Eli Lilly (LLY +1.83%) is the most valuable healthcare company, with Johnson & Johnson (JNJ +0.86%) and AbbVie (ABBV -1.01%) rounding out the top three. Pharmaceutical companies dominate this market sector, comprising half of the largest healthcare companies by market cap. Let's take a look at the companies that could be a financial cure-all for investors and their portfolios.
Largest companies by market cap in the healthcare sector
(Editor's note: Rankings are as of March 5, 2026.)
1. Eli Lilly
- Market cap: $880.04 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $65.2 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $54.1 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 38.00%
- Year founded: 1876
NYSE: LLY
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Pharmaceutical giant Eli Lilly is the world's most valuable drug company. A chemist and veteran of the Union Army founded the company in 1876, and it later became the first to mass-produce insulin and the polio vaccine.
Some of its top products are diabetes medications, weight loss drugs, obesity treatments, and antidepressants such as Prozac. In 2024, Eli Lilly partnered with Amazon (AMZN +0.20%) to offer home delivery of select medications. In November 2025, it agreed to a deal with the Trump administration to offer reduced pricing on some of its drugs, including weight loss blockbuster Zepbound.
2. Johnson & Johnson
- Market cap: $577.48 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $94.2 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $63.9 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 9.89%
- Year founded: 1886
NYSE: JNJ
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NYSE: ABBV
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AbbVie is a biotechnology company that develops treatments for serious diseases. It has produced therapies for illnesses, including autoimmune diseases, plaque psoriasis, blood cancers, and advanced Parkinson's disease. It also acquired Capstan Therapeutics, a cell and gene therapy company, for $2.1 billion in mid-2025.
AbbVie is a relatively new company that started as a spinoff of Abbott Laboratories (ABT +2.82%). It's now one of the better dividend stocks in the healthcare sector. It has regularly raised its dividend payout, resulting in a high dividend yield.
4. Novartis
- Market cap: $311.24 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $56.7 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $43.0 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 15.88%
- Year founded: 1886 (Sandoz), 1970 (Ciba-Geigy), 1996 (merger of Ciba-Geigy and Sandoz)
NYSE: NVS
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Novartis (NVS +1.83%) is a Swiss pharmaceutical company. It manufactures prescription drugs for various diseases. Some of its bestselling products include Entresto, a medication used to treat heart failure; Cosentyx, a treatment for psoriasis; and Kesimpta, a treatment for certain forms of multiple sclerosis (MS).
This Swiss company is incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) technology into its business. Novartis has partnered with Viz.ai to provide AI-powered care for cancer patients. It also acquired Avidity Biosciences in a $12 billion deal to improve its late-stage neuroscience pipeline.
5. AstraZeneca
- Market cap: $306.21 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $58.7 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $48.1 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 16.36%
- Year founded: 1913 (Astra AB), Zeneca (1993), 1999 (merger of Astra AB and Zeneca)
NASDAQ: AZN
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NYSE: MRK
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Merck (MRK +1.20%) is a pharmaceutical company known for its impressive oncology portfolio. That includes its leading drug, Keytruda, which is one of the best-selling drugs worldwide. Merck also makes diabetes medications, an HPV vaccine, and a chickenpox vaccine.
This company has made several major acquisitions recently. In 2024 alone, it acquired Harpoon Therapeutics, Abceutics, EyeBio, and Modifi Biosciences. In 2025, it acquired SpringWorks Therapeutics for $3.4 billion. Merck is also going through a leadership transition; CEO Belen Garijo will step down at the end of April 2026. Her successor will be Kai Beckmann, head of the company's electronics business.
7. UnitedHealth Group
- Market cap: $261.58 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $447.6 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $82.9 billion
- Five-year annualized return: -2.64%
- Year founded: 1977
NYSE: UNH
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UnitedHealth Group (UNH +0.27%) provides health insurance and healthcare services. It sells health insurance products through its UnitedHealthcare division and offers healthcare services through its Optum division.
Although UnitedHealth Group is one of the largest healthcare companies, it has faced a number of high-profile issues. A subsidiary, Change Healthcare, was responsible for the largest reported healthcare data breach in history in 2024. CEO Andrew Witty abruptly resigned in May 2025 for personal reasons, and the company replaced its CFO in July.
8. Amgen
- Market cap: $198.16 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $36.7 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $24.7 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 11.32%
- Year founded: 1980
NASDAQ: AMGN
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Amgen (AMGN +2.00%) is a biotechnology and pharmaceutical company with a presence in about 100 countries. It focuses on areas of high unmet medical need and conditions for which there are limited treatment options. The company develops treatments in the following therapeutic areas: general medicine, rare disease, inflammation, and oncology.
Some of Amgen's best-selling products include Enbrel, an anti-inflammatory medicine; Prolia, an osteoporosis treatment in women after menopause; and Otezla, a medicine for adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
9. Thermo Fisher Scientific
- Market cap: $194.93 billion (as of March 5)
- Revenue (TTM): $44.6 billion
- Gross profit (TTM): $18.5 billion
- Five-year annualized return: 3.04%
- Year founded: 1902 (Fisher Scientific), 1956 (Thermo Electron), 2006 (merged into Thermo Fisher Scientific)
NYSE: ABT
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About the Author
Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends AbbVie, Abbott Laboratories, Amazon, AstraZeneca Plc, Intuitive Surgical, Kenvue, Merck, and Thermo Fisher Scientific. The Motley Fool recommends Johnson & Johnson, Solventum, and UnitedHealth Group. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
