Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) 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 LGND's 27.3% |
| Quality / Margins |  LGND | 19.3% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | LGND | Beta 0.82 vs AGIO's 0.91, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | LGND | +81.1% vs AGIO's -17.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LGND | 3.3% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC -2.3% vs -26.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
LGNDDividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.82
Growth exposure
AGIORev growth 48.0%, EPS growth -161.2%, 3Y rev CAGR 56.0%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
LGND104.3% 10Y total return vs AGIO's -40.9%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
LGNDLower volatility, beta 0.82, Low D/E 0.9%, current ratio 8.93x
Defensive / Recession hedge
LGNDBeta 0.82, current ratio 8.93x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Ligand Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and acquires drug discovery technologies and royalty-bearing assets for pharmaceutical partners. It generates revenue primarily through royalties from partnered drug sales — including blockbusters like Kyprolis and Veklury — supplemented by milestone payments and contract research services. Its key competitive advantage lies in its diversified portfolio of royalty streams and its Captisol drug formulation technology, which creates multiple revenue sources from single platform innovations.
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
LGND 5AGIO 0LGND6/6 metricsLGND2/3 metricsLGND8/8 metricsLGND6/6 metricsLGND2/2 metricsLGND leads in 5 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LGND is the larger business by revenue, generating $251M annually — 5.6x AGIO's $45M. LGND is the more profitable business, keeping 19.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AGIO's -9.0%. On growth, LGND holds the edge at +122.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LGNDLigand Pharmaceut… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $251M | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $52M | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $49M | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $31M | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +85.9% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +7.0% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +19.3% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +12.2% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +122.8% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.6% | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | LGNDLigand Pharmaceut… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.1B | $2.10T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.0B | $2.10T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -949.77x | -3.96x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 24.61x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 319.95x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 24.57x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.60x | 1.37x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 53.06x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
LGND delivers a 5.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $-31 for AGIO. LGND carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AGIO's 0.03x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LGND scores 5/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | LGNDLigand Pharmaceut… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.1% | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.3% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.3% | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -2.7% | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$65M | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $72M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7M | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 22.69x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LGND five years ago would be worth $14,470 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,766 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, LGND leads with a +81.1% total return vs AGIO's -17.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LGND at 43.0% vs AGIO's 5.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LGNDLigand Pharmaceut… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +9.9% | +3.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +81.1% | -17.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +192.2% | +16.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +44.7% | -42.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +104.3% | -40.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +43.0% | +5.3% |
Risk & Volatility
LGND is the less volatile stock with a 0.82 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. LGND currently trades 98.3% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 61.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LGNDLigand Pharmaceut… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.82x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $212.49 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $93.58 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +98.3% | +61.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | — | — |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 172K | 891K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LGND as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 47.2% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs 18.7% for LGND (target: $248).
| Metric | LGNDLigand Pharmaceut… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $248.00 | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| 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 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ligand Pharmaceutic… (LGND) | 100 | 189.96 | +90.0% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 60.08 | -39.9% |
Ligand Pharmaceutic… (LGND) returned +45% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -42%. A $10,000 investment in LGND 5 years ago would be worth $14,470 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ligand Pharmaceutic… (LGND) | $109M | $167M | +53.4% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ligand Pharmaceutic… (LGND) | -1.5% | -2.4% | -60.7% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 5 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ligand Pharmaceutic… (LGND) | 258.4 | 24.3 | -90.6% |
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has traded in a 3x–258x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~-950x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ligand Pharmaceutic… (LGND) | -0.08 | -0.22 | -180.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated generated $77M FCF in 2024 (+11% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
LGND vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LGND or AGIO a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) a "Buy" — based on 16 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 — LGND or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) delivered a total return of +44.7%, compared to -42.3% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in LGND five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LGND returned +104.3% versus AGIO's -40.9%. 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 — LGND or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) is the lower-risk stock at 0.82β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 11% more volatile than LGND relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 3% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — LGND or AGIO?
Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) is the more profitable company, earning -2.4% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps -2.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LGND leads at -13.5% versus -873.9% for AGIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LGND leads at 93.4%, 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 LGND or AGIO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGIO: 47.2% to $41.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — LGND 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 LGND or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (LGND) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.82), +104.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LGND: +104.3%, AGIO: -40.9%), 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 LGND 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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