Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) 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 ACHC's 5.0% |
| Quality / Margins | ACHC | -33.3% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ACHC | Beta 0.75 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AGIO | -14.9% vs ACHC's -21.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ACHC | -20.0% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC 5.9% 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
Acadia Healthcare operates a network of behavioral healthcare facilities — including psychiatric hospitals, residential treatment centers, and outpatient clinics — across the United States and Puerto Rico. It generates revenue primarily from patient services reimbursed by government payers like Medicaid and Medicare (roughly 50-60%) and commercial insurance (roughly 30-40%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its scale as one of the largest pure-play behavioral health providers, creating operational efficiencies and a broad geographic footprint that supports patient access and referral networks.
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
ACHC leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). AGIO leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ACHC is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.3B annually — 74.0x AGIO's $45M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -33.3% (ACHC) to -9.0% (AGIO). On growth, AGIO holds the edge at +43.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.3B | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $513M | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.1B | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$440M | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +60.6% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +9.7% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -33.3% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -13.3% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.1% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -38.2% | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.1B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $2.25T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.93x | -4.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.68x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.02x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.64x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.99x | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
AGIO delivers a -31.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-31 in annual profit, vs $-52 for ACHC. AGIO carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ACHC's 1.23x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ACHC scores 5/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -51.5% | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -20.0% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.9% | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.5% | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.23x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $133M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.6B | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.82x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AGIO five years ago would be worth $6,363 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,183 for ACHC. Over the past 12 months, AGIO leads with a -14.9% total return vs ACHC's -21.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AGIO at 6.1% vs ACHC's -31.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +64.0% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -21.8% | -14.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -67.7% | +19.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -58.2% | -36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -57.7% | -21.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.4% | +6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ACHC is the less volatile stock with a 0.75 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. ACHC currently trades 69.8% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.75x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $33.58 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.43 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +69.8% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 84.4 | 62.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 3.0M | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ACHC as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.3% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs -15.4% for ACHC (target: $20).
| Metric | ACHCAcadia Healthcare… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $19.82 | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +2.4% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 100 | 44.14 | -55.9% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) returned -36% over 5 years vs Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC)'s -58%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | $2.8B | $3.3B | +17.9% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s revenue grew from $2.8B (2016) to $3.3B (2025) — a 1.8% CAGR. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 0.2% | -33.3% | -15335.0% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s net margin went from 0% (2016) to -33% (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 5 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 14.2 | 14.3 | +0.7% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. has traded in a 14x–29x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~-2x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Healthcare C… (ACHC) | 0.07 | -12.16 | -17471.4% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.07 (2016) to $-12.16 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. generated $-440M FCF in 2025 (-439% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
ACHC vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ACHC or AGIO a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) a "Buy" — based on 25 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 — ACHC or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) delivered a total return of -36.4%, compared to -58.2% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC). A $10,000 investment in AGIO five years ago would be worth approximately $6K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGIO returned -21.2% versus ACHC's -57.7%. 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 — ACHC or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.75β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 21% more volatile than ACHC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 123% for Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ACHC or AGIO?
Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) is the more profitable company, earning -33.3% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps -33.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ACHC leads at 11.7% 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 ACHC 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 — ACHC 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 ACHC or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Acadia Healthcare Company, Inc. (ACHC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.75)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ACHC: -57.7%, 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 ACHC 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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