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ARGX vs. WAT: argenx vs. Waters Stock Comparison

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

Waters (WAT) 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 Waters (WAT)
Profile ItemARGXWAT
Nameargenx SE American Depositary ReceiptWaters Corporation
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 USD44.93 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNYSE
Listing DateMay 18, 2017November 17, 1995
Security TypeADRCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

ARGX
WAT
GSPC
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT), 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

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Trailing total returns for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
Total Return (1Y)11.91%27.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)25.68%23.32%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)24.22%6.27%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

ARGX
WAT
GSPC
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT), 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

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Distribution of monthly total returns for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Risk profile metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)37.87%35.45%
Beta (5Y)0.451.13
Max Drawdown (5Y)-38.20%-36.47%
Avg. Volume (3M)359.84K816.72K

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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ARGX and WAT 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 Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)0.200.66
Sortino Ratio (1Y)0.310.98

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Capital efficiency shows on one side only: Waters (WAT) earns 1.12% 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
--

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.12%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
WAT
1.12%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): ARGX does not report ROE, so it has no value marker; WAT is benchmarked against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group.

Net Margin (TTM)

argenx (ARGX) at 31.73% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Waters (WAT) at 1.76% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.76%

Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
WAT
1.76%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): 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 Waters (WAT) at 11.38%, 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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

11.38%

Max
83.12%
Q3
14.77%
WAT
11.38%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
ROE (TTM)--1.12%
ROA (TTM)--2.36%
Net Margin (TTM)31.73%1.76%
Operating Margin (TTM)36.27%11.38%
Gross Margin (TTM)59.84%49.83%

Growth

Revenue Growth

argenx (ARGX) at 89.64% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Waters (WAT) at 6.99% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ARGX.

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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Both argenx (ARGX) at 53.13% and Waters (WAT) at 0.47% land near their industries' usual EPS growth ranges, so bottom-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.

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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
Revenue Growth (YoY)89.64%6.99%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)116.25%2.12%
EPS Growth (YoY)53.13%0.47%
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)---2.84%

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Neither argenx (ARGX) nor Waters (WAT) reports a current ratio value for this period, so a direct comparison isn’t possible.

ARGX

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

--

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
WAT
--
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): Neither stock reports current ratio, so the chart shows available benchmark boxes without value markers.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

argenx (ARGX) at 0.01 keeps leverage in the lower industry quartile, while Waters (WAT) at 0.34 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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.34

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
WAT
0.34
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): 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 Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
Current Ratio (MRQ)----
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.010.34
Net Debt / EBITDA-2.703.23

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither argenx (ARGX) nor Waters (WAT) 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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither argenx (ARGX) nor Waters (WAT) 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%

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

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

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

argenx (ARGX) at 32.12 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Waters (WAT) at 191.46 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for WAT’s trailing earnings.

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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

191.46

WAT
191.46
Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both argenx (ARGX) at 9.86 and Waters (WAT) at 8.01 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

8.01

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
WAT
8.01
Median
7.30
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Waters (WAT) at 2.94 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

WAT

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.94

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
WAT
2.94
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
Loading chart…
argenx (ARGX) vs. Waters (WAT): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for argenx (ARGX) and Waters (WAT)
MetricARGXWAT
P/E Ratio (TTM)32.12191.46
P/S Ratio (TTM)9.868.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)172.232.94
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)----