Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Alkermes plc (ALKS) vs Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) 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 ALKS's -5.2% |
| Quality / Margins | ALKS | 16.4% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ALKS | Beta 0.61 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ALKS | -12.3% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ALKS | 9.7% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC 14.9% vs -26.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Alkermes is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes medicines for central nervous system disorders and other serious conditions. It generates revenue primarily from product sales of its proprietary drugs like VIVITROL and ARISTADA — which treat addiction and schizophrenia — along with royalties from partnered products and manufacturing services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized drug delivery technologies that enable long-acting injectable formulations, creating significant barriers to entry for competitors.
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.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
ALKS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AGIO leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ALKS is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.5B annually — 33.0x AGIO's $45M. ALKS is the more profitable business, keeping 16.4% 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 | ALKSAlkermes plc | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.5B | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $281M | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $242M | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $520,800 | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +86.3% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.2% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.4% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.0% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.6% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -67.0% | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.0B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.5B | $2.25T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 21.05x | -4.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 32.04x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.89x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.38x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.79x | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 9571.39x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
ALKS delivers a 13.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 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 ALKS's 0.04x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ALKS scores 5/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.3% | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.7% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.9% | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +14.4% | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.04x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$518M | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $588M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $70M | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 23.55x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ALKS five years ago would be worth $15,677 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,363 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, ALKS leads with a -12.3% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AGIO at 6.1% vs ALKS's 4.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.5% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -12.3% | -14.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +12.6% | +19.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.8% | -36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -6.7% | -21.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +4.0% | +6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ALKS is the less volatile stock with a 0.61 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. ALKS currently trades 82.9% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.61x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $36.32 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $25.17 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +82.9% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.0 | 62.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.6M | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ALKS as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 52.8% upside for ALKS (target: $46) vs 37.3% for AGIO (target: $42).
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $46.00 | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 100 | 164.6 | +64.6% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
Alkermes plc (ALKS) returned +57% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in ALKS 5 years ago would be worth $15,677 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | $746M | $1.5B | +97.9% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
Alkermes plc's revenue grew from $746M (2016) to $1.5B (2025) — a 7.9% CAGR. Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $70M (2016) to $54M (2025) — a -2.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -28.0% | 16.4% | +158.6% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
Alkermes plc's net margin went from -28% (2016) to 16% (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 3 Years
| Stock | 2023 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 13.2 | 19.6 | +48.5% |
Alkermes plc has traded in a 13x–20x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -1.38 | 1.43 | +203.6% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
Alkermes plc's EPS grew from $-1.38 (2016) to $1.43 (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Alkermes plc generated $1M FCF in 2025 (-99% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
ALKS vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ALKS or AGIO a better buy right now?
Alkermes plc (ALKS) offers the better valuation at 21.0x trailing P/E (32.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alkermes plc (ALKS) a "Buy" — based on 28 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 is the better long-term investment — ALKS or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, Alkermes plc (ALKS) delivered a total return of +56.8%, compared to -36.4% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in ALKS five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ALKS returned -6.7% 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.
03Which is safer — ALKS or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.61β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 49% more volatile than ALKS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 4% for Alkermes plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ALKS or AGIO?
Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the more profitable company, earning 16.4% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 16.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALKS leads at 17.2% 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.
05Is ALKS or AGIO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ALKS: 52.8% to $46.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — ALKS or AGIO?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
07Is ALKS or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.61)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ALKS: -6.7%, 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.
08What are the main differences between ALKS and AGIO?
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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