Modern Plant Based Foods Valuation Multiples

Eli Lilly is a drug firm with a focus on neuroscience, cardiometabolic, cancer, and immunology. Lilly's key products include Verzenio for cancer; Mounjaro, Zepbound, Jardiance, Trulicity, Humalog, and Humulin for cardiometabolic; and Taltz and Olumiant for immunology.

Johnson & Johnson is the world's largest and most diverse healthcare firm. It has two divisions: innovative medicine and medtech. These now represent all of the company's sales following the divestment of the consumer business, Kenvue, in 2023. After restructurings in 2023-24, the drug division focuses on three main therapeutic areas: immunology, oncology, and neurology. Geographically, just over half of total revenue is generated in the United States.

AbbVie is a pharmaceutical firm with a strong exposure to immunology (with Humira, Skyrizi, and Rinvoq) and oncology (with Imbruvica and Venclexta). The company was spun off from Abbott in early 2013. The 2020 acquisition of Allergan added several new products and drugs in aesthetics, including Botox. The 2024 acquisitions of Cerevel (neuroscience) and ImmunoGen (oncology) help supplement AbbVie's portfolio.

Founded in 1886, Atlanta-headquartered Coca-Cola is the world’s largest nonalcoholic beverage company, with a strong portfolio of 200 brands covering key categories including carbonated soft drinks, water, sports, energy, juice, and coffee. Together with bottlers and distribution partners, the company sells finished beverage products bearing Coca-Cola and licensed brands through retailers and food-service locations in more than 200 countries and regions globally. Coca-Cola generates around two thirds of its total revenue overseas, with a significant portion from emerging economies in Latin America and Asia-Pacific.

Roche is a Swiss biopharmaceutical and diagnostic company. The firm's bestselling pharmaceutical products include a variety of oncology therapies from acquired partner Genentech, and its diagnostics group was bolstered by the acquisition of Ventana in 2008. Oncology products account for 50% of pharmaceutical sales, and centralized and point-of-care diagnostics for more than half of diagnostic-related sales.

A merger between Astra of Sweden and Zeneca Group of the United Kingdom formed AstraZeneca in 1999. The firm sells branded drugs across a number of major therapeutic areas, including oncology (about 40% of total revenue), cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic (25%), rare disease (17%), and respiratory and immunology (15%). The majority of sales comes from international markets, with the United States representing close to one third of its sales.

Novartis develops and manufactures innovative drugs. Key areas of drug development are oncology, immunology, neuroscience, respiratory, and cardiovascular, renal, and metabolic. It also has an established medicines business, which includes off-patent franchises. The company sells its products globally, with the United States constituting close to one-third of total revenue.

Merck makes pharmaceutical products to treat several conditions in a number of therapeutic areas, including cardiometabolic disease, cancer, and infections. Within cancer, the firm's immuno-oncology platform, led by Keytruda, is a major contributor to overall sales. The company also has a substantial vaccine business aimed at preventing pediatric diseases, as well as Gardasil for human papillomavirus. Additionally, Merck sells animal health-related drugs. From a geographical perspective, 47% of the company's sales are generated from US human health (pharmaceuticals and vaccines).

With a 150-year-plus history, Nestle is the largest food and beverage manufacturer in the world by sales, generating roughly CHF 90 billion in annual revenue. Its diverse product portfolio includes brands such as Nescafe, Maggi, Nespresso, and Purina. The company employs 270,000 people around the world and has a vast portfolio of global products, with more than 30 brands each achieving more than CHF 1 billion in sales annually and a geographic presence that spans 185 countries.

PepsiCo is a global leader in snacks and beverages, owning well-known household brands including Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Gatorade, Lay’s, Cheetos, and Doritos, among others. The company dominates the global savory snacks market and also ranks as the second-largest beverage provider in the world (behind Coca-Cola) with diversified exposure to carbonated soft drinks, or CSD, as well as water, sports, and energy drink offerings. Convenience foods account for approximately 58% of its total revenue, with beverages making up the rest. Pepsi owns the bulk of its manufacturing and distribution capacity in the US, but uses bottlers overseas for beverages. International markets made up 40% of both total sales and operating profits in 2024.

With roughly one-third of the global branded diabetes treatment market, Novo Nordisk is the leading provider of diabetes care products in the world. Based in Denmark, the company manufactures and markets a variety of human and modern insulins, injectable diabetes treatments such as GLP-1 therapy, oral antidiabetic agents, and obesity treatments. Novo also has a biopharmaceutical segment (contributing less than 10% of revenue) that specializes in protein therapies for hemophilia and other disorders.

Amgen is a leader in biotechnology-based human therapeutics. Flagship drugs include red blood cell boosters Epogen and Aranesp, immune system boosters Neupogen and Neulasta, and Enbrel and Otezla for inflammatory diseases. Amgen introduced its first cancer therapeutic, Vectibix, in 2006 and markets bone-strengthening drugs Prolia/Xgeva (approved 2010) and Evenity (2019). The acquisition of Onyx Pharmaceuticals bolstered the firm's therapeutic oncology portfolio with Kyprolis. Recent launches include Repatha (cholesterol-lowering), Aimovig (migraine), Lumakras (lung cancer), and Tezspire (asthma). The 2023 Horizon acquisition brought several rare-disease drugs, including thyroid eye disease drug Tepezza. Amgen also has a growing biosimilar portfolio.

Thermo Fisher Scientific sells scientific instruments and laboratory equipment, diagnostics consumables, and life science reagents. The firm operates through four segments as of year-end 2024 (revenue figures include some cross-segment revenue): analytical technologies (17% of sales); specialty diagnostic products (11%); life science solutions (23%); and lab products and services, which includes CRO services (the remainder).

Gilead Sciences develops and markets therapies to treat and prevent life-threatening infectious diseases, with the core of its portfolio focused on HIV and hepatitis B and C. Gilead's acquisition of Pharmasset brought rights to hepatitis C drug Sovaldi, which is also part of newer combination regimens that remain standards of care. Gilead is also growing its presence in the oncology market via acquisitions, led by CAR-T cell therapy Yescarta/Tecartus (from Kite) and breast and bladder cancer therapy Trodelvy (from Immunomedics).

Anheuser-Busch InBev is the largest brewer in the world and one of the world's top five consumer product companies, as measured by EBITDA. The company's portfolio contains six of the top 10 beer brands by volume, according to Euromonitor, and we estimate it distributes 23 brands with retail sales over $1 billion. AB InBev was created by the 2008 merger of Belgium-based InBev and US-based Anheuser-Busch. The firm holds a 62% economic interest in Ambev, an 87% stake in Budweiser APAC, and in 2016 it acquired SABMiller.

Uber Technologies is a technology provider that matches riders with drivers, hungry people with restaurants and food couriers, and shippers with carriers. The firm's on-demand technology platform is currently utilized by traditional cars as well as autonomous vehicles, but could eventually be used for additional products and services, such as delivery via drones or electronic vehicle take-off and landing (eVTOL) technology. Uber operates in over 70 countries, with over 202 million users who order rides or food at least once a month.

Pfizer is one of the world's largest pharmaceutical firms, with annual sales of roughly $60 billion. While it historically sold many types of healthcare products and chemicals, now prescription drugs and vaccines account for the majority of sales. Top sellers include pneumococcal vaccine Prevnar 13 and cardiology drugs Vyndaqel and Eliquis. Pfizer sells these products globally, with international sales representing 40% of total sales. Within international sales, emerging markets are a major contributor.

Unilever is a diversified beauty, wellbeing, and personal care (44% of 2024 sales by value), homecare (20%), and packaged food (36%) company. Its brands include Dove personal-care products, Knorr soups and sauces, Hellmann's mayonnaise, Axe and Rexona deodorants, and TRESemme haircare. The firm has been acquisitive in recent years; notable purchases include Paula's Choice, Liquid I.V., Horlicks, and Wild deodorants. The company derives 58% of its sales from emerging markets and 42% from developed markets. The US is its largest market, accounting for around 20% of sales, followed by India, which accounts for 11% of sales.

In 1984, Danaher's founders transformed a real estate organization into an industrial-focused manufacturing company. Then, through a series of mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, Danaher now focuses primarily on manufacturing scientific instruments and consumables in the life sciences and diagnostic industries after the late 2023 divestiture of its environmental and applied solutions group, Veralto.

Bristol Myers Squibb discovers, develops, and markets drugs for various therapeutic areas, such as cardiovascular, cancer, and immune disorders. A key focus for Bristol is immuno-oncology, where the firm is a leader in drug development. Bristol derives close to 70% of total sales from the US, showing a higher dependence on the US market than most of its peer group.

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, and Alyftrek for cystic fibrosis, where Vertex therapies remain the standard of care globally. Vertex has diversified its portfolio through Casgevy, a gene-editing therapy for beta thalassemia and sickle-cell disease, and Journavx, a non-opioid pain medication approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe acute pain in adults. Additionally, Vertex is evaluating small-molecule inhibitors of APOL1-mediated kidney diseases. Vertex is also investigating cell therapies to deliver a potential functional cure for type 1 diabetes.

Sanofi develops and markets drugs with a concentration in immunology, vaccines, and rare diseases. Although the company offers a diverse array of drugs, its highest revenue generator, Dupixent, accounts for approximately 30% of total sales. Profits for this immunology blockbuster drug are shared with Regeneron. About 45% of total revenue comes from the United States, 20% from Europe, and 6% from China.

Prosus is a consumer internet group with listed and unlisted platforms across 100 countries. Around 80% of Prosus’ net asset value is derived from its Tencent holdings, the world’s largest game publisher and operator of WeChat, China’s super app with 1.3 billion users. Prosus has approximately a 23% stake in Tencent. The rest of the group’s businesses and investments are organized into classifieds, food delivery, payments and fintech, and edtech. This includes ownership of iFood, Brazil’s largest food delivery app, and a 25% stake in Swiggy, the second-largest delivery platform in India.In 2019, Prosus was spun out of South Africa-based parent company Naspers Ltd and listed on the Euronext exchange. Naspers holds approximately 75% of Prosus’ shares.

In the pharmaceutical industry, GSK ranks as one of the largest firms by total sales. The company wields its might across several therapeutic classes, including respiratory, antiviral, and vaccines, and has been growing its presence in oncology and immunology, as well. GSK uses joint ventures to gain additional scale in certain markets like HIV.

Monster Beverage is a leader in the energy drink category within the nonalcoholic ready-to-drink beverage market, generating two thirds of revenue in the US and Canada. The well-known Monster trademark includes brands such as Monster Energy, Monster Ultra, Java Monster, and Juice Monster. The firm also owns other energy drink brands, such as Reign, NOS, Burn, Bang and Mother, and brews and distributes beers and flavored malt beverages following the acquisition of a craft brewer in 2022. Monster controls branding and innovation but outsources beverage manufacturing and packaging to copackers and finished goods distribution to bottlers in the global Coca-Cola system (pursuant to a 20-year agreement inked in 2015). Coke is the largest shareholder of Monster with a 19.5% stake.

Chugai Pharmaceutical is a Japanese drug developer and subsidiary of Roche Holding, which owns roughly 60% of the company. Founded in 1925, Chugai deals primarily in the Japanese market, where it generates roughly half of its revenue. It has been the leader in Japan’s oncology market for the past decade, largely due to drugs licensed from its parent’s portfolio. The company also develops its own innovative medicines. It is an industry leader in antibody technology with several flagship therapies, including Hemlibra for hemophilia A patients and Actemra for treating rheumatoid arthritis and covid patients.

Mondelez has operated independently since its split from the former Kraft Foods North American grocery business in October 2012. The firm is a leading player in the global snack enclave with a presence in the biscuit (49% of sales as of the end of fiscal 2024), chocolate (31%), gum/candy (11%), beverage (3%), and cheese and grocery (6%) aisles. Mondelez's portfolio includes well-known brands like Oreo, Chips Ahoy, Halls, and Cadbury. The firm derives around one-third of its revenue from developing markets, more than one-third from Europe, and the remainder from North America.

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals discovers, develops, and commercializes products that fight eye disease, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and inflammation. The company has several marketed products, including low-dose Eylea and Eylea HD, approved for wet age-related macular degeneration and other eye diseases; Dupixent in immunology; Praluent for LDL cholesterol lowering; Libtayo in oncology; and Kevzara in rheumatoid arthritis. Regeneron is also developing monoclonal and bispecific antibodies with Sanofi, other collaborators, and independently, and has early-stage partnerships that bring new technology to the pipeline, including RNAi (Alnylam) and Crispr-based gene editing (Intellia).

Founded in 2013 within the confines of the San Francisco application renaissance, DoorDash is an online delivery demand aggregator. Consumers can use its app to order food on demand for delivery or in-store pickup from participating merchants. Following the 2022 acquisition of Wolt, the firm also provides this service in Europe and Asia. DoorDash creates a marketplace for merchants to establish an online presence, market their offerings, and meet demand through delivery. The firm provides similar services to non-restaurant businesses, such as grocery, retail, and pet supplies. DoorDash is also rolling out emerging technologies, such as drone delivery, to continually innovate and deliver the best possible service to both supply-side and demand-side participants in its marketplace.

Founded in 1996, Nongfu Spring is a leading beverage producer with products primarily in the packaged water, ready-to-drink tea, juice, coffee, and functional beverages sectors in China. It holds the number-one share in the bottled water market; this segment contributed approximately 40% of the firm’s revenue and EBIT in 2024.

Meituan is the largest food delivery platform in China, with a 60%-70% share of the market in 2024, according to Morningstar estimates. In the third quarter of 2024, the firm generated 74% of its revenue from the core local commerce segment, which includes on-demand food delivery and retail, in-store services (such as visiting beauty and entertainment stores after purchasing deals on Meituan), and hotel and travel booking. The remaining 26% of revenue came from the new initiatives segment, such as the community group purchase business Meituan Select and the overseas food delivery business.

Japan Tobacco primarily sells cigarettes and reduced-risk products, organized in three clusters consisting of Asia (which includes its home market and countries in Asia Pacific), Western Europe, and EMA (which includes Eastern Europe, the Middle East North Africa, Turkey, Americas, and duty-free). Its leading cigarette brands include Winston (non-US), Camel (non-US), Mevius, and LD. Its reduced-risk brands include Logic in vaping, Ploom in heated tobacco, and Nordic Spirit in nicotine pouches, though these generates less than 5% of tobacco sales.

Merck KGaA operates in three main segments: Life Science, Electronics, and Healthcare. The Life Science segment provides laboratory consumables and instruments to researchers in academia and applied fields, including the biopharmaceutical industry. The Electronics segment offers specialty materials to manufacture a variety of products, such as semiconductors and flat-screen televisions. In the healthcare segment, Merck develops, manufactures, and sells branded pharmaceuticals with significant therapeutic concentrations in oncology, multiple sclerosis, and fertility. In 1995, the E. Merck KG family publicly sold part of the company, resulting in the current 30% public ownership of the firm.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd is an Indian consumer goods company. The firm offers different brands from distinct categories, from cosmetics and hygienic items, including detergents, soaps, shampoos, skincare, toothpaste, and deodorants, to food and beverages (tea, coffee, packaged foods). Its product portfolio contains household brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, Closeup, Pureit, Axe, Brooke Bond, Bru, Knorr, Kissan, Pond's, Vaseline, Lakme, Dove, Clinic Plus, Sunsilk, Kwality Wall's, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, and Fair and Lovely. The company's segments include Home Care, Beauty & Wellbeing, Personal Care, Foods, and others. Geographically, it generates a majority of its revenue from India.

Takeda Pharmaceutical is Japan’s largest pharmaceutical company, with revenue of JPY 4.6 trillion in fiscal 2024. The company’s five core therapeutic areas are oncology, gastroenterology, neuroscience, rare diseases, and plasma-derived therapies, which account for more than 80% of revenue. Its geographic footprint is well diversified, with over 50% derived from the US, 20% from Japan, 20% from Europe and Canada.

UCB is a Belgium-based biopharma firm focused on the development of novel therapies for the treatment of central nervous system and immunologic diseases. Historically, revenue was derived from allergy medicine Zyrtec and epilepsy drug Keppra, which have both lost patent protection. The firm's key products are Cimzia (immunology), Vimpat (epilepsy), Neupro (Parkinson's disease and restless leg syndrome), Briviact (epilepsy), Bimzelx (psoriasis), Evenity (osteoporosis), Nayzilam (cluster seizures), Fintepla (Dravet Syndrome and Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome), and Kygevvi (rare mitochondrial disease).

Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co Ltd is a biopharmaceutical company that engages in the research, development, manufacture, and sale of drugs. It is engaged in the field of cancer treatment drugs, surgical medicines, endocrine therapy drugs, cardiovascular drugs, and anti-infection medications. The company specializes in the research and development of new medicines in areas of antineoplastics, endocrine system, cardiovascular, and the immune system.

Galderma was formed in 1981 as a joint venture between Nestle and L’Oreal. It subsequently became a subsidiary of Nestle, called Nestle Skin Health, before being carved out and launched as a stand-alone company in 2019, acquired by a consortium led by Sweden-based EQT fund. The company went public in March 2024 and is listed on the SIX Swiss exchange. Galderma’s science-based portfolio spans multiple dermatology categories, including injectable aesthetics, dermatological skincare, and therapeutic dermatology. It derives around 40% of net sales from the US and employs around 7,00 people.

Argenx is a Dutch biopharmaceutical company focused on developing antibody-based therapies for rare autoimmune diseases. The company's lead product, Vyvgart (efgartigimod), was approved by the FDA in December 2021 for the treatment of generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). In 2022, Argenx also received FDA approval for Vyvgart Hytrulo, a subcutaneous formulation of Vyvgart, offering a more convenient option compared with Vyvgart's intravenous administration. In 2024, the FDA approved Vyvgart Hytrulo for Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy, a rare immune-mediated neuromuscular disorder of the peripheral nervous system. Argenx is focused on innovation and developing its pipeline for treatments such as primary immune thrombocytopenia, thyroid eye disease, and Sjogren's Disease.

Wuxi AppTec Co Ltd provides a portfolio of research and manufacturing services throughout the discovery, development, and manufacturing spectrum for small molecule drugs, development of computer software and databases as well as consulting services for combinatorial chemistry and pharmaceuticals. The services offered by the company include drug research and development testing, clinical research services, an end-to-end CRDMO platform for peptide, oligonucleotide, and small molecules, and integrated biology services and solutions for drug discovery. The company's reportable segments are WuXi Chemistry, which derives maximum revenue, WuXi Testing, WuXi Biology, and Others. Geographically, it derives key revenue from the United States of America, followed by China, Europe, and other regions.

Danone is a global food and beverage industry leader with more than EUR 27 billion annual revenue. Its operations are organized into three broad segments: essential dairy and plant-based products, representing just over half of group revenue; specialized nutrition; and bottled water. The firm's portfolio includes well-known brands such as Danone/Dannon dairy products, Alpro plant-based dairy, Aptamil infant milk formula, Evian and Volvic bottled water, and leading medical nutrition brands.

Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd is India's generic pharmaceutical manufacturing company. The company’s substantial markets are the U.S. and India to make up the majority of revenue. The remaining is spread across both emerging and developed markets. In addition to generics, the company also produces and distributes name-brand formulas to specific geographies. It maintains manufacturing and research and development facilities globally to serve its markets but is majorly based in India.

Samsung BioLogics Co Ltd is a biopharmaceutical company engaged in drug development and manufacturing services. The company operates two segments: Biopharmaceutical Development and Commercialization, and Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO). The Biopharmaceutical Development and Commercialization segment focuses on developing and commercializing biosimilars across therapeutic areas, including autoimmune, oncology, ophthalmology, and hematology. The Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) segment provides biopharmaceutical contract manufacturing along with cell line and process development services. It generates the majority of its revenue from the CDMO segment.

Idexx Laboratories primarily develops, manufactures, and distributes diagnostic products, equipment, and services for pets and livestock. Its key product lines include single-use canine and feline test kits that veterinarians can employ in the office, benchtop chemistry and hematology analyzers for test-panel analysis on-site, reference lab services, and tests to detect and manage disease in livestock. The firm also offers vet practice management software and consulting services to animal hospitals. Idexx derives roughly 35% of its revenue from outside the United States.

Lonza Group is a contract development and manufacturing organization. It operates under four segments: small molecules, biologics, cell and gene, and capsules and health ingredients. Lonza derives its revenue primarily from long-term supply agreements with pharmaceutical customers. The company provides development and manufacturing services throughout the entire lifecycle of a product, from drug research to commercial supply. The majority of Lonza's customers are pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, academic institutions, and government research organizations.

Celestica Inc offers supply chain solutions. The company has two operating and reportable segments: Advanced Technology Solutions (ATS) and Connectivity & Cloud Solutions (CCS). The ATS segment consists of the ATS end market and is comprised of the Aerospace and Defense, Industrial, health tech, and Capital Equipment businesses. Its Capital Equipment business is comprised of the semiconductor, display, and robotics equipment businesses, and the CCS segment consists of Communications and Enterprise end markets, The Enterprise end market is comprised of its servers and storage businesses. The company generates a majority of its revenue from the Connectivity & Cloud Solutions segment.

Bayer is a German healthcare and agriculture conglomerate. Healthcare provides close to half of the company's sales and includes pharmaceutical drugs (39% of total sales in 2024) as well as vitamins and other consumer healthcare products (13% of total). The firm's crop science business (49% of total) sells seeds, pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides, which was expanded through its 2018 acquisition of Monsanto.

Teva Pharmaceutical, based in Israel, is the leading generic drug manufacturer in the world. Teva derives half of its sales from North America and makes up a high-single-digit percentage of the total number of generic prescriptions in the US. It also has a significant presence in Europe, Japan, Russia, and Israel. Besides generics, Teva has a portfolio of innovative medicines and biosimilars in three main therapeutic areas: the central nervous system with Copaxone, Ajovy, and Austedo; respiratory with Qvar and ProAir; and oncology with Truxima, Herzuma, and Bendeka/Treanda. Teva also sells active pharmaceutical ingredients, offers contract manufacturing services, and owns Anda, a US-based generic and specialty drug distributor.