ARGX vs. WST: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARGX and WST, 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 WST’s 15.97 billion USD, indicating a significant difference in their market valuations.
WST carries a higher beta at 1.09, 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, WST is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ARGX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | argenx SE | West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Instruments & Supplies |
| CEO | Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, | Eric M. Green |
| Price | 543.48 USD | 222.26 USD |
| Market Cap | 33.18 billion USD | 15.97 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.04 | 1.09 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 18, 2017 | March 17, 1980 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARGX and WST 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.
WST
17.47%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 26.65%
- Q3
- 13.00%
- Median
- 1.08%
- Q1
- -8.11%
- Min
- -38.20%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, WST’s Return on Equity of 17.47% 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.
WST
14.41%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 20.14%
- Q3
- 7.36%
- Median
- 1.97%
- Q1
- -6.22%
- Min
- -20.00%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, WST’s Return on Invested Capital of 14.41% 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.
WST
16.13%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 28.95%
- Q3
- 11.24%
- Median
- -2.83%
- Q1
- -12.85%
- Min
- -26.41%
A Net Profit Margin of 16.13% places WST in the upper quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies 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.
WST
19.29%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 32.10%
- Q3
- 16.03%
- Median
- 2.28%
- Q1
- -7.96%
- Min
- -26.84%
An Operating Profit Margin of 19.29% places WST in the upper quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies 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 | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.83% | 17.47% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.45% | 12.91% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -118.38% | 14.41% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.53% | 16.13% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -1.24% | 19.29% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.33% | 34.59% |
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.
WST
2.77
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 6.79
- Q3
- 4.57
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.81
- Min
- 1.10
WST’s Current Ratio of 2.77 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Instruments & Supplies 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.
WST
0.11
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 1.46
- Q3
- 0.74
- Median
- 0.41
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.03
Falling into the lower quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, WST’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.11 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
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.
WST
310.39
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 25.04
- Q3
- 8.80
- Median
- 3.66
- Q1
- -3.85
- Min
- -11.93
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 310.39, WST demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 7.29 | 2.77 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.68 | 2.03 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.11 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -189.75 | -0.14 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -20.85 | 310.39 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARGX and WST. 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.
WST
0.37%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 4.02%
- Q3
- 0.38%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WST’s Dividend Yield of 0.37% is consistent with its peers in the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
WST
12.76%
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 76.77%
- Q3
- 11.37%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
WST’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 12.76% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.37% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 12.76% |
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.
WST
34.49
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 45.65
- Q3
- 44.10
- Median
- 35.47
- Q1
- 29.60
- Min
- 21.65
WST’s P/E Ratio of 34.49 is within the middle range for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies 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.
WST
3.48
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 5.80
- Q3
- 3.68
- Median
- 2.56
- Q1
- 1.87
- Min
- 0.22
WST’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.48 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Instruments & Supplies 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.
WST
5.51
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 12.87
- Q3
- 6.95
- Median
- 3.45
- Q1
- 2.24
- Min
- 0.71
WST’s P/S Ratio of 5.51 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
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.
WST
6.01
Medical - Instruments & Supplies Industry
- Max
- 9.60
- Q3
- 5.48
- Median
- 3.37
- Q1
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.65
WST’s P/B Ratio of 6.01 is in the upper tier for the Medical - Instruments & Supplies industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | WST |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 48.48 | 34.49 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.27 | 3.48 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 15.66 | 5.51 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.35 | 6.01 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -432.72 | 52.03 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 4329.99 | 21.75 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 15.00 | 5.48 |