ARGX vs. VRTX: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
UpdatedHere’s a clear look at ARGX and VRTX, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.
Company Overview
VRTX stands out with 111.79 billion USD in market value—about 3.13× ARGX’s market cap of 35.72 billion USD.
VRTX carries a higher beta at 0.51, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while ARGX remains steadier at 0.17.
ARGX trades as an ADR, giving U.S. investors a simple on-ramp to its foreign shares, while VRTX remains a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ARGX | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | argenx SE | Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| CEO | Mr. Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, M.Sc. | Dr. Reshma Kewalramani FASN, M.D. |
| Price | 584.95 USD | 435.32 USD |
| Market Cap | 35.72 billion USD | 111.79 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.17 | 0.51 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | May 18, 2017 | July 24, 1991 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Performance Comparison
This chart compares the performance of ARGX and VRTX over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).
Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Valuation Metrics Comparison
The section examines key financial ratios to assess the valuation of ARGX and VRTX based on earnings, cash flow, sales, and book value. Pay attention to the following notable points where extreme values stand out.
- VRTX shows a negative P/E of -113.09, highlighting a year of losses, whereas ARGX at 51.08 trades on solid profitability.
- VRTX shows a negative forward PEG of -9.08, signaling expected earnings contraction, while ARGX at 1.35 maintains analysts’ projections for stable or improved profits.
- ARGX and VRTX both consumed more free cash flow than they generated last year—P/FCF of -455.95 and -88.86, respectively—highlighting persistent liquidity pressure.
| Symbol | ARGX | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 51.08 | -113.09 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.35 | -9.08 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 16.50 | 10.07 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.75 | 6.78 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -455.95 | -88.86 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 4572.56 | -1425.47 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 15.84 | 9.80 |
| EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM) | -437.78 | -86.46 |
Dividend Comparison
Neither ARGX nor VRTX currently pays a dividend yield; this often indicates they are reinvesting earnings for growth, prioritizing long-term expansion over immediate cash returns to shareholders.
| Symbol | ARGX | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Financial Strength Metrics Comparison
This section dives into the financial resilience of ARGX and VRTX, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.
- Both ARGX and VRTX report negative interest coverage ratios (-20.85, -32.00), meaning EBIT itself is negative—neither can cover interest, a critical solvency warning.
| Symbol | ARGX | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 7.29 | 2.65 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.68 | 2.29 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.10 |
| Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.07 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -20.85 | -32.00 |