APLS vs. UTHR: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at APLS and UTHR, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
UTHR’s market capitalization of 13.28 billion USD is significantly greater than APLS’s 2.29 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.67 for APLS and 0.57 for UTHR, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | APLS | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | United Therapeutics Corporation |
| Country | US | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| CEO | Cedric Francois | Martine A. Rothblatt |
| Price | 18.26 USD | 294.49 USD |
| Market Cap | 2.29 billion USD | 13.28 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.67 | 0.57 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | November 9, 2017 | June 17, 1999 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of APLS and UTHR 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
APLS
-100.06%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.39%
- Q3
- -6.30%
- Median
- -32.82%
- Q1
- -68.26%
- Min
- -147.61%
APLS has a negative Return on Equity of -100.06%. 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.
UTHR
19.33%
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, UTHR’s Return on Equity of 19.33% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
APLS
-29.46%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
APLS has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -29.46%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
UTHR
15.04%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
In the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, UTHR’s Return on Invested Capital of 15.04% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
APLS
-28.83%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
APLS has a negative Net Profit Margin of -28.83%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
UTHR
40.44%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
A Net Profit Margin of 40.44% places UTHR in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin
APLS
-24.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
APLS has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -24.00%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
UTHR
46.88%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
An Operating Profit Margin of 46.88% places UTHR in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | APLS | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -100.06% | 19.33% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -27.71% | 15.63% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -29.46% | 15.04% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -28.83% | 40.44% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -24.00% | 46.88% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 82.94% | 89.00% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
APLS
4.08
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
APLS’s Current Ratio of 4.08 aligns with the median group of the Biotechnology industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
UTHR
5.46
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
UTHR’s Current Ratio of 5.46 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
APLS
2.86
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.86, APLS operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Biotechnology industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
UTHR
0.03
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
UTHR’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.03 is typical for the Biotechnology industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
Interest Coverage Ratio
APLS
-4.19
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
APLS has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -4.19. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
UTHR
39.31
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
UTHR’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 39.31 is in the upper quartile for the Biotechnology industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | APLS | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 4.08 | 5.46 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 3.62 | 5.23 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 2.86 | 0.03 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.58 | 0.03 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -0.63 | -1.09 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -4.19 | 39.31 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for APLS and UTHR. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
APLS
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
APLS 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.
UTHR
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UTHR 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
APLS
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
APLS 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.
UTHR
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UTHR 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 | APLS | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
APLS
-10.24
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
APLS has a negative P/E Ratio of -10.24. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
UTHR
10.92
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
In the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, UTHR’s P/E Ratio of 10.92 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
APLS
0.81
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
APLS’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.81 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.
UTHR
1.25
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
A Forward PEG Ratio of 1.25 places UTHR 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
APLS
2.96
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
In the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, APLS’s P/S Ratio of 2.96 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
UTHR
4.44
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
In the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry, UTHR’s P/S Ratio of 4.44 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
Price-to-Book Ratio
APLS
13.95
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.
UTHR
1.94
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 | APLS | UTHR |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -10.24 | 10.92 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 0.81 | 1.25 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 2.96 | 4.44 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 13.95 | 1.94 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -272.85 | 11.77 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -13.67 | 7.41 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 3.10 | 3.87 |