Seek Returns

ARGX vs. AVTR: argenx vs. Avantor Stock Comparison

How do argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ARGX is classified in Biotechnology while AVTR is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Avantor (AVTR) trades as ordinary local shares, while argenx (ARGX) trades as an ADR — compare with FX exposure, depositary-program fees, and dividend-withholding-tax differences in mind.

Company profile comparison for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
Profile ItemARGXAVTR
Nameargenx SE American Depositary ReceiptAvantor, Inc.
Country/RegionNetherlandsUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryBiotechnologyLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryBiotechnologyLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization58.31 billion USD10.48 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMay 18, 2017May 17, 2019
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ARGX
AVTR
GSPC
Loading price history…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

Loading price history…
Trailing total returns for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

Loading price history…
Calendar-year total returns for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
Total Return (1Y)11.91%36.41%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.68%-5.02%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.22%-16.62%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ARGX
AVTR
GSPC
Loading price history…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

Loading price history…
Distribution of monthly total returns for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)37.87%43.39%
Beta (5Y)0.450.94
Max Drawdown (5Y)-38.20%-82.42%
Avg. Volume (3M)359.84K8.56M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

Loading chart…
ARGX and AVTR are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.200.74
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.311.17

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Avantor (AVTR) earns 5.91% on shareholders’ equity, ranked against its industry; argenx (ARGX) has no ROE this period.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
ARGX
--

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.91%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
AVTR
5.91%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): ARGX does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; AVTR is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

argenx (ARGX) at 31.73% keeps the most of each sales dollar — above its industry’s net margin range — and Avantor (AVTR) at 5.08% also retains a top-quartile share.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

31.73%

ARGX
31.73%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

5.08%

Max
18.05%
AVTR
5.08%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

argenx (ARGX) at 36.27% operates in the top operating margin quartile, ahead of Avantor (AVTR) at 8.19%, which runs around its industry’s norm.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

36.27%

Max
83.12%
ARGX
36.27%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.19%

Max
83.12%
Q3
14.77%
AVTR
8.19%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
ROE (TTM)--5.91%
ROA (TTM)--2.83%
Net Margin (TTM)31.73%5.08%
Operating Margin (TTM)36.27%8.19%
Gross Margin (TTM)59.84%31.59%

Growth

Revenue Growth

argenx (ARGX) at 89.64% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Avantor (AVTR) at -3.41% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.

Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

argenx (ARGX) at 53.13% is around its peer norm for EPS growth, while Avantor (AVTR) at -175.00% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker earnings momentum.

Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
Revenue Growth (YoY)89.64%-3.41%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)116.25%-4.46%
EPS Growth (YoY)53.13%-175.00%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)----

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Short-term liquidity can only be read on one side of this pairing: Avantor (AVTR) shows current ratio of 1.89 against its industry benchmark, while argenx (ARGX) has no reading this period.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
ARGX
--

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.89

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
AVTR
1.89
Min
0.10
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): ARGX does not report current ratio, so it has no value marker; AVTR is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

argenx (ARGX) at 0.01 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Avantor (AVTR) at 0.63 runs a more typical debt-to-equity mix.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.01

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
ARGX
0.01
Min
0.00

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.63

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
AVTR
0.63
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
Current Ratio (MRQ)--1.89
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.010.63
Net Debt / EBITDA-2.703.40

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither argenx (ARGX) nor Avantor (AVTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

ARGX
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

AVTR
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither argenx (ARGX) nor Avantor (AVTR) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

ARGX
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

AVTR
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Both argenx (ARGX) at 32.12 and Avantor (AVTR) at 30.94 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

32.12

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
ARGX
32.12
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

30.94

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
AVTR
30.94
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

Avantor (AVTR) at 1.58 sits in the cheaper P/S ratio quartile while argenx (ARGX) at 9.86 prices around its industry’s middle — AVTR costs less per dollar of sales, though read it alongside growth and margins.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

9.86

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
ARGX
9.86
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.58

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
AVTR
1.58
Min
0.01
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Avantor (AVTR) at 1.80 sits near its industry’s typical P/B ratio, while argenx (ARGX) at 172.23 prices above its benchmark range — ARGX looks rich relative to book.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

172.23

ARGX
172.23
Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

AVTR

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.80

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
AVTR
1.80
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Avantor (AVTR): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Avantor (AVTR)
MetricARGXAVTR
P/E Ratio (TTM)32.1230.94
P/S Ratio (TTM)9.861.58
P/B Ratio (MRQ)172.231.80
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)--4.21%