Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) vs Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AGIO | 48.0% revenue growth vs ABBV's 3.7% |
| Quality / Margins | ABBV | 4.0% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ABBV | Beta 0.42 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | ABBV | 2.7% yield; 12-year raise streak; AGIO pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ABBV | +14.2% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ABBV | 1.8% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC 11.1% 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
AbbVie is a global biopharmaceutical company that develops and markets innovative medicines for serious health conditions. It generates revenue primarily from prescription drug sales — with immunology drugs like Skyrizi and Rinvoq now driving growth as Humira faces biosimilar competition — and also earns income from its aesthetics portfolio including Botox. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep R&D pipeline, strong patent portfolio, and established commercial infrastructure for launching new blockbuster therapies.
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
ABBV leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AGIO leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ABBV is the larger business by revenue, generating $59.6B annually — 1331.6x AGIO's $45M. ABBV is the more profitable business, keeping 4.0% 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 | ABBVAbbVie Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $59.6B | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $17.3B | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2.4B | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $20.6B | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +69.7% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +15.2% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +4.0% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +34.5% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.1% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -88.7% | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ABBVAbbVie Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $410.1B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $472.4B | $2.25T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 97.08x | -4.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.95x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.96x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 7.28x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 122.29x | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 23.00x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
ABBV delivers a 62.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $62 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 ABBV's 20.17x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ABBV scores 6/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ABBVAbbVie Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +62.2% | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.8% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +11.1% | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.5% | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 20.17x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $62.3B | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5.5B | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $67.8B | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.58x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ABBV five years ago would be worth $24,166 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,363 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, ABBV leads with a +14.2% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ABBV at 17.7% vs AGIO's 6.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ABBVAbbVie Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.9% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +14.2% | -14.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +63.1% | +19.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +141.7% | -36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +413.0% | -21.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +17.7% | +6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ABBV is the less volatile stock with a 0.42 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. ABBV currently trades 94.8% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ABBVAbbVie Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.42x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $244.81 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $164.39 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +94.8% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 49.6 | 62.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.7M | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ABBV as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.3% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs 10.4% for ABBV (target: $256). ABBV is the only dividend payer here at 2.68% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ABBVAbbVie Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $256.15 | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 39 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.7% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 12 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $6.22 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 100 | 254.41 | +154.4% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) returned +142% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in ABBV 5 years ago would be worth $24,166 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | $25.6B | $56.3B | +119.7% |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 23.2% | 7.6% | -67.3% |
| 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 — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 29.3 | 74.4 | +153.9% |
AbbVie Inc. has traded in a 17x–74x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~97x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) | 3.63 | 2.39 | -34.2% |
| 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
AbbVie Inc. generated $18B FCF in 2024 (-19% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
ABBV vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ABBV or AGIO a better buy right now?
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) offers the better valuation at 97.1x trailing P/E (16.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) a "Buy" — based on 39 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 — ABBV or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) delivered a total return of +141.7%, compared to -36.4% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in ABBV five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABBV returned +413.0% 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 — ABBV or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the lower-risk stock at 0.42β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 114% more volatile than ABBV 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 AbbVie Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ABBV or AGIO?
AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the more profitable company, earning 7.6% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 7.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ABBV leads at 16.2% 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 ABBV or AGIO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGIO: 37.3% to $41.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — ABBV or AGIO?
In this comparison, ABBV (2.7% yield) pays a dividend. AGIO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is ABBV or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, AbbVie Inc. (ABBV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.42), 2.7% yield, +413.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ABBV: +413.0%, 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 ABBV 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. ABBV pays a dividend while AGIO does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.