Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Safety |  CDT | Beta 0.34 vs VRTX's 0.44 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) |  VRTX | -2.8% vs CDT's -99.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VRTX | 14.8% ROA vs CDT's -237.4% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
CDTbeta 0.34
Growth exposure
VRTXRev growth 8.9%, EPS growth 8.4%, 3Y rev CAGR 10.4%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
VRTX425.4% 10Y total return vs CDT's -100.0%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
CDTLower volatility, beta 0.34, current ratio 0.25x
Defensive / Recession hedge
CDTBeta 0.34, current ratio 0.25x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
CDT Equity is a healthcare company that facilitates the development and commercialization of clinical-stage medical assets. It generates revenue through licensing agreements, milestone payments, and equity stakes in the biotech companies it partners with — typically taking a share of future commercial success. Its key advantage lies in its founders' deep pharmaceutical industry expertise and strategic approach to identifying promising clinical assets with commercial potential.
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.
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
CDT 2VRTX 2CDT1/1 metricsCDT1/1 metricsVRTX4/6 metricsVRTX6/6 metricsCDT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). VRTX leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VRTX and CDT operate at a comparable scale, with $11.7B and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $11.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$17M | $4.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$20M | $3.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $34M | $3.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +86.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +34.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +31.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +28.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +11.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.1% | +4.7% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1M | $121.4B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8M | $120.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.03x | 31.19x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 24.68x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 3.77x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 25.60x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 10.11x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 6.61x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 38.01x |
Profitability & Efficiency
VRTX delivers a 21.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $21 in annual profit, vs $-5 for CDT. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VRTX scores 5/9 vs CDT's 1/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.7% | +21.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.4% | +14.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +22.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +23.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.20x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7M | $3.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $554,000 | $5.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7M | $3.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -15.44x | 348.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth $22,544 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $0 for CDT. Over the past 12 months, VRTX leads with a -2.8% total return vs CDT's -99.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VRTX at 17.9% vs CDT's -98.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -50.8% | +5.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -99.4% | -2.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +63.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +125.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +425.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -98.2% | +17.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CDT is the less volatile stock with a 0.34 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VRTX's 0.44 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. VRTX currently trades 92.0% from its 52-week high vs CDT's 0.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.34x | 0.44x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $168.00 | $519.68 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.58 | $362.50 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +0.4% | +92.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 27.2 | 50.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 575K | 1.4M |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $545.08 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 55 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.7% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 22 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) | 100 | 0 | -100.0% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 100 | 182.62 | +82.6% |
Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) returned +125% over 5 years vs CDT Equity Inc. (CDT)'s -100%. A $10,000 investment in VRTX 5 years ago would be worth $22,544 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | $1.7B | $12.0B | +605.1% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's revenue grew from $1.7B (2016) to $12.0B (2025) — a 24.2% CAGR.
Chart 3P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 144.1 | 29.6 | -79.5% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has traded in a 21x–144x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~31x.
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) | -1.01 | -20.53 | -1932.7% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -0.46 | 15.32 | +3430.4% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's EPS grew from $-0.46 (2016) to $15.32 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CDT Equity Inc. generated $-10M FCF in 2024 (-352% vs 2021). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+33% vs 2021).
CDT vs VRTX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CDT or VRTX a better buy right now?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) offers the better valuation at 31.2x trailing P/E (24.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) a "Buy" — based on 55 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 — CDT or VRTX?
Over the past 5 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) delivered a total return of +125.4%, compared to -100.0% for CDT Equity Inc. (CDT). A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VRTX returned +425.4% versus CDT's -100.0%. 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 — CDT or VRTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.34β versus Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's 0.44β — meaning VRTX is approximately 29% more volatile than CDT relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — CDT or VRTX?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the more profitable company, earning 32.9% net margin versus 0.0% for CDT Equity 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 0.0% for CDT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VRTX leads at 86.2%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — CDT or VRTX?
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.
06Is CDT or VRTX 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), +425.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (VRTX: +425.4%, CDT: -100.0%), 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.
07What are the main differences between CDT and VRTX?
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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