee count, and geographic reach are also relevant depending on the context.
Figures come from each company's filings and the sources linked beside them. Amounts reported in another currency are shown in US dollars at an approximate rate and marked with ~. Back to the Novartis vs Roche overview