QGEN vs. VRTX: Qiagen vs. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Stock Comparison
How do Qiagen (QGEN) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) 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
Qiagen (QGEN) and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but QGEN is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services while VRTX is classified in Biotechnology.
| Profile Item | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Qiagen N.V. | Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated Common Stock |
| Country/Region | Netherlands | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Biotechnology |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Life Sciences Tools & Services | Biotechnology |
| Market Capitalization | 10.39 billion USD | 138.71 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | NYSE | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 28, 1996 | July 24, 1991 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 17.09% | 34.89% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 10.44% | 14.44% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -0.72% | 23.65% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 35.52% | 29.73% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.56 | 0.29 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -41.97% | -29.07% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 3.68M | 1.25M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.36 | 1.03 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.60 | 1.68 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 10.81% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 20.80% sit in the top peer quartile for ROE, suggesting each generates more profit from shareholders’ equity than typical industry peers.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.81%
- Max
- 109.18%
- QGEN
- 10.81%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
20.80%
- Max
- 109.18%
- VRTX
- 20.80%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 18.20% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 30.70% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
18.20%
- QGEN
- 18.20%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
30.70%
- VRTX
- 30.70%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 27.75% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 35.57% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
27.75%
- Max
- 83.12%
- QGEN
- 27.75%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
35.57%
- Max
- 83.12%
- VRTX
- 35.57%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 10.81% | 20.80% |
| ROA (TTM) | 5.68% | 10.62% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 18.20% | 30.70% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 27.75% | 35.57% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 67.06% | 54.81% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 5.65% and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 8.90% land near their industries' usual revenue growth ranges, so top-line momentum looks broadly in line with peers on both sides.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Qiagen (QGEN) reports EPS growth of 409.76%, ranked against its industry; Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 5.65% | 8.90% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | -0.81% | 10.35% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | 409.76% | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -0.19% | 6.12% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Qiagen (QGEN) at 2.63 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 2.34 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for VRTX.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.63
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- QGEN
- 2.63
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.34
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- VRTX
- 2.34
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 0.47 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 0.31 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.47
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- QGEN
- 0.47
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.31
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- VRTX
- 0.31
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.63 | 2.34 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.47 | 0.31 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | 1.08 | 0.03 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) pays no dividend (yield 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Qiagen (QGEN) reports a yield of 0.71%, ranking against industry peers normally.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.71%
- QGEN
- 0.71%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- VRTX
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) pays no dividend (payout 0.00%) — it may be reinvesting, using buybacks, or simply not returning cash through dividends. Meanwhile Qiagen (QGEN) reports a payout of 18.21%, ranking against industry peers normally.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
18.21%
- QGEN
- 18.21%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- VRTX
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.71% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 18.21% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Both Qiagen (QGEN) at 27.21 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 35.21 land around their industries’ usual P/E ratio levels — neither is getting a clear earnings-multiple discount or premium versus peers.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
27.21
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- QGEN
- 27.21
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
35.21
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- VRTX
- 35.21
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Qiagen (QGEN) at 4.91 and Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 10.71 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.91
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- QGEN
- 4.91
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.71
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- VRTX
- 10.71
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Qiagen (QGEN) at 2.99 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Vertex Pharmaceuticals (VRTX) at 6.63 carries an above-peer premium to book — VRTX is pricier on assets.
QGEN
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.99
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- QGEN
- 2.99
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
VRTX
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
6.63
- Max
- 13.53
- VRTX
- 6.63
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | QGEN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 27.21 | 35.21 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.91 | 10.71 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 2.99 | 6.63 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 3.62% | 1.69% |