Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (PLX) vs Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AGIO | 48.0% revenue growth vs PLX's -18.5% |
| Value | PLX | Lower P/E (14.4x vs 25.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | VRTX | 31.3% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | VRTX | Beta 0.44 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PLX | +23.6% 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
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Protalix BioTherapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes recombinant therapeutic proteins using its proprietary plant cell-based expression system. It generates revenue primarily from sales of Elelyso for Gaucher disease and through partnerships with pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer and Chiesi Farmaceutici. The company's key competitive advantage is its ProCellEx platform — a plant-based protein expression technology that offers potential manufacturing and cost advantages over traditional mammalian cell systems.
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.
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). PLX leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VRTX is the larger business by revenue, generating $11.7B annually — 261.7x AGIO's $45M. VRTX is the more profitable business, keeping 31.3% 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 | PLXProtalix BioThera… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $62M | $45M | $11.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $8M | -$470M | $4.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $5M | -$401M | $3.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$12M | -$414M | $3.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +57.5% | +84.4% | +86.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +10.3% | -10.6% | +34.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +8.7% | -9.0% | +31.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -18.9% | -9.2% | +28.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -0.6% | +43.7% | +11.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.0% | -111.0% | +4.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 32.4x trailing earnings, VRTX trades at a 59% valuation discount to PLX's 78.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, VRTX's 26.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PLX's 39.1x.
| Metric | PLXProtalix BioThera… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $218M | $2.25T | $126.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $204M | $2.25T | $124.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 78.69x | -4.25x | 32.43x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 14.40x | — | 25.66x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | 3.91x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 39.11x | — | 26.63x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.09x | 9999.00x | 10.52x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.40x | 1.47x | 6.87x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 29.55x | — | 39.51x |
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), PLX scores 6/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | PLXProtalix BioThera… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.2% | -31.2% | +21.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +6.6% | -29.0% | +14.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +8.8% | -26.6% | +22.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.0% | -33.8% | +23.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.13x | 0.03x | 0.20x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$14M | -$49M | $3.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $20M | $89M | $5.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $6M | $40M | $3.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 7.65x | — | 348.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth $23,616 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,914 for PLX. Over the past 12 months, PLX leads with a +23.6% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VRTX at 19.6% vs AGIO's 6.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PLXProtalix BioThera… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +65.5% | +11.2% | +9.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +23.6% | -14.9% | +3.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +48.5% | +19.4% | +71.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -40.9% | -36.4% | +136.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -65.4% | -21.2% | +481.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.1% | +6.1% | +19.6% |
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 | PLXProtalix BioThera… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.74x | 0.91x | 0.44x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.19 | $46.00 | $519.68 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.32 | $22.24 | $362.50 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.3% | +65.7% | +95.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 64.8 | 62.3 | 54.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 948K | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: PLX as "Buy", AGIO as "Buy", VRTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.3% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs 9.7% for VRTX (target: $545).
| Metric | PLXProtalix BioThera… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $41.50 | $545.08 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 29 | 55 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% | +1.6% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protalix BioTherape… (PLX) | 100 | 74.71 | -25.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 100 | 203.2 | +103.2% |
Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) returned +136% over 5 years vs Protalix BioTherape… (PLX)'s -41%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protalix BioTherape… (PLX) | $9M | $53M | +480.5% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | $1.7B | $12.0B | +605.1% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protalix BioTherape… (PLX) | -3.2% | 5.5% | +272.0% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -6.6% | 32.9% | +600.4% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4P/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 ~32x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protalix BioTherape… (PLX) | -0.29 | 0.04 | +112.6% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -0.46 | 15.32 | +3430.4% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. generated $7M FCF in 2024 (+163% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
PLX vs AGIO vs VRTX: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PLX or AGIO or VRTX a better buy right now?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) offers the better valuation at 32.4x trailing P/E (25.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (PLX) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 — PLX or AGIO or VRTX?
On trailing P/E, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the cheapest at 32.4x versus Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. at 78.7x. On forward P/E, Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. is actually cheaper at 14.4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PLX or AGIO or VRTX?
Over the past 5 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) delivered a total return of +136.2%, compared to -40.9% for Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (PLX). 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 PLX's -65.4%. 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 — PLX or AGIO or VRTX?
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 — PLX or AGIO or VRTX?
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 PLX or AGIO or VRTX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (PLX) trades at 14.4x forward P/E versus 25.7x for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated — 11.3x 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 — PLX or AGIO 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.
08Is PLX or AGIO 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), +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 PLX and AGIO 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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