ARGX vs. CNC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARGX and CNC, 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 substantially larger than CNC’s 16.58 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
CNC carries a higher beta at 0.46, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while ARGX (beta: 0.04) exhibits greater stability.
ARGX trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, CNC is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ARGX | CNC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | argenx SE | Centene Corporation |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Healthcare Plans |
| CEO | Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, | Sarah M. London |
| Price | 543.48 USD | 33.31 USD |
| Market Cap | 33.18 billion USD | 16.58 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.04 | 0.46 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 18, 2017 | December 13, 2001 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARGX and CNC 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
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.
CNC
12.67%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 13.94%
- Q3
- 13.62%
- Median
- 11.42%
- Q1
- 7.74%
- Min
- 6.98%
CNC’s Return on Equity of 12.67% is on par with the norm for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
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.
CNC
5.50%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 15.50%
- Q3
- 7.12%
- Median
- 5.48%
- Q1
- -3.47%
- Min
- -15.02%
CNC’s Return on Invested Capital of 5.50% is in line with the norm for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
Net Profit Margin
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.
CNC
2.04%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 3.23%
- Q3
- 2.62%
- Median
- 1.70%
- Q1
- 1.27%
- Min
- 1.22%
CNC’s Net Profit Margin of 2.04% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
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.
CNC
2.13%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 4.30%
- Q3
- 3.77%
- Median
- 2.61%
- Q1
- 1.60%
- Min
- -1.64%
CNC’s Operating Profit Margin of 2.13% is around the midpoint for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | CNC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.83% | 12.67% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.45% | 3.97% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -118.38% | 5.50% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.53% | 2.04% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -1.24% | 2.13% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.33% | 15.47% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
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.
CNC
1.11
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.91
- Q3
- 1.63
- Median
- 1.43
- Q1
- 0.85
- Min
- 0.78
CNC’s Current Ratio of 1.11 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
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.
CNC
0.66
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.06
- Q3
- 0.86
- Median
- 0.75
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.66
CNC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.66 is typical for the Medical - Healthcare Plans 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
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.
CNC
5.19
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 6.23
- Q3
- 6.23
- Median
- 5.19
- Q1
- 4.64
- Min
- 3.18
CNC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.19 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | CNC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 7.29 | 1.11 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.68 | 1.11 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.66 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.21 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -189.75 | 0.57 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -20.85 | 5.19 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARGX and CNC. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
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.
CNC
0.00%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 3.88%
- Q3
- 1.78%
- Median
- 0.73%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNC 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
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.
CNC
0.00%
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 63.88%
- Q3
- 29.91%
- Median
- 12.57%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CNC 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 | ARGX | CNC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
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.
CNC
4.79
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 18.17
- Q3
- 17.32
- Median
- 15.48
- Q1
- 13.55
- Min
- 12.84
CNC’s P/E Ratio of 4.79 is below the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This may indicate that the stock is potentially undervalued, or it could reflect market concerns about the company’s future prospects.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
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.
CNC
0.37
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 1.41
- Q3
- 1.09
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- 0.79
- Min
- 0.60
CNC’s Forward PEG Ratio of 0.37 is below the typical range for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This is a strong indicator that the stock may be undervalued, as its price appears low given its future growth prospects.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
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.
CNC
0.10
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 0.94
- Q3
- 0.64
- Median
- 0.43
- Q1
- 0.27
- Min
- 0.16
CNC’s P/S Ratio of 0.10 falls below the typical floor for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This could suggest the stock is overlooked or deeply undervalued relative to its sales, but may also reflect significant market concerns about its future.
Price-to-Book Ratio
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.
CNC
0.59
Medical - Healthcare Plans Industry
- Max
- 4.08
- Q3
- 3.83
- Median
- 2.63
- Q1
- 1.74
- Min
- 0.96
CNC’s P/B Ratio of 0.59 is below the established floor for the Medical - Healthcare Plans industry. This may signal that the market is deeply pessimistic or has overlooked the company, potentially offering its asset base at a significant discount.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | CNC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 48.48 | 4.79 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.27 | 0.37 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 15.66 | 0.10 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.35 | 0.59 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -432.72 | 11.11 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 4329.99 | 3.26 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 15.00 | 0.12 |