Alcon AG vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated — how do they compare? Alcon AG trades at $72.48 (market cap $36.44B), while Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated trades at $529.98 (market cap $134.25B). The key difference: Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is far larger — about 3.7× Alcon AG's market cap, and Alcon AG pays a 0.48% dividend while Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated pays none. Which is the better fit depends on your goals.
| ALC | VRTX | |
|---|---|---|
Market Cap | $36.44B | $134.25B |
Sector | Health | Health |
52-Week High | $90.12 | $529.65 |
52-Week Low | $62.02 | $376.62 |
Enterprise Value | $40.28B | $128.37B |
Dividend Yield | 0.48% | — |
Trailing returns across standard periods
Alcon, headquartered in Fort Worth, Texas, is the global eyecare leader with a diverse portfolio in ophthalmology including contact lenses, eye drops, surgical equipment, and related surgical products. Novartis purchased Alcon from Nestle in 2010 and, following nine years as a Novartis subsidiary, the company was spun off as a public company in April 2019. The company reports five distinct segments: implantables (16% of revenue), consumables (31%), equipment (9%), contact lenses (27%), and ocular health (17%). The company is geographically diversified, with only about 40% of revenue from the U.S. market, and the firm has a strong presence in the European Union and Japan.
Read more on ALC →Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a global biotechnology company that discovers and develops small-molecule drugs for the treatment of serious diseases. Its key drugs are Kalydeco, Orkambi, Symdeko, and Trikafta/Kaftrio for cystic fibrosis, where Vertex therapies remain the standard of care globally. In addition to its focus on cystic fibrosis, Vertex is diversifying its pipeline through gene-editing therapies such as CTX001 for beta-thalassemia and sickle-cell disease, small-molecule inhibitors targeting acute and chronic pain using non-opioid treatments, and small-molecule inhibitors of APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. Vertex is also investigating cell therapies to deliver a potential functional cure for type 1 diabetes.
Read more on VRTX →