Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Alkermes plc (ALKS) 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 | VRTX | 8.9% revenue growth vs ALKS's -5.2% |
| Value | VRTX | Lower P/E (25.7x vs 32.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | VRTX | 31.3% net margin vs ALKS's 16.4% |
| Stability / Safety | VRTX | Beta 0.44 vs ALKS's 0.61 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | VRTX | +3.6% vs ALKS's -12.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VRTX | 14.8% ROA vs ALKS's 9.7%, ROIC 22.8% vs 14.9% |
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
Alkermes is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes medicines for central nervous system disorders and other serious conditions. It generates revenue primarily from product sales of its proprietary drugs like VIVITROL and ARISTADA — which treat addiction and schizophrenia — along with royalties from partnered products and manufacturing services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized drug delivery technologies that enable long-acting injectable formulations, creating significant barriers to entry for competitors.
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 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
VRTX leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). ALKS leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VRTX is the larger business by revenue, generating $11.7B annually — 7.9x ALKS's $1.5B. VRTX is the more profitable business, keeping 31.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ALKS's 16.4%. On growth, VRTX holds the edge at +11.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.5B | $11.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $281M | $4.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $242M | $3.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $520,800 | $3.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +86.3% | +86.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +17.2% | +34.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +16.4% | +31.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +0.0% | +28.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.6% | +11.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -67.0% | +4.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 21.0x trailing earnings, ALKS trades at a 35% valuation discount to VRTX's 32.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, ALKS's 15.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than VRTX's 26.6x.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.0B | $126.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.5B | $124.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 21.05x | 32.43x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 32.04x | 25.66x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 3.91x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 15.89x | 26.63x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.38x | 10.52x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.79x | 6.87x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 9571.39x | 39.51x |
Profitability & Efficiency
VRTX delivers a 21.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $21 in annual profit, vs $13 for ALKS. ALKS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to VRTX's 0.20x.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.3% | +21.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.7% | +14.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +14.9% | +22.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +14.4% | +23.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.04x | 0.20x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$518M | $3.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $588M | $5.1B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $70M | $3.7B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 23.55x | 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 $15,677 for ALKS. Over the past 12 months, VRTX leads with a +3.6% total return vs ALKS's -12.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VRTX at 19.6% vs ALKS's 4.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.5% | +9.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -12.3% | +3.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +12.6% | +71.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.8% | +136.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -6.7% | +481.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +4.0% | +19.6% |
Risk & Volatility
VRTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.44 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ALKS's 0.61 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 ALKS's 82.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.61x | 0.44x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $36.32 | $519.68 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $25.17 | $362.50 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +82.9% | +95.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 39.0 | 54.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.6M | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ALKS as "Buy" and VRTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 52.8% upside for ALKS (target: $46) vs 9.7% for VRTX (target: $545).
| Metric | ALKSAlkermes plc | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $46.00 | $545.08 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 28 | 55 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 100 | 164.6 | +64.6% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 100 | 203.2 | +103.2% |
Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) returned +136% over 5 years vs Alkermes plc (ALKS)'s +57%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | $746M | $1.5B | +97.9% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | $1.7B | $12.0B | +605.1% |
Alkermes plc's revenue grew from $746M (2016) to $1.5B (2025) — a 7.9% CAGR. Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's revenue grew from $1.7B (2016) to $12.0B (2025) — a 24.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -28.0% | 16.4% | +158.6% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -6.6% | 32.9% | +600.4% |
Alkermes plc's net margin went from -28% (2016) to 16% (2025). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's net margin went from -7% (2016) to 33% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 13.2 | 19.6 | +48.5% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 144.1 | 29.6 | -79.5% |
Alkermes plc has traded in a 13x–20x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -1.38 | 1.43 | +203.6% |
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -0.46 | 15.32 | +3430.4% |
Alkermes plc's EPS grew from $-1.38 (2016) to $1.43 (2025). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's EPS grew from $-0.46 (2016) to $15.32 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Alkermes plc generated $1M FCF in 2025 (-99% vs 2021). Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+33% vs 2021).
ALKS vs VRTX: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ALKS or VRTX a better buy right now?
Alkermes plc (ALKS) offers the better valuation at 21.0x trailing P/E (32.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alkermes plc (ALKS) a "Buy" — based on 28 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 — ALKS or VRTX?
On trailing P/E, Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the cheapest at 21.0x versus Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated at 32.4x. On forward P/E, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated is actually cheaper at 25.7x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — ALKS or VRTX?
Over the past 5 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) delivered a total return of +136.2%, compared to +56.8% for Alkermes plc (ALKS). 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 ALKS's -6.7%. 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 — ALKS or VRTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.44β versus Alkermes plc's 0.61β — meaning ALKS is approximately 38% more volatile than VRTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alkermes plc (ALKS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 20% for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — ALKS or VRTX?
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the more profitable company, earning 32.9% net margin versus 16.4% for Alkermes plc — 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 17.2% for ALKS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ALKS leads at 86.3%, 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 ALKS or VRTX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) trades at 25.7x forward P/E versus 32.0x for Alkermes plc — 6.4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ALKS: 52.8% to $46.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — ALKS 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 ALKS 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%, ALKS: -6.7%), 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 ALKS 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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