ARGX vs. WAT: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARGX and WAT, 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 WAT’s 20.84 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
WAT carries a higher beta at 1.12, 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, WAT is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ARGX | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | argenx SE | Waters Corporation |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Diagnostics & Research |
| CEO | Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, | Udit Batra |
| Price | 543.48 USD | 350.22 USD |
| Market Cap | 33.18 billion USD | 20.84 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.04 | 1.12 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 18, 2017 | November 17, 1995 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARGX and WAT 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.
WAT
38.61%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 57.35%
- Q3
- 18.17%
- Median
- 2.69%
- Q1
- -16.72%
- Min
- -48.78%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, WAT’s Return on Equity of 38.61% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
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.
WAT
18.90%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 42.99%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 3.02%
- Q1
- -11.49%
- Min
- -40.79%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, WAT’s Return on Invested Capital of 18.90% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
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.
WAT
22.02%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 22.76%
- Q3
- 15.19%
- Median
- 1.64%
- Q1
- -22.25%
- Min
- -78.24%
A Net Profit Margin of 22.02% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
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.
WAT
28.37%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 36.06%
- Q3
- 20.26%
- Median
- 6.15%
- Q1
- -21.89%
- Min
- -82.21%
An Operating Profit Margin of 28.37% places WAT in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research 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 | ARGX | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.83% | 38.61% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.45% | 14.31% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -118.38% | 18.90% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.53% | 22.02% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -1.24% | 28.37% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.33% | 62.08% |
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.
WAT
1.81
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 6.91
- Q3
- 4.11
- Median
- 2.46
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.73
WAT’s Current Ratio of 1.81 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Diagnostics & Research 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.
WAT
0.78
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 1.10
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.39
- Q1
- 0.21
- Min
- 0.01
WAT’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.78 is typical for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research 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.
WAT
16.97
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.07
- Q3
- 5.62
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- -38.78
- Min
- -57.46
WAT’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 16.97 is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 7.29 | 1.81 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.68 | 1.28 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.78 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.33 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -189.75 | 1.16 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -20.85 | 16.97 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARGX and WAT. 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.
WAT
0.00%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 2.76%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT 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.
WAT
0.00%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.46%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WAT 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 | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| 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.
WAT
31.68
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 48.28
- Q3
- 44.64
- Median
- 29.13
- Q1
- 22.34
- Min
- 15.59
WAT’s P/E Ratio of 31.68 is within the middle range for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
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.
WAT
3.23
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 4.18
- Q3
- 3.64
- Median
- 2.40
- Q1
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.04
WAT’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.23 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
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.
WAT
6.99
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 12.53
- Q3
- 6.19
- Median
- 3.58
- Q1
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.58
WAT’s P/S Ratio of 6.99 is in the upper echelon for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
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.
WAT
10.61
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 10.67
- Q3
- 5.74
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.39
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | WAT |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 48.48 | 31.68 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.27 | 3.23 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 15.66 | 6.99 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.35 | 10.61 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -432.72 | 33.66 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 4329.99 | 22.10 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 15.00 | 7.37 |