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Relative Intelligence · Biotechnology

How Gilead Sciences (GILD) compares with the whole market and its popular alternatives

Built by QuantCommons' quantitative engine, this page is about relative opportunity, not data on GILD alone. It places GILD (Gilead Sciences, Inc.) against 20+ popular alternatives, its neighboring categories and the entire market of over 10,000 U.S.-listed stocks and ETFs, and surfaces what has done better on consistent outperformance, return for the risk taken, behavior in real market crashes and diversification. The result is a clearer view of where GILD stands in the market, and of the alternatives worth a closer look.

Period covered: GILD's full trading record, from January 1992 through September 2026. All returns include reinvested dividends. Data as of October 20, 2026.

Data as of October 20, 2026. Full tables and charts read best on a larger screen.

Rank the market against GILD →Chart GILD vs. 24 alternatives →
On this page12 sections

Key findings

How much would $10,000 in GILD have grown?

This chart tracks a hypothetical $10,000 investment in GILD over the past 29 years, with dividends reinvested, alongside the same amount in the S&P 500, investments that ended ahead of GILD over the same span and GILD's popular alternatives, among those that traded for the entire period. A second view covers the past 5 years, the period the better options further down the page are judged on. It shows not only where each investment ended up but also how smooth or uneven the path was.

Choose a period

From the end of September 1997 to the end of September 2026. The scale is logarithmic, so equal steps up the chart are equal percentage gains. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 20 of the 1,042 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of GILD; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$10,000$100,000$1M$10M199720022007201220172022$10,000$100,000$1M$10M19972004201120182025
  • AAPL$21M+205,249% total · +30.1% a year
  • AMZN$11M+114,749% total · +27.5% a year
  • APH$3M+29,926% total · +21.7% a year
  • SCCO$3M+26,680% total · +21.3% a year
  • LRCX$2M+24,786% total · +21.0% a year
  • GILD$2M+15,614% total · +19.1% a year
  • AMGN$526,909+5,169% total · +14.6% a year
  • LLY$396,376+3,864% total · +13.5% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$132,907+1,229% total · +9.3% a year
  • MRK$82,561+726% total · +7.6% a year
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From the end of September 2021 to the end of September 2026. The scale is logarithmic, so equal steps up the chart are equal percentage gains. Hover over a fund in the key to pick out its line. 484 of the 3,628 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that traded the whole period ended ahead of GILD; the chart shows 5, closest alternatives first. The other 3 lines are popular alternatives, shown for context.

$2,000$5,000$10,000$20,000$50,000202120222023202420252026$2,000$5,000$10,000$20,000$50,000202120222023202420252026
  • LLY$52,411+424% total · +39.3% a year
  • CAH$49,682+397% total · +37.8% a year
  • XOM$32,965+230% total · +26.9% a year
  • ABBV$29,134+191% total · +23.8% a year
  • EXEL$27,629+176% total · +22.5% a year
  • GILD$25,496+155% total · +20.6% a year
  • AMGN$23,160+132% total · +18.3% a year
  • SPY (S&P 500)$19,000+90.0% total · +13.7% a year
  • CRL$7,149−28.5% total · −6.5% a year
  • ILMN$6,943−30.6% total · −7.0% a year
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GILD at a glance

This section summarizes the key facts about the stock, its returns over periods from one to ten years and the risk it has carried, with dividends reinvested throughout. These figures serve as the baseline for every comparison that follows.

The company

Market value
$194B
Industry
Drug Manufacturers - General
Price history from
January 1992

Returns

Past 1 year
+30.3%total return
Past 3 years
+121%+30.3% a year
Past 5 years
+180%+22.8% a year
Past 10 years
+200%+11.6% a year
Best calendar year
+105%2013
Worst calendar year
−27.6%2016
Losing years
6 of 29full calendar years

Risk

Volatility
24.9%typical yearly swing, 5 years
Sharpe ratio
0.95return per unit of risk, 5 years
Worst decline ever
−70.8%Jan 1992 to Jun 1994
From its all-time high
At its highwithin 1%

GILD against the whole market

Where GILD ranks among every stock and fund, and what across the market has done better.

How does GILD rank among all stocks?

This section ranks GILD on return, volatility, risk-adjusted return and worst decline against every stock worth at least $300 million with enough history. Where the comparisons with its popular alternatives show how GILD stacks up against its peers, these rankings show where it stands in the market as a whole.

Ranked against U.S.-listed stocks worth at least $300M that have enough history for each measure, so the count changes from row to row; smaller stocks are left out. Lower volatility and smaller declines rank higher.

MeasureGILDRankStanding
1-year return+30.3%968 of 3,287top 29%
3-year return+121%765 of 3,017top 25%
5-year return+180%366 of 2,893top 13%
10-year return+200%863 of 2,202top 39%
Volatility, 5 years24.9%316 of 2,893top 11%
Sharpe ratio, 5 years0.95128 of 2,893top 4%
Worst decline, past 10 years−30.5%26 of 2,187top 1%

What has beaten GILD on both return and risk?

Each dot is an investment, placed by how much it earned a year over the past 5 years (higher is better) and how much its price swung, its volatility (further left is calmer). GILD sits where the dashed lines cross. Anything in the green box above and to the left earned more than GILD with smaller swings, a better trade-off over this period on both counts. Past results are no promise, but a name in the box is worth a closer look.

Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested, and volatility the annualized swing in daily prices, both over 5 years. Labeled dots are the strongest picks from the table below and the names called out above, colored by how close they sit to GILD. 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million were screened. Hover over a dot for its figures.

15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than GILDGILD: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): +12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%ABBV: +26.1% a year, volatility 23.4%LLY: +40.7% a year, volatility 32.8%EXEL: +24.4% a year, volatility 35.8%CAH: +42.1% a year, volatility 24.7%XOM: +27.1% a year, volatility 26.5%MCK: +38.7% a year, volatility 25.0%MPC: +51.2% a year, volatility 33.4%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%COR: +24.2% a year, volatility 22.8%VLUE: +15.9% a year, volatility 18.4%MPLX: +23.5% a year, volatility 18.8%GILDSPY (S&P 500)ABBVLLYEXELCAHXOMMCKMPCDXJCORVLUEMPLX15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsMore return, less volatility than GILDGILD: +22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): +12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%ABBV: +26.1% a year, volatility 23.4%LLY: +40.7% a year, volatility 32.8%EXEL: +24.4% a year, volatility 35.8%CAH: +42.1% a year, volatility 24.7%XOM: +27.1% a year, volatility 26.5%MCK: +38.7% a year, volatility 25.0%MPC: +51.2% a year, volatility 33.4%DXJ: +26.6% a year, volatility 19.1%COR: +24.2% a year, volatility 22.8%VLUE: +15.9% a year, volatility 18.4%MPLX: +23.5% a year, volatility 18.8%GILDSPY (S&P 500)ABBVLLYEXELCAHXOMMCKMPCDXJCORVLUEMPLX
  • Popular alternatives
  • The whole market

Is there a better investment than GILD?

Investments that beat GILD over the past 5 years on return, volatility, drawdowns, consistency, crash losses or fees, from its popular alternatives out to the whole market.

How this works

The table below lists investments that beat GILD over the past 5 years on at least one of these measures: a higher annual return with lower volatility, a higher annual return at similar volatility, a similar return with lower volatility, a higher Sharpe ratio with a smaller worst decline, a higher total return in most periods from 3 months to 10 years, or smaller losses in recent market crashes. It checks GILD's popular alternatives first, then the rest of its own and neighboring categories, then every stock and fund worth at least $500 million, and shows the strongest few in each group. The full list of those with a higher return and lower volatility than GILD follows the table.

Annual return is the annualized total return with dividends reinvested. Annual return, volatility and the Sharpe ratio cover 5 years; the worst decline covers the past 10 years. Green marks a better figure than GILD's. "On the frontier" means no other option shown or tested earned more with less volatility. Funds that hold the same thing are shown once. Beyond the popular alternatives, nothing with more than 1.5× GILD's volatility counts as better.

These figures cover the past 5 years. Green marks a better figure than GILD's.

Screen the whole market against GILD for any period in BetterThanSPYOpen these 12 in EasyCompare
InvestmentWhy it is betterPast 5 yearsDownsideLong runFit
Annual return?higher is betterVolatility?lower is calmerSharpe?return per unit of riskWorst decline?past 10 years10Y returntotalCorr. with GILD?lower diversifies moreExpenseper year
GILDGilead Sciences, Inc. · this page
+22.8%24.9%0.95−30.5%+200%1.00—
SPYState Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF · S&P 500
+12.7%17.1%0.79−33.7%+321%0.210.09%
Popular alternativesbest 3 shownThe investments people most often weigh against GILD. 3 of 24 passed at least one test.
ABBVAbbVie Inc. · Pharmaceuticals
Higher return, lower volatility+26.1%23.4%1.11−45.1%+603%0.25—
LLYEli Lilly and Company · Pharmaceuticals
Higher return in most periods+40.7%32.8%1.21−34.5%+1,807%0.06—
EXELExelixis, Inc. · Biotechnology
Higher return in most periods+24.4%35.8%0.79−57.2%+448%0.04—
The whole marketbest 8 shownEvery other stock and fund worth at least $500 million. 53 of 3,536 passed at least one test.
CAHCardinal Health, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
On the frontierHigher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+42.1%24.7%1.55−46.1%+349%0.25—
XOMExxonmobil Holdings Corporation · Integrated Oil & Gas
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+27.1%26.5%1.04−61.0%+214%0.30—
MCKMcKesson Corporation · Health Care Distribution
Higher return, similar volatilityHigher return in most periods+38.7%25.0%1.44−38.1%+586%0.22—
MPCMarathon Petroleum Corporation · Oil & Gas
On the frontierHigher return in most periods+51.2%33.4%1.41−79.7%+1,387%0.21—
DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · International Equity
On the frontierHigher return, lower volatility+26.6%19.1%1.34−39.1%+428%0.120.48%
CORCencora, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
Higher return, lower volatility+24.2%22.8%1.07−32.4%+406%0.29—
VLUEiShares MSCI USA Value Factor ETF · US Large-Cap Value
On the frontierHigher return in most periods+15.9%18.4%0.90−39.5%+286%0.350.15%
MPLXMPLX Lp · Oil & Gas Midstream
On the frontierSimilar return, lower volatility+23.5%18.8%1.22−75.2%+350%0.31—
What these numbers mean for GILD
Annual return
GILD returned 22.8% a year over the past 5 years with dividends reinvested, against 12.7% a year for the S&P 500. At that pace, $10,000 became about $28,000. Annual return is the steady yearly rate that would produce the same total result, so investments held over the same span compare fairly. Guide: What is performance and return? →
Volatility
GILD's volatility over the past 5 years was 24.9%, 1.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, GILD's return lands within 24.9% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump. Guide: Understanding and measuring risk (volatility) →
Sharpe ratio
GILD's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.95, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so GILD earned more for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings. Guide: Balancing reward with risk (Sharpe ratio) →
Worst decline
GILD's worst fall from a peak to a low over the past 10 years was 30.5%, against 33.7% for the S&P 500. Losses and gains are not symmetric: climbing back from a 30.5% fall takes a 43.8% gain. Guide: Market crash risk and tail risk →
Correlation
Over the past 5 years, GILD's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.21 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They are only loosely linked, which makes it a real diversifier next to an index fund. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against GILD instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a GILD holding. Guide: Correlation and diversification →
Show all 3 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million that earned more than GILD with less volatility

Out of 3,633 tested over 5 years. Best first; funds that hold the same thing are listed once.

#InvestmentFound inAnnual returnVolatilitySharpeWorst decline10Y returnCorr. with GILDExpense
1
DXJWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund · International Equity
Whole market+26.6%19.1%1.34−39.1%+428%0.120.48%
2
CORCencora, Inc. · Health Care Distribution
Whole market+24.2%22.8%1.07−32.4%+406%0.29—
3
ABBVAbbVie Inc. · Pharmaceuticals
Popular alternative+26.1%23.4%1.11−45.1%+603%0.25—

GILD against its popular alternatives

The investments people most often weigh against GILD, compared period by period and year by year.

How do GILD's risk and return compare with its alternatives?

This map plots each investment's annual return over the past 5 years against its volatility, the size of its typical price swings. Investments toward the upper left earned more for a smoother ride, and those toward the lower right earned less for a rougher one. The dashed lines cross at GILD, which divides the map into what did better or worse on each measure.

Green points earned more than GILD with less volatility; red points earned less with more. Hover over a point for its figures. Total returns with dividends reinvested, annualized.

15.0%20.0%25.0%30.0%35.0%40.0%45.0%50.0%55.0%−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityGILD: 22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): 12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%ABBV: 26.1% a year, volatility 23.4%CRL: −5.6% a year, volatility 43.9%ILMN: −7.8% a year, volatility 46.9%TMO: 2.9% a year, volatility 27.8%IQV: 1.3% a year, volatility 34.7%VRTX: 22.6% a year, volatility 29.1%ALNY: 2.5% a year, volatility 50.9%AZN: 8.7% a year, volatility 35.7%DHR: −3.8% a year, volatility 29.1%NBIX: 6.6% a year, volatility 33.2%BIIB: −1.8% a year, volatility 34.7%REGN: 7.7% a year, volatility 31.1%PFE: −1.7% a year, volatility 25.4%INCY: 12.2% a year, volatility 30.1%BMY: 5.5% a year, volatility 24.9%IONS: 8.3% a year, volatility 43.9%BMRN: −5.6% a year, volatility 33.0%EXEL: 24.4% a year, volatility 35.8%LLY: 40.7% a year, volatility 32.8%AMGN: 19.6% a year, volatility 24.9%MRK: 16.3% a year, volatility 24.8%NVS: 17.2% a year, volatility 20.7%JNJ: 12.7% a year, volatility 17.9%GSK: 9.5% a year, volatility 24.5%GILDSPY (S&P 500)ABBVCRLILMNTMOIQVVRTXALNYAZNDHRNBIXBIIBREGNPFEINCYBMYIONSBMRNEXELLLYAMGNMRKNVSJNJGSK10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%60.0%−10.0%0.0%10.0%20.0%30.0%40.0%50.0%Volatility over 5 years (annualized)Annual return over 5 yearsHigher return, lower volatilityLower return, higher volatilityGILD: 22.8% a year, volatility 24.9%SPY (S&P 500): 12.7% a year, volatility 17.1%ABBV: 26.1% a year, volatility 23.4%CRL: −5.6% a year, volatility 43.9%ILMN: −7.8% a year, volatility 46.9%TMO: 2.9% a year, volatility 27.8%IQV: 1.3% a year, volatility 34.7%VRTX: 22.6% a year, volatility 29.1%ALNY: 2.5% a year, volatility 50.9%AZN: 8.7% a year, volatility 35.7%DHR: −3.8% a year, volatility 29.1%NBIX: 6.6% a year, volatility 33.2%BIIB: −1.8% a year, volatility 34.7%REGN: 7.7% a year, volatility 31.1%PFE: −1.7% a year, volatility 25.4%INCY: 12.2% a year, volatility 30.1%BMY: 5.5% a year, volatility 24.9%IONS: 8.3% a year, volatility 43.9%BMRN: −5.6% a year, volatility 33.0%EXEL: 24.4% a year, volatility 35.8%LLY: 40.7% a year, volatility 32.8%AMGN: 19.6% a year, volatility 24.9%MRK: 16.3% a year, volatility 24.8%NVS: 17.2% a year, volatility 20.7%JNJ: 12.7% a year, volatility 17.9%GSK: 9.5% a year, volatility 24.5%GILDSPY (S&P 500)ABBVCRLTMOIQVALNYAZNDHRNBIXBIIBPFEBMYIONSBMRNEXELLLYAMGNMRKNVSJNJGSK
All figures
InvestmentAnnual returnVolatility
LLY Eli Lilly and Company+40.7%32.8%
ABBV AbbVie Inc.+26.1%23.4%
EXEL Exelixis, Inc.+24.4%35.8%
GILD This pageGilead Sciences, Inc.+22.8%24.9%
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated+22.6%29.1%
AMGN Amgen Inc.+19.6%24.9%
NVS Novartis AG+17.2%20.7%
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.+16.3%24.8%
JNJ Johnson & Johnson+12.7%17.9%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF+12.7%17.1%
INCY Incyte Corporation+12.2%30.1%
GSK GSK plc+9.5%24.5%
AZN AstraZeneca PLC+8.7%35.7%
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.+8.3%43.9%
REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.+7.7%31.1%
NBIX Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.+6.6%33.2%
BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Company+5.5%24.9%
TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.+2.9%27.8%
ALNY Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.+2.5%50.9%
IQV IQVIA Holdings Inc.+1.3%34.7%
PFE Pfizer Inc.−1.7%25.4%
BIIB Biogen Inc.−1.8%34.7%
DHR Danaher Corporation−3.8%29.1%
BMRN BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.−5.6%33.0%
CRL Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.−5.6%43.9%
ILMN Illumina, Inc.−7.8%46.9%
Open these 26 in EasyCompare

Has GILD consistently beaten its popular alternatives?

This section compares GILD with the investments people most often weigh against it, checking each one over eight periods from one month to ten years. Counting how often an alternative earned more than GILD helps separate lasting outperformance from a single strong stretch.

A green cell means the alternative earned more than GILD over that period. "Qualified" marks those that did so in at least 3 of 5 short-term periods and 2 of 3 long-term periods.

InvestmentPeriods outperformed Short termLong termRisk · 5 yearsFund
1M3M6MYTD1Y3Y5Y10YVolatilitylower is calmerSharpehigher is betterWorst declinepast 10 yearsExpenseAssetsOverlapsame sectors
GILD Gilead Sciences, Inc. (this page)—+4.0%+18.2%+16.6%+31.0%+30.3%+121%+180%+200%24.9%0.95−30.5%—$194B—
EXEL QualifiedExelixis, Inc.4/5 short3/3 longAll-weather+12.5%+16.0%+47.6%+47.8%+86.4%+205%+198%+448%35.8%0.79−57.2%—$16B—
LLY QualifiedEli Lilly and Company3/5 short2/3 long+10.2%+12.1%+40.0%+19.4%+59.7%+124%+451%+1,807%32.8%1.21−34.5%—$1.2T—
ABBV Drug Manufacturers - GeneralAbbVie Inc.2/5 short2/3 long+9.9%+14.8%+43.8%+29.8%+28.3%+118%+218%+603%23.4%1.11−45.1%—$511B—
CRL Medical - Diagnostics & ResearchCharles River Laboratories International, Inc.5/5 short1/3 long+13.1%+43.6%+70.0%+55.8%+71.3%+70.1%−25.1%+280%43.9%0.09−78.2%—$15B—
AMGN Drug Manufacturers - GeneralAmgen Inc.5/5 short1/3 long+11.6%+21.2%+27.0%+36.7%+48.7%+72.2%+145%+266%24.9%0.85−24.9%—$237B—
ILMN Medical - Diagnostics & ResearchIllumina, Inc.5/5 short1/3 long+12.2%+45.1%+102%+99.4%+169%+130%−33.3%+93.0%46.9%0.06−86.2%—$40B—
MRK Drug Manufacturers - GeneralMerck & Co., Inc.4/5 short1/3 long−0.8%+19.9%+28.3%+42.2%+76.8%+58.3%+113%+241%24.8%0.74−43.4%—$366B—
TMO Medical - Diagnostics & ResearchThermo Fisher Scientific Inc.2/5 short1/3 long+4.3%+30.7%+30.9%+16.3%+26.8%+49.5%+15.1%+366%27.8%0.24−40.9%—$254B—
IQV Medical - Diagnostics & ResearchIQVIA Holdings Inc.2/5 short1/3 long−0.8%+31.4%+51.5%+18.8%+26.3%+45.3%+6.5%+260%34.7%0.21−51.5%—$44B—
VRTX BiotechnologyVertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated1/5 short1/3 long+0.8%+7.1%+17.2%+13.8%+22.8%+42.2%+177%+521%29.1%0.85−41.6%—$130B—
NVS Drug Manufacturers - GeneralNovartis AG1/5 short1/3 long+9.0%+2.7%+1.8%+13.1%+18.8%+75.9%+121%+226%20.7%0.87−26.8%—$292B—
ALNY BiotechnologyAlnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.0/5 short1/3 long−5.6%−15.4%−25.8%−42.3%−53.0%+42.6%+13.2%+514%50.9%0.29−58.2%—$31B—
AZN Drug Manufacturers - GeneralAstraZeneca PLC0/5 short1/3 long+0.4%+3.3%−15.3%−7.0%+1.8%+38.8%+52.1%+257%35.7%0.41−28.7%—$262B—
DHR Medical - Diagnostics & ResearchDanaher Corporation0/5 short1/3 long+4.0%+11.6%+15.0%−2.2%+8.3%+10.8%−17.6%+232%29.1%0.01−43.8%—$157B—
NBIX BiotechnologyNeurocrine Biosciences, Inc.0/5 short1/3 long−1.4%−17.9%+7.9%+1.0%+0.5%+28.6%+37.4%+211%33.2%0.36−46.4%—$14B—
BIIB Drug Manufacturers - GeneralBiogen Inc.5/5 short0/3 long+11.0%+21.6%+32.6%+36.7%+65.8%−5.6%−8.8%−18.9%34.7%0.11−72.7%—$36B—
REGN BiotechnologyRegeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.2/5 short0/3 long+1.2%+20.3%+8.0%+4.4%+40.7%+0.8%+44.9%+120%31.1%0.40−59.7%—$83B—
PFE Drug Manufacturers - GeneralPfizer Inc.2/5 short0/3 long+8.5%+23.8%+13.2%+25.7%+30.5%+19.2%−8.3%+55.0%25.4%0.06−58.9%—$172B—
INCY BiotechnologyIncyte Corporation2/5 short0/3 long−6.4%+0.8%+20.3%+15.0%+35.3%+112%+77.6%+31.8%30.1%0.53−66.5%—$24B—
JNJ Drug Manufacturers - GeneralJohnson & Johnson1/5 short0/3 long−3.8%+4.8%+13.6%+27.1%+36.9%+84.6%+82.1%+196%17.9%0.76−27.4%—$625B—
BMY Drug Manufacturers - GeneralBristol-Myers Squibb Company1/5 short0/3 long−0.5%+3.6%+6.6%+19.1%+47.8%+25.8%+30.6%+74.8%24.9%0.34−47.7%—$126B—
GSK Drug Manufacturers - GeneralGSK plc0/5 short0/3 long−0.9%+2.1%−10.1%+4.7%+18.9%+60.0%+57.2%+95.1%24.5%0.49−37.6%—$102B—
IONS BiotechnologyIonis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.0/5 short0/3 long+1.1%−14.3%−39.4%−43.0%−38.3%−1.6%+48.8%+58.8%43.9%0.40−70.4%—$7.5B—
BMRN BiotechnologyBioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.0/5 short0/3 long−11.9%−4.5%+2.8%−5.1%+6.3%−31.3%−24.9%−33.0%33.0%-0.01−62.1%—$11B—
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How did GILD do year by year?

This table shows each investment's total return in every full calendar year since 1997, along with where GILD ranked among its popular alternatives each year. Annual results reveal how consistently each one kept pace with GILD and how far its good and bad years diverged, detail that multiyear averages tend to smooth over.

Newest year first. Green marks a year in which the fund came out ahead of GILD; gray means the two finished within a fraction of a point. The rank row places GILD among the alternatives that traded the full year; dark green is the top quarter and red the bottom quarter.

InvestmentYears ahead of GILD20252024202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201120102009200820072006200520042003200220012000199919981997
GILD This pageGilead Sciences, Inc.—+36.6%+18.7%−2.0%+23.6%+29.9%−6.7%+7.9%−9.9%+3.0%−27.6%+8.6%+25.5%+105%+79.5%+12.9%−16.3%−15.4%+11.2%+41.7%+23.4%+50.2%+20.1%+71.4%+3.6%+58.2%+53.9%+31.7%+6.7%+53.6%
Rank among alternativesTop quarter in 9 of 299 of 255 of 2516 of 258 of 2510 of 2521 of 2519 of 2521 of 2521 of 2520 of 2512 of 2513 of 254 of 244 of 239 of 2321 of 2321 of 233 of 235 of 2310 of 235 of 238 of 222 of 223 of 222 of 226 of 196 of 1812 of 186 of 18
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF10 of 29+17.7%+24.9%+26.2%−18.2%+28.7%+18.3%+31.2%−4.6%+21.7%+12.0%+1.2%+13.5%+32.3%+16.0%+1.9%+15.1%+26.4%−36.8%+5.1%+15.9%+4.8%+10.7%+28.2%−21.6%−11.7%−9.8%+20.4%+28.7%+33.5%
EXEL Exelixis, Inc.9 of 25+31.6%+38.8%+49.6%−12.3%−8.9%+13.9%−10.4%−35.3%+104%+164%+292%−76.5%+34.1%−3.6%−42.3%+11.4%+46.8%−41.8%−4.1%−4.5%−0.8%+34.8%−11.9%−51.9%+13.6%————
LLY Eli Lilly and Company17 of 29+40.3%+33.3%+60.9%+34.3%+66.1%+31.0%+16.2%+40.5%+17.8%−10.4%+25.4%+39.8%+7.3%+24.2%+25.2%+3.6%−6.2%−21.3%+5.7%−5.2%+2.6%−17.6%+13.1%−17.6%−14.4%+41.9%−24.3%+29.1%+93.6%
ABBV AbbVie Inc.7 of 13+33.1%+18.9%−0.2%+24.0%+32.4%+27.7%+1.5%−1.0%+60.1%+9.8%−6.5%+27.9%+60.7%————————————————
CRL Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.13 of 25+8.1%−21.9%+8.5%−42.2%+50.8%+63.6%+35.0%+3.4%+43.6%−5.2%+26.3%+20.0%+41.5%+37.1%−23.1%+5.5%+28.6%−60.2%+52.1%+2.1%−7.9%+34.0%−10.8%+14.9%+22.3%————
AMGN Amgen Inc.13 of 29+29.7%−6.8%+13.5%+20.4%+0.9%−2.0%+27.6%+15.2%+22.3%−7.6%+4.0%+42.3%+34.8%+36.8%+18.2%−3.0%−2.0%+24.3%−32.0%−13.4%+22.9%+3.8%+27.8%−14.4%−11.7%+6.5%+130%+93.3%−0.4%
ILMN Illumina, Inc.12 of 25−1.8%−1.3%−31.1%−46.9%+2.8%+11.5%+10.6%+37.3%+70.7%−33.3%+4.0%+66.9%+99.0%+82.4%−51.9%+106%+17.8%−12.1%+50.8%+179%+48.6%+34.4%+109%−71.3%−26.9%————
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.9 of 29+9.8%−6.3%+1.0%+49.4%+1.8%−7.2%+22.3%+40.0%−1.5%+15.0%−3.9%+16.9%+26.9%+13.1%+9.6%+2.9%+26.7%−45.3%+37.3%+42.8%+4.0%−27.7%−11.2%−1.2%−36.0%+41.8%−7.7%+41.6%+35.7%
TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.11 of 29+11.8%−1.7%−3.4%−17.3%+43.5%+43.7%+45.6%+18.2%+35.0%−0.1%+13.8%+13.1%+75.8%+43.2%−18.8%+16.1%+40.0%−40.9%+27.4%+50.3%−0.2%+19.8%+25.3%−15.7%+5.6%+98.2%−11.4%−61.5%+6.7%
IQV IQVIA Holdings Inc.9 of 12+14.7%−15.1%+12.9%−27.4%+57.5%+16.0%+33.0%+18.7%+28.7%+10.8%+16.6%+27.0%—————————————————
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated12 of 29+12.6%−1.0%+40.9%+31.5%−7.1%+7.9%+32.1%+10.6%+103%−41.4%+5.9%+59.9%+77.3%+26.2%−5.2%−18.3%+41.0%+30.8%−37.9%+35.2%+162%+2.1%−34.7%−35.5%−65.6%+309%+17.6%−9.8%−18.0%
NVS Novartis AG10 of 29+46.0%−0.5%+21.1%+6.6%−5.0%+2.2%+29.1%+6.2%+19.8%−11.8%−4.3%+19.4%+32.2%+16.1%+1.5%+12.6%+14.6%−5.4%−3.4%+11.3%+6.0%+12.3%+27.5%+2.1%−17.2%+30.6%−24.1%+21.9%+52.9%
ALNY Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.11 of 21+69.0%+22.9%−19.5%+40.1%+30.5%+12.8%+58.0%−42.6%+239%−60.2%−2.9%+50.8%+252%+124%−17.3%−44.0%−28.7%−15.0%+35.9%+60.2%+78.8%————————
AZN AstraZeneca PLC10 of 29+38.0%−1.2%+0.8%+20.4%+17.9%+2.9%+37.4%+13.9%+35.3%−16.7%+0.1%+24.6%+32.0%+8.6%+6.0%+3.5%+20.4%+0.3%−17.1%+12.7%+36.9%−22.0%+38.2%−23.2%−7.9%+28.7%−5.3%+27.0%+31.8%
DHR Danaher Corporation14 of 29+0.4%−0.4%−1.2%−19.0%+48.6%+45.4%+49.5%+11.8%+20.0%+73.2%+9.3%+11.6%+38.3%+19.1%−0.1%+25.7%+33.0%−35.4%+21.3%+30.1%−2.7%+25.3%+39.7%+9.1%−11.7%+41.5%−11.0%+72.4%+35.2%
NBIX Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.9 of 29+3.9%+3.6%+10.3%+40.2%−11.1%−10.8%+50.5%−8.0%+100%−31.6%+153%+139%+24.9%−12.0%+11.3%+181%−15.0%−29.5%−56.4%−83.4%+27.2%−9.6%+19.4%−11.0%+54.9%+33.9%+260%−12.7%−21.2%
BIIB Biogen Inc.10 of 29+15.1%−40.9%−6.6%+15.4%−2.0%−17.5%−1.4%−5.5%+12.3%−7.4%−9.8%+21.4%+91.0%+33.0%+64.1%+25.3%+12.3%−16.3%+15.7%+8.6%−32.0%+81.5%+10.6%−51.9%+9.1%+93.0%+318%+36.6%+44.7%
REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.13 of 29+9.0%−18.9%+21.7%+14.2%+30.7%+28.7%+0.5%−0.7%+2.4%−32.4%+32.3%+49.0%+60.9%+209%+68.8%+35.8%+31.7%−24.0%+20.3%+26.2%+72.7%−37.4%−20.6%−34.3%−20.2%+177%+72.8%−13.8%−46.9%
PFE Pfizer Inc.10 of 29+0.6%−2.2%−41.3%−10.4%+66.7%+3.4%−6.7%+25.1%+16.1%+4.4%+7.3%+5.4%+26.5%+20.6%+28.8%+0.6%+8.1%−16.9%−8.2%+15.3%−10.6%−22.3%+17.7%−22.2%−12.5%+43.0%−21.5%+68.8%+82.0%
INCY Incyte Corporation13 of 29+43.0%+10.0%−21.8%+9.4%−15.6%−0.4%+37.3%−32.9%−5.5%−7.5%+48.3%+44.4%+205%+10.7%−9.4%+81.8%+140%−62.3%+72.1%+9.4%−46.6%+46.1%+50.0%−76.5%−21.9%−17.1%+60.5%−16.9%+74.7%
JNJ Johnson & Johnson10 of 29+47.5%−4.8%−8.6%+6.0%+11.4%+10.8%+16.2%−5.1%+24.4%+15.3%+1.2%+17.3%+34.6%+10.8%+9.9%−0.6%+11.3%−7.7%+3.6%+12.4%−3.4%+25.2%−2.0%−7.9%+14.0%+14.2%+12.5%+29.0%+34.3%
BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Company10 of 29+0.1%+15.8%−26.1%+19.0%+2.9%+0.4%+27.7%−12.9%+7.7%−13.5%+19.3%+14.2%+70.0%−3.8%+39.4%+8.8%+14.8%−6.1%+4.8%+19.9%−6.2%−7.2%+29.1%−52.4%−26.2%+17.1%−2.8%+42.9%+77.1%
GSK GSK plc10 of 29+51.3%−5.2%+9.8%−16.8%+27.1%−17.7%+29.2%+13.8%−3.0%+2.1%−0.3%−15.7%+28.9%+0.6%+22.7%−2.1%+19.2%−22.2%−0.8%+7.9%+9.9%+5.6%+28.8%−21.6%−9.7%+4.1%−17.9%+48.2%+55.8%
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.12 of 29+126%−30.9%+33.9%+24.1%−46.2%−6.4%+11.8%+7.5%+5.2%−22.8%+0.3%+55.0%+282%+44.8%−28.7%−8.9%−21.6%−10.0%+41.6%+112%−11.2%−9.2%−1.4%−70.3%+109%+70.1%−51.7%+5.1%−31.6%
BMRN BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.12 of 26−9.6%−31.8%−6.8%+17.1%+0.8%+3.7%−0.7%−4.5%+7.6%−20.9%+15.9%+28.5%+43.0%+43.1%+27.7%+43.2%+5.7%−49.7%+116%+52.0%+68.7%−17.6%+10.1%−47.5%+38.7%−17.5%———
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Risk and diversification

How GILD has fallen, how it held up in crashes beside the S&P 500 and its popular alternatives, and what moves independently of it.

What were GILD's worst declines?

A drawdown is the decline from a peak to the lowest point before a new high. This section presents GILD's five deepest drawdowns since it began trading in 1992, alongside the S&P 500's return over the same dates, and how long each took to recover. Together, these figures show how much an investor could have lost and how long it took to get back to even.

Green means GILD fell less than the S&P 500 over the same dates. Based on daily closing prices with dividends reinvested.

DuringGILD fellS&P 500, same datesPeakLowTime to the lowBack at the peakTime to recover
No named crash−70.8%—Jan 1992Jun 19942.4 yearsAug 199514 months
No named crash−60.4%+3.5%Sep 1997Aug 199811 monthsMar 19997 months
No named crash−59.8%+5.1%Sep 1999Dec 19993 monthsAug 20008 months
No named crash−58.9%+2.6%Jan 1996Jul 19966 monthsSep 199714 months
Dot-com bust−53.6%−9.7%Sep 2000Jan 20014 monthsMay 20014 months

How did GILD do in stock market crashes?

This section measures how far GILD, the S&P 500 and each alternative fell from peak to trough during every major market crash since 2000. A smaller decline means an investment held up better, and comparing results across crashes shows whether that resilience was consistent or a one-off.

Newest crash first. Each figure is the fund's deepest fall within the crash window; green means a smaller fall than GILD.

InvestmentHeld up better2023 regional bank crisisMar 20232022 bear marketJan 2022Covid crashFeb 2020Late-2018 sell-offSep 2018February 2018 volatility shockFeb 20182015 China and oil sell-offAug 20152011 euro debt crisisJul 20112010 flash crashMay 20102008 financial crisisOct 2007Dot-com bustMar 2000
GILD This pageGilead Sciences, Inc.—−1.6%−20.0%−13.7%−22.7%−5.5%−28.7%−18.2%−2.1%−34.3%−53.6%
SPY S&P 500State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF4 of 10−3.4%−24.5%−33.7%−19.3%−6.5%−12.8%−17.9%−1.5%−55.2%−47.5%
EXEL Exelixis, Inc.1 of 90.0%−35.4%−33.7%−24.9%−8.7%−36.4%−43.7%−5.4%−80.0%—
LLY Eli Lilly and Company6 of 10−0.6%−11.7%−16.9%−10.2%−8.6%−19.6%−10.9%0.0%−50.0%−54.3%
ABBV AbbVie Inc.1 of 6−1.5%−21.9%−32.1%−18.1%−5.8%−29.8%————
CRL Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.2 of 9−7.7%−49.3%−44.5%−23.4%−4.6%−19.1%−33.3%−1.8%−69.8%—
AMGN Amgen Inc.6 of 10−1.2%−11.9%−18.3%−14.3%−7.4%−22.1%−12.6%−0.5%−31.3%−60.2%
ILMN Illumina, Inc.0 of 9−6.7%−58.2%−31.0%−25.8%−5.3%−36.1%−48.7%−1.9%−57.9%—
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.4 of 10−2.4%−10.8%−19.3%−9.7%−6.6%−18.2%−17.4%−2.3%−63.3%−57.5%
TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.3 of 10−2.4%−19.8%−24.8%−17.2%−8.7%−14.7%−24.4%−3.6%−53.9%−41.8%
IQV IQVIA Holdings Inc.1 of 6−6.8%−35.9%−48.9%−19.2%−5.3%−28.7%————
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated3 of 100.0%−19.2%−19.4%−21.2%−8.8%−43.7%−23.9%−2.7%−59.9%−86.7%
NVS Novartis AG4 of 10−1.1%−20.4%−25.5%−9.9%−6.6%−30.1%−14.5%−2.6%−41.7%−25.7%
ALNY Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.1 of 9−4.1%−28.9%−30.0%−33.7%−6.9%−48.9%−39.3%−1.5%−58.6%—
AZN AstraZeneca PLC6 of 10−0.5%−25.7%−22.6%−11.4%−6.4%−18.0%−16.4%−1.1%−37.4%−43.5%
DHR Danaher Corporation4 of 10−3.2%−22.8%−25.9%−13.4%−9.8%−14.0%−21.8%−0.6%−45.7%−33.7%
NBIX Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.0 of 10−3.5%−24.3%−27.9%−45.1%−5.7%−44.1%−32.8%−7.1%−83.0%−65.8%
BIIB Biogen Inc.3 of 10−2.5%−22.4%−21.2%−21.7%−9.3%−24.6%−19.4%−0.6%−52.7%−59.8%
REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.3 of 10−0.2%−25.8%−12.7%−17.3%−7.3%−37.7%−23.2%−7.2%−49.9%−71.6%
PFE Pfizer Inc.4 of 10−1.8%−24.6%−21.8%−12.3%−8.1%−18.2%−16.1%−1.8%−49.8%−46.0%
INCY Incyte Corporation2 of 10−2.4%−20.4%−23.7%−16.4%−4.8%−50.2%−32.9%−4.5%−83.5%−97.1%
JNJ Johnson & Johnson6 of 10−1.1%−12.7%−25.4%−16.9%−8.2%−9.0%−9.8%−0.1%−34.4%−35.9%
BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Company5 of 10−2.3%−16.0%−29.4%−22.9%−4.1%−16.3%−10.5%0.0%−39.2%−69.5%
GSK GSK plc6 of 10−0.3%−37.6%−26.5%−11.5%−4.3%−15.7%−12.4%−2.0%−46.6%−45.1%
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.1 of 10−5.8%−26.3%−32.6%−18.1%−8.5%−48.8%−25.7%−2.1%−45.6%−74.6%
BMRN BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.0 of 10−4.5%−22.9%−26.3%−24.4%−11.6%−53.6%−23.1%−4.1%−74.9%−89.7%
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How closely does GILD move with the S&P 500?

Upside capture measures how much of the S&P 500's gains an investment kept in the months the market rose, and downside capture how much of its losses it took in the months the market fell. An investment that captures more of the gains than the losses has compounded ahead of the market over time. This section compares GILD with its popular alternatives on both measures, and on beta (how strongly each has moved with the market), over the past 10 years.

Monthly total returns over the past 10 years, measured against SPY. 100% capture or a beta of 1.00 means moving in line with the S&P 500. Green marks a better figure than GILD's: more upside, less downside or a higher capture ratio. Sorted by capture ratio.

InvestmentUpside captureDownside captureCapture ratioBeta
GILD This pageGilead Sciences, Inc.52%36%1.440.35
LLY Eli Lilly and Company101%6%15.730.37
VRTX Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated87%50%1.750.46
EXEL Exelixis, Inc.74%43%1.720.73
ABBV AbbVie Inc.92%57%1.620.54
AZN AstraZeneca PLC60%39%1.520.39
MRK Merck & Co., Inc.64%46%1.390.30
JNJ Johnson & Johnson64%53%1.200.46
AMGN Amgen Inc.74%64%1.160.54
NVS Novartis AG69%64%1.080.49
NBIX Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc.69%66%1.040.56
DHR Danaher Corporation84%84%1.010.75
TMO Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc.104%104%1.000.81
ALNY Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.92%93%0.990.73
REGN Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc.55%66%0.840.19
GSK GSK plc51%61%0.820.52
CRL Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.135%175%0.771.30
IQV IQVIA Holdings Inc.128%167%0.771.31
BMY Bristol-Myers Squibb Company55%75%0.730.41
PFE Pfizer Inc.52%81%0.650.54
ILMN Illumina, Inc.120%200%0.601.19
INCY Incyte Corporation52%87%0.600.77
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.71%125%0.560.74
BIIB Biogen Inc.35%91%0.380.28
BMRN BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.20%70%0.290.38
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What diversifies GILD?

Correlation measures how closely two investments move together, on a scale from 1 (in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to -1 (in opposite directions). This section lists large ETFs and stocks whose returns have had a low correlation with GILD's. Because such investments tend not to fall at the same time, pairing GILD with them can reduce a portfolio's overall swings.

Only ETFs with at least $1.0B in assets and stocks worth at least $10B, with a correlation below 0.5 over the past 5 years and a positive return, are included, ranked by Sharpe ratio; funds that hold the same thing are shown once. The year columns are the years in which GILD lost money. The last two columns show a portfolio that is 80% GILD and 20% the other investment, rebalanced monthly.

ETFs

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe20232020201820162010200980/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
GILD Gilead Sciences, Inc. (this page)1.00+180%0.95−2.0%−6.7%−9.9%−27.6%−16.3%−15.4%24.0%+20.6%
LVHI InternationalFranklin International Low Volatility High Dividend Index ETF0.34+119%1.48+17.4%−9.0%−5.2%———19.9%+20.3%
DXJ InternationalWisdomTree Japan Hedged Equity Fund0.12+225%1.34+42.0%+3.9%−19.8%+1.1%−1.8%+2.0%19.6%+22.4%
EMLP Broad MarketFirst Trust North American Energy Infrastructure Fund0.26+101%1.04+8.0%−13.4%−8.7%+29.8%——20.1%+20.1%
SMH TechnologyVanEck Semiconductor ETF0.02+323%0.97+73.4%+55.5%−9.1%+35.6%+19.0%+60.5%20.5%+25.4%
DBEF InternationalXtrackers MSCI EAFE Hedged Equity ETF0.28+85.0%0.96+20.1%+2.1%−9.5%+6.3%——19.9%+19.7%
GLD CommoditiesSPDR Gold Shares0.26+126%0.96+12.7%+24.8%−1.9%+8.0%+29.3%+24.0%20.4%+20.7%
SPMO Broad MarketInvesco S&P 500 Momentum ETF0.14+136%0.93+17.6%+28.2%−0.9%+7.4%——20.2%+21.6%
XLE EnergyState Street Energy Select Sector SPDR ETF0.33+177%0.93−0.6%−32.7%−18.2%+28.0%+21.9%+21.8%21.5%+21.9%

Stocks

InvestmentCorrelation5Y returnSharpe20232020201820162010200980/20 mix volatility80/20 mix annual return
GILD Gilead Sciences, Inc. (this page)1.00+180%0.95−2.0%−6.7%−9.9%−27.6%−16.3%−15.4%24.0%+20.6%
CAH Medical - DistributionCardinal Health, Inc.0.25+479%1.55+34.1%+10.1%−24.5%−17.5%+21.4%−4.4%21.1%+24.7%
CLS Hardware, Equipment & PartsCelestica Inc.-0.02+3,143%1.47+160%−2.4%−16.3%+7.4%+2.8%+105%22.3%+38.8%
FIX Engineering & ConstructionComfort Systems USA, Inc.-0.02+1,636%1.46+79.6%+6.7%+0.8%+18.3%+8.7%+17.8%21.1%+34.5%
MCK Medical - DistributionMcKesson Corporation0.22+413%1.44+24.1%+27.1%−28.4%−28.3%+13.8%+62.9%20.9%+24.1%
MPC Oil & Gas Refining & MarketingMarathon Petroleum Corporation0.21+690%1.41+30.4%−27.4%−8.2%+0.7%——21.5%+26.9%
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Common questions

What was GILD's worst drawdown?

GILD's deepest decline since it began trading in 1992 was 70.8%, from January 1992 to June 1994. It took 14 months from the low to climb back to its old high.

What were GILD's best and worst years?

Over 29 full calendar years, GILD's best year was 2013, when it returned 105%. Its worst was 2016, with a return of -27.6%.

Is there a better investment than GILD?

Among GILD's popular alternatives, ABBV earned more than GILD with less volatility over the past 5 years: 26.1% a year at 23.4% volatility, against 22.8% a year at 24.9%. Few investments have done better on both counts: only three of the 3,633 stocks and funds worth at least $500 million earned more than GILD with less volatility over the past 5 years, among them ABBV, COR and DXJ.

Is GILD more volatile than the S&P 500?

Yes. GILD's volatility over the past 5 years was 24.9%, 1.5 times the S&P 500's 17.1%. Volatility measures how widely returns swing around their average: in roughly two years out of three, GILD's return lands within 24.9% of its average, either way. The higher it is, the rougher the ride and the harder it is to hold through a slump.

What is GILD's Sharpe ratio?

GILD's Sharpe ratio over the past 5 years was 0.95, against 0.79 for the S&P 500, so GILD earned more for each unit of risk than an index fund did. The Sharpe ratio is the return earned above cash for each unit of volatility: two investments with the same return are not equal if one got there with far bigger swings.

How correlated is GILD with the S&P 500?

Over the past 5 years, GILD's monthly returns had a correlation of 0.21 with the S&P 500. Correlation runs from 1 (moving in lockstep) through 0 (unrelated) to −1 (moving in opposite directions). They are only loosely linked, which makes it a real diversifier next to an index fund. In the table, the correlation column measures each option against GILD instead: the lower it is, the more that option would diversify a GILD holding.

What are the best alternatives to GILD?

Of the 24 popular alternatives we compared, two outperformed GILD in at least 3 of 5 short-term and 2 of 3 long-term timeframes, with dividends reinvested: EXEL and LLY.

Did GILD outperform the S&P 500?

GILD finished ahead of the S&P 500 (SPY) in 19 of 29 full calendar years. In 2025, it returned +36.6%, against +17.7% for the index.

How did GILD do in stock market crashes?

GILD fell less than the S&P 500 (SPY) in five of the ten major crashes it has traded through, and further in four. The clearest case was the 2008 financial crisis, when GILD fell 34.3% and the S&P 500 fell 55.2%.

What diversifies GILD?

These had a low correlation with GILD over the past 5 years and still earned a positive 5-year return: among large ETFs, LVHI (correlation 0.34), DXJ (correlation 0.12) and EMLP (correlation 0.26); among large stocks, CAH (correlation 0.25), CLS (correlation -0.02) and FIX (correlation -0.02). A correlation near zero means the two have moved largely independently.

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