Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) vs Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (COGT) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Safety | AGIO | Beta 0.91 vs COGT's 1.43, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | COGT | +415.9% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AGIO | -29.0% ROA vs COGT's -35.1%, ROIC -26.6% vs -66.4% |
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
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.
Cogent Biosciences is a biotechnology company developing precision therapies for genetically defined diseases, particularly focusing on cancers driven by specific mutations. The company generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements — it currently has no commercial products and relies on funding from partnerships and equity offerings to advance its clinical pipeline. Its key competitive advantage lies in its targeted approach to inhibiting specific oncogenic mutations like KIT D816V, which could offer differentiated efficacy and safety profiles compared to broader kinase inhibitors.
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
COGT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). AGIO leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AGIO and COGT operate at a comparable scale, with $45M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | COGTCogent Bioscience… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $45M | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$470M | -$333M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$401M | -$329M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$414M | -$266M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +84.4% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -10.6% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.0% | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -9.2% | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +43.7% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -111.0% | -13.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | COGTCogent Bioscience… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.25T | $6.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.25T | $6.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -4.25x | -15.24x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 9999.00x | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.47x | 4.13x |
| 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 COGT. AGIO carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COGT's 0.40x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), COGT scores 4/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | COGTCogent Bioscience… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -31.2% | -51.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -29.0% | -35.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -26.6% | -66.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -33.8% | -58.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.40x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$49M | -$59M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $89M | $312M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $40M | $253M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -108.87x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COGT five years ago would be worth $47,205 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,363 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, COGT leads with a +415.9% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COGT at 43.2% vs AGIO's 6.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | COGTCogent Bioscience… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.2% | +11.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -14.9% | +415.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +19.4% | +193.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -36.4% | +372.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -21.2% | -12.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.1% | +43.2% |
Risk & Volatility
AGIO is the less volatile stock with a 0.91 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COGT's 1.43 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. COGT currently trades 88.8% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | COGTCogent Bioscience… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.91x | 1.43x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $46.00 | $43.73 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.24 | $3.72 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.7% | +88.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.3 | 58.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 948K | 1.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AGIO as "Buy" and COGT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.3% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs 23.9% for COGT (target: $48).
| Metric | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… | COGTCogent Bioscience… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $41.50 | $48.13 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 29 | 12 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| 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 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
| Cogent Biosciences,… (COGT) | 100 | 1,725.45 | +1625.5% |
Cogent Biosciences,… (COGT) returned +372% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in COGT 5 years ago would be worth $47,205 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
| Cogent Biosciences,… (COGT) | $6M | $0.00 | -100.0% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $70M (2016) to $54M (2025) — a -2.8% CAGR. Cogent Biosciences, Inc.'s revenue grew from $6M (2016) to $0M (2025) — a -100.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -199.1% | -7.6% | +96.2% |
| Cogent Biosciences,… (COGT) | -2.2% | -9.5% | -330.5% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -199% (2015) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
| Cogent Biosciences,… (COGT) | -2.45 | -2.55 | -4.1% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025). Cogent Biosciences, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-2.45 (2016) to $-2.55 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021). Cogent Biosciences, Inc. generated $-266M FCF in 2025 (-340% vs 2021).
AGIO vs COGT: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AGIO or COGT a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) a "Buy" — based on 29 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 — AGIO or COGT?
Over the past 5 years, Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (COGT) delivered a total return of +372.1%, compared to -36.4% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in COGT five years ago would be worth approximately $47K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COGT returned -12.6% 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 — AGIO or COGT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.91β versus Cogent Biosciences, Inc.'s 1.43β — meaning COGT is approximately 58% more volatile than AGIO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 40% for Cogent Biosciences, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AGIO or COGT?
Cogent Biosciences, Inc. (COGT) is the more profitable company, earning 0.0% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COGT leads at 0.0% 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — AGIO or COGT?
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.
06Is AGIO or COGT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.91)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AGIO: -21.2%, COGT: -12.6%), 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.
07What are the main differences between AGIO and COGT?
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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