ARGX vs. ZTS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ARGX and ZTS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ZTS’s market capitalization of 70.87 billion USD is significantly greater than ARGX’s 33.18 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
ZTS carries a higher beta at 0.94, 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, ZTS is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ARGX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | argenx SE | Zoetis Inc. |
| Country | NL | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic |
| CEO | Timothy Van Hauwermeiren EMBA, | Kristin C. Peck |
| Price | 543.48 USD | 159.18 USD |
| Market Cap | 33.18 billion USD | 70.87 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.04 | 0.94 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | May 18, 2017 | February 1, 2013 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ARGX and ZTS 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.
ZTS
51.32%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 51.32%
- Q3
- 9.89%
- Median
- -3.37%
- Q1
- -20.99%
- Min
- -36.07%
In the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry, ZTS’s Return on Equity of 51.32% 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.
ZTS
22.54%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 22.54%
- Q3
- 8.45%
- Median
- 1.42%
- Q1
- -9.01%
- Min
- -28.41%
In the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry, ZTS’s Return on Invested Capital of 22.54% 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.
ZTS
27.12%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 40.33%
- Q3
- 11.92%
- Median
- -0.45%
- Q1
- -13.07%
- Min
- -34.27%
A Net Profit Margin of 27.12% places ZTS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
ZTS
37.01%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 46.91%
- Q3
- 19.02%
- Median
- 6.23%
- Q1
- -11.23%
- Min
- -51.89%
An Operating Profit Margin of 37.01% places ZTS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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 | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 16.83% | 51.32% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | 13.45% | 17.86% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -118.38% | 22.54% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | 37.53% | 27.12% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -1.24% | 37.01% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 46.33% | 70.20% |
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.
ZTS
1.74
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 5.74
- Q3
- 3.37
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.73
- Min
- 0.88
ZTS’s Current Ratio of 1.74 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
ZTS
1.45
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 1.45
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.13
- Min
- 0.00
ZTS’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.45. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
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.
ZTS
15.55
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 10.17
- Q3
- 3.39
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- -2.63
- Min
- -5.84
With an Interest Coverage Ratio of 15.55, ZTS demonstrates a superior capacity to service its debt, placing it well above the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry. This stems from either robust earnings or a conservative debt load.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 7.29 | 1.74 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 6.68 | 1.04 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 1.45 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.48 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -189.75 | 1.26 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -20.85 | 15.55 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ARGX and ZTS. 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.
ZTS
1.17%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 9.29%
- Q3
- 0.31%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 1.17%, ZTS offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
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.
ZTS
32.25%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 125.42%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ZTS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 32.25% is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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 | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 1.17% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 32.25% |
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.
ZTS
28.30
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 40.89
- Q3
- 28.12
- Median
- 23.94
- Q1
- 18.79
- Min
- 7.76
A P/E Ratio of 28.30 places ZTS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry. This high valuation relative to peers suggests the market holds elevated expectations for the company’s future growth.
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.
ZTS
3.05
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 4.19
- Q3
- 2.94
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.00
A Forward PEG Ratio of 3.05 places ZTS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
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.
ZTS
7.63
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 7.49
- Q3
- 4.45
- Median
- 2.12
- Q1
- 1.21
- Min
- 0.25
With a P/S Ratio of 7.63, ZTS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
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.
ZTS
15.31
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 4.93
- Q3
- 3.95
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.13
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ARGX | ZTS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | 48.48 | 28.30 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 1.27 | 3.05 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 15.66 | 7.63 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 7.35 | 15.31 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -432.72 | 31.07 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | 4329.99 | 19.06 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 15.00 | 8.17 |