TERN
Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$4.64B
5Y Perf.+133.8%
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Stock Comparison
TERN vs AKRO
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
AKRO
Akero Therapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$4.50B
5Y Perf.+78.8%
TERN vs AKRO — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | TERN | AKRO |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $4.64B | $4.50B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-94M | $-293M |
| Total Debt | $1M | $36M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $161M | $340M |
TERN vs AKRO — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
TERN
AKRO
| Stock | Feb 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Terns Pharmaceutica… (TERN) | 100 | 233.8 | +133.8% |
| Akero Therapeutics,… (AKRO) | 100 | 178.8 | +78.8% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: TERN vs AKRO
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: TERN leads in 3 of 6 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and recent price momentum and sentiment. Akero Therapeutics, Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for profitability and margin quality and capital preservation and lower volatility. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
TERN
Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The Growth Play
TERN carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night.
- EPS growth 11.8%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.39, Low D/E 0.4%, current ratio 23.14x
- -7.6% revenue growth vs AKRO's -24.6%
Best for: growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night
AKRO
Akero Therapeutics, Inc.
The Income Pick
AKRO is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and long-term compounding.
- beta 0.35
- 198.3% 10Y total return vs TERN's 188.0%
- Beta 0.35, current ratio 19.38x
Best for: income & stability and long-term compounding
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | TERN | -7.6% revenue growth vs AKRO's -24.6% |
| Quality / Margins | AKRO | 4.0% margin vs TERN's 3.7% |
| Stability / Safety | AKRO | Beta 0.35 vs TERN's 0.39 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | TERN | +16.6% vs AKRO's +30.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | TERN | -28.5% ROA vs AKRO's -29.1%, ROIC -42.2% vs -55.3% |
TERN vs AKRO — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLTERNLAGGINGAKRO
AKROAkero Therapeutics, I…
1leads
TERNTerns Pharmaceuticals…
2leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs AKROMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
AKRO1/1
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
Tied
—
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
TERN7/8
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
TERN4/5
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AKRO leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TERN and AKRO operate at a comparable scale, with $0 and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | TERNTerns Pharmaceuti… | AKROAkero Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$108M | -$318M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$94M | -$293M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$78M | -$250M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.6% | +5.7% |
AKRO leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — TERN and AKRO each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | TERNTerns Pharmaceuti… | AKROAkero Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.6B | $4.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.5B | $4.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -47.29x | -14.57x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 12.18x | 4.89x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Evenly matched — TERN and AKRO each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
TERN leads this category, winning 7 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
TERN delivers a -30.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-30 in annual profit, vs $-31 for AKRO. TERN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AKRO's 0.05x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), TERN scores 3/9 vs AKRO's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | TERNTerns Pharmaceuti… | AKROAkero Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -30.0% | -30.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -28.5% | -29.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -42.2% | -55.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -33.7% | -42.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.05x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$160M | -$304M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $161M | $340M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1M | $36M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -62.41x |
TERN leads this category, winning 7 of 8 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
TERN leads this category, winning 4 of 5 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in TERN five years ago would be worth $32,981 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $20,724 for AKRO. Over the past 12 months, TERN leads with a +1659.7% total return vs AKRO's +30.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TERN at 59.1% vs AKRO's 6.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | TERNTerns Pharmaceuti… | AKROAkero Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +32.1% | — |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +1659.7% | +30.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +302.8% | +20.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +229.8% | +107.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +188.0% | +198.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +59.1% | +6.3% |
TERN leads this category, winning 4 of 5 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — TERN and AKRO each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
AKRO is the less volatile stock with a 0.35 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than TERN's 0.39 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. TERN currently trades 99.6% from its 52-week high vs AKRO's 95.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | TERNTerns Pharmaceuti… | AKROAkero Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.39x | 0.35x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $53.18 | $57.35 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.66 | $37.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.6% | +95.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 73.9 | 70.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 6.7M | 0 |
Evenly matched — TERN and AKRO each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TERN as "Buy" and AKRO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 4.9% upside for TERN (target: $56) vs -11.4% for AKRO (target: $48).
| Metric | TERNTerns Pharmaceuti… | AKROAkero Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $55.56 | $48.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 14 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
TERN leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). AKRO leads in 1 (Income & Cash Flow). 2 tied.
Best OverallTerns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TERN)Leads 2 of 6 categories
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TERN vs AKRO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TERN or AKRO a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(TERN) 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 — TERN or AKRO?
Over the past 5 years, Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(TERN) delivered a total return of +229. 8%, compared to +107. 2% for Akero Therapeutics, Inc. (AKRO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AKRO returned +198. 3% versus TERN's +188. 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 — TERN or AKRO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Akero Therapeutics, Inc.
(AKRO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 35β versus Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. 's 0. 39β — meaning TERN is approximately 13% more volatile than AKRO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TERN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 5% for Akero Therapeutics, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — TERN or AKRO?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
grew EPS 11. 8% year-over-year, compared to -29. 8% for Akero Therapeutics, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — TERN or AKRO?
Terns Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(TERN) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus 0. 0% for Akero Therapeutics, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TERN leads at 0. 0% versus 0. 0% for AKRO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TERN leads at 0. 0%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — TERN or AKRO?
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 TERN or AKRO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Akero Therapeutics, Inc.
(AKRO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 35), +198. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AKRO: +198. 3%, TERN: +188. 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.
08What are the main differences between TERN and AKRO?
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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