Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) vs Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AGIO | 48.0% revenue growth vs REGN's 1.0% |
| Value | REGN | Lower P/E (17.3x vs 25.7x), PEG 2.73 vs 3.10 |
| Quality / Margins | REGN | 31.4% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | VRTX | Beta 0.44 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | REGN | 0.4% yield; 1-year raise streak; AGIO, VRTX pay no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | REGN | +12.4% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VRTX | 14.8% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC 22.8% vs -26.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Valuation efficiency (growth/$)
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Agios Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for rare genetic diseases related to cellular metabolism. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its lead drug PYRUKYND for pyruvate kinase deficiency — with additional income from research collaborations and milestone payments — while advancing a pipeline of other metabolic therapies. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in cellular metabolism science and proprietary platform for targeting metabolic pathways in rare diseases.
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing transformative medicines for serious diseases, with its flagship franchise targeting cystic fibrosis. It generates nearly all its revenue from CF therapies — primarily Trikafta/Kaftrio — while building a pipeline in pain, kidney disease, and type 1 diabetes. Its moat stems from deep scientific expertise in CFTR biology and a dominant, near-monopoly position in the CF treatment market.
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and commercializes innovative medicines for serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its flagship products — EYLEA for eye diseases (~60% of revenue) and Dupixent for inflammatory conditions (~30%) — with additional income from collaborations and royalties. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary VelocImmune technology platform for creating human antibodies and its deep expertise in genetic research, which enables rapid drug discovery and development.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 3 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
VRTX leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). REGN leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
REGN is the larger business by revenue, generating $14.3B annually — 320.2x AGIO's $45M. REGN is the more profitable business, keeping 31.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AGIO's -9.0%. On growth, AGIO holds the edge at +43.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | REGNRegeneron Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $45M | $11.7B | $14.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$470M | $4.2B | $4.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$401M | $3.7B | $4.5B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$414M | $3.3B | $3.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +84.4% | +86.3% | +86.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -10.6% | +34.1% | +25.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.0% | +31.3% | +31.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -9.2% | +28.5% | +22.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +43.7% | +11.0% | +2.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -111.0% | +4.7% | -2.5% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.8x trailing earnings, REGN trades at a 42% valuation discount to VRTX's 32.4x P/E. Adjusting for growth (PEG ratio), REGN offers better value at 2.98x vs VRTX's 3.91x — a lower PEG means you pay less per unit of expected earnings growth.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | REGNRegeneron Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.25T | $126.2B | $107.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.25T | $124.8B | $91.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -4.25x | 32.43x | 18.84x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 25.66x | 17.25x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 3.91x | 2.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 26.63x | 21.64x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 9999.00x | 10.52x | 7.50x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.47x | 6.87x | 2.72x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.51x | 26.36x |
Profitability & Efficiency
VRTX delivers a 21.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $21 in annual profit, vs $-31 for AGIO. AGIO carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to VRTX's 0.20x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), REGN scores 7/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | REGNRegeneron Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -31.2% | +21.2% | +14.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -29.0% | +14.8% | +11.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -26.6% | +22.8% | +12.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -33.8% | +23.0% | +10.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.20x | 0.09x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$49M | $3.7B | -$16.2B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $89M | $5.1B | $18.9B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $40M | $3.7B | $2.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 348.55x | 120.42x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth $23,616 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,363 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, REGN leads with a +12.4% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VRTX at 19.6% vs REGN's 1.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | REGNRegeneron Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.2% | +9.9% | +0.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -14.9% | +3.6% | +12.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.4% | +71.1% | +3.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -36.4% | +136.2% | +69.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.2% | +481.2% | +104.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.1% | +19.6% | +1.1% |
Risk & Volatility
VRTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.44 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AGIO's 0.91 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. VRTX currently trades 95.6% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | REGNRegeneron Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.91x | 0.44x | 0.58x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $46.00 | $519.68 | $821.11 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.24 | $362.50 | $476.49 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.7% | +95.6% | +95.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.3 | 54.6 | 49.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 948K | 1.2M | 687K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: AGIO as "Buy", VRTX as "Buy", REGN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.3% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs 9.7% for REGN (target: $857). REGN is the only dividend payer here at 0.44% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | REGNRegeneron Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $41.50 | $545.08 | $857.17 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | 55 | 48 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | $3.41 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.6% | +3.2% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 60.2 | -39.8% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 100 | 206.79 | +106.8% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceu… (REGN) | 100 | 163.58 | +63.6% |
Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) returned +136% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in VRTX 5 years ago would be worth $23,616 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | $1.7B | $12.0B | +605.1% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceu… (REGN) | $4.9B | $14.3B | +195.1% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $70M (2016) to $54M (2025) — a -2.8% CAGR. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's revenue grew from $1.7B (2016) to $12.0B (2025) — a 24.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -6.6% | 32.9% | +600.4% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceu… (REGN) | 18.4% | 31.4% | +70.5% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's net margin went from -7% (2016) to 33% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 144.1 | 29.6 | -79.5% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceu… (REGN) | 36.4 | 18.6 | -48.9% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has traded in a 21x–144x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~32x. Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has traded in a 9x–36x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~19x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -0.46 | 15.32 | +3430.4% |
| Regeneron Pharmaceu… (REGN) | 7.7 | 41.48 | +438.7% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's EPS grew from $-0.46 (2016) to $15.32 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+33% vs 2021).
AGIO vs VRTX vs REGN: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AGIO or VRTX or REGN a better buy right now?
Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) offers the better valuation at 18.8x trailing P/E (17.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) a "Buy" — based on 29 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — AGIO or VRTX or REGN?
On trailing P/E, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) is the cheapest at 18.8x versus Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated at 32.4x. On forward P/E, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 17.3x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. wins at 2.73x versus Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's 3.10x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AGIO or VRTX or REGN?
Over the past 5 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) delivered a total return of +136.2%, compared to -36.4% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VRTX returned +481.2% versus AGIO's -21.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — AGIO or VRTX or REGN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.44β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 105% more volatile than VRTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 20% for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — AGIO or VRTX or REGN?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the more profitable company, earning 32.9% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 32.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VRTX leads at 39.1% versus -873.9% for AGIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AGIO leads at 88.3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is AGIO or VRTX or REGN more undervalued right now?
The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential. By this metric, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 2.73x versus Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's 3.10x. Both stocks trade at elevated growth-adjusted valuations, so expected growth needs to materialise. On forward earnings alone, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (REGN) trades at 17.3x forward P/E versus 25.7x for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated — 8.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGIO: 37.3% to $41.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — AGIO or VRTX or REGN?
In this comparison, REGN (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. AGIO, VRTX do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is AGIO or VRTX or REGN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.44), +481.2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (VRTX: +481.2%, AGIO: -21.2%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between AGIO and VRTX and REGN?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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