AKRO vs. ARGX: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at AKRO and ARGX, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ARGX’s market capitalization of 33.18 billion USD is significantly greater than AKRO’s 4.13 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
ARGX’s positive beta (0.04) suggests market-aligned movements, while AKRO with a negative beta (-0.16) tends to move counter to overall market trends, potentially acting as a defensive asset.
ARGX is an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), allowing U.S. investors direct exposure to its non-U.S. operations. AKRO, on the other hand, is a domestic entity.
| Symbol | AKRO | ARGX |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Akero Therapeutics, Inc. | argenx SE |
| Country | US | NL |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| CEO | Andrew Cheng | Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, |
| Price | 51.77 USD | 543.48 USD |
| Market Cap | 4.13 billion USD | 33.18 billion USD |
| Beta | -0.16 | 0.04 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | June 20, 2019 | May 18, 2017 |
| ADR | No | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of AKRO and ARGX by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
AKRO
-31.98%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.39%
- Q3
- -6.30%
- Median
- -32.82%
- Q1
- -68.26%
- Min
- -147.61%
AKRO has a negative Return on Equity of -31.98%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
ARGX
16.83%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.39%
- Q3
- -6.30%
- Median
- -32.82%
- Q1
- -68.26%
- Min
- -147.61%
In the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, ARGX’s Return on Equity of 16.83% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
AKRO
-27.35%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
AKRO has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -27.35%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
ARGX
-118.38%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
ARGX has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -118.38%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
Net Profit Margin
AKRO
--
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
Net Profit Margin data for AKRO is currently unavailable.
ARGX
37.53%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
A Net Profit Margin of 37.53% places ARGX in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
AKRO
--
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
Operating Profit Margin data for AKRO is currently unavailable.
ARGX
-1.24%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
ARGX has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -1.24%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | AKRO | ARGX |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -31.98% | 16.83% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -23.31% | 13.45% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -27.35% | -118.38% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | 37.53% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | -1.24% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -- | 46.33% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
AKRO
16.80
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
AKRO’s Current Ratio of 16.80 is in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
ARGX
7.29
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
ARGX’s Current Ratio of 7.29 aligns with the median group of the Biotechnology industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
AKRO
0.01
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, AKRO’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
ARGX
0.01
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Falling into the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, ARGX’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.01 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
AKRO
-121.42
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
AKRO has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -121.42. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
ARGX
-20.85
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
ARGX has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -20.85. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | AKRO | ARGX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 16.80 | 7.29 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 16.80 | 6.68 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.01 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 0.65 | -189.75 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -121.42 | -20.85 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for AKRO and ARGX. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
AKRO
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AKRO currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
ARGX
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARGX currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
AKRO
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
AKRO has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
ARGX
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ARGX has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | AKRO | ARGX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
AKRO
-15.11
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
AKRO has a negative P/E Ratio of -15.11. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
ARGX
48.48
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
ARGX’s P/E Ratio of 48.48 is within the middle range for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
AKRO
0.68
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
AKRO’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.68 is within the middle range of its peers in the Biotechnology industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
ARGX
1.27
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
A Forward PEG Ratio of 1.27 places ARGX in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
AKRO
--
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
P/S Ratio data for AKRO is currently unavailable.
ARGX
15.66
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
ARGX’s P/S Ratio of 15.66 aligns with the market consensus for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
AKRO
3.76
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 15.78
- Q3
- 7.44
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.31
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Biotechnology industry.
ARGX
7.35
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 15.78
- Q3
- 7.44
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.31
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Biotechnology industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | AKRO | ARGX |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -15.11 | 48.48 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.68 | 1.27 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | -- | 15.66 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 3.76 | 7.35 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -15.71 | -432.72 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -14.31 | 4329.99 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | -- | 15.00 |