Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Amgen Inc. (AMGN) vs Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) 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 | SCLX | 21.1% revenue growth vs AMGN's 10.0% |
| Value | SCLX | Lower P/E (2.6x vs 17.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | AMGN | 21.0% net margin vs SCLX's -9.3% |
| Stability / Safety | AMGN | Beta 0.45 vs SCLX's 0.96 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMGN | +29.1% vs SCLX's -0.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AMGN | 8.5% ROA vs SCLX's -136.2% |
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
Amgen is a global biotechnology company that discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets innovative human therapeutics for serious illnesses. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its branded biologic medicines — with key products including Enbrel, Prolia, Otezla, and Repatha — across therapeutic areas like oncology, inflammation, bone health, and cardiovascular disease. The company's moat lies in its deep expertise in complex biologics manufacturing, extensive patent protection for its innovative therapies, and a robust pipeline of novel drug candidates.
Scilex Holding is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its commercial product ZTlido — a prescription lidocaine topical patch for neuropathic pain — while advancing a pipeline of novel pain therapies through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized focus on non-opioid alternatives for acute and chronic pain, addressing a critical need in pain management with reduced addiction risks.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AMGN leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AMGN is the larger business by revenue, generating $36.7B annually — 910.3x SCLX's $40M. AMGN is the more profitable business, keeping 21.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SCLX's -9.3%. On growth, AMGN holds the edge at +8.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AMGNAmgen Inc. | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $36.7B | $40M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $15.6B | -$259M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $7.7B | -$376M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $8.1B | $24M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +70.5% | +68.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +28.0% | -6.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +21.0% | -9.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +22.0% | +59.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +8.6% | -26.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +111.2% | -17.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AMGNAmgen Inc. | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $209.2B | $1.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $254.7B | $1.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 27.28x | -0.42x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 17.33x | 2.64x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 9.27x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.56x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 5.69x | 26.58x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 24.30x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 25.83x | 77.75x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AMGN scores 7/9 vs SCLX's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AMGNAmgen Inc. | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +89.1% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +8.5% | -136.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +20.7% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +22.3% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 6.31x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $45.5B | $35M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $9.1B | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $54.6B | $38M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.24x | -39.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AMGN five years ago would be worth $18,973 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $238 for SCLX. Over the past 12 months, AMGN leads with a +29.1% total return vs SCLX's -0.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AMGN at 21.5% vs SCLX's -70.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AMGNAmgen Inc. | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +19.2% | -37.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +29.1% | -0.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +79.4% | -97.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +89.7% | -97.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +221.6% | -97.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +21.5% | -70.0% |
Risk & Volatility
AMGN is the less volatile stock with a 0.45 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SCLX's 0.96 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AMGN currently trades 99.5% from its 52-week high vs SCLX's 24.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AMGNAmgen Inc. | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.45x | 0.96x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $390.09 | $34.27 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $261.43 | $3.60 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.5% | +24.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.5 | 35.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.3M | 61K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AMGN as "Buy" and SCLX as "Buy".
| Metric | AMGNAmgen Inc. | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $347.00 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 37 | 2 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 14 | — |
| 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 | Apr 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amgen Inc. (AMGN) | 100 | 138.33 | +38.3% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | 100.41 | 2.65 | -97.4% |
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) returned +90% over 5 years vs Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX)'s -98%. A $10,000 investment in AMGN 5 years ago would be worth $18,973 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amgen Inc. (AMGN) | $23.0B | $36.8B | +59.8% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | $24M | $57M | +140.2% |
Amgen Inc.'s revenue grew from $23.0B (2016) to $36.8B (2025) — a 5.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amgen Inc. (AMGN) | 33.6% | 21.0% | -37.5% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -2.0% | -128.7% | -6278.8% |
Amgen Inc.'s net margin went from 34% (2016) to 21% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amgen Inc. (AMGN) | 64.6 | 23 | -64.4% |
Amgen Inc. has traded in a 15x–65x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amgen Inc. (AMGN) | 10.24 | 14.23 | +39.0% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -0.01 | -19.43 | -154106.3% |
Amgen Inc.'s EPS grew from $10.24 (2016) to $14.23 (2025) — a 4% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Amgen Inc. generated $8B FCF in 2025 (-3% vs 2021). Scilex Holding Company generated $19M FCF in 2024 (+168% vs 2021).
AMGN vs SCLX: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AMGN or SCLX a better buy right now?
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) offers the better valuation at 27.3x trailing P/E (17.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Amgen Inc. (AMGN) a "Buy" — based on 37 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 — AMGN or SCLX?
On forward P/E, Scilex Holding Company is actually cheaper at 2.6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — AMGN or SCLX?
Over the past 5 years, Amgen Inc. (AMGN) delivered a total return of +89.7%, compared to -97.6% for Scilex Holding Company (SCLX). A $10,000 investment in AMGN five years ago would be worth approximately $19K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMGN returned +221.6% versus SCLX's -97.6%. 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 — AMGN or SCLX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Amgen Inc. (AMGN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.45β versus Scilex Holding Company's 0.96β — meaning SCLX is approximately 113% more volatile than AMGN relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — AMGN or SCLX?
Amgen Inc. (AMGN) is the more profitable company, earning 21.0% net margin versus -128.7% for Scilex Holding Company — meaning it keeps 21.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMGN leads at 40.5% versus -147.4% for SCLX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMGN leads at 82.5%, 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 AMGN or SCLX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) trades at 2.6x forward P/E versus 17.3x for Amgen Inc. — 14.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — AMGN or SCLX?
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 AMGN or SCLX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Amgen Inc. (AMGN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.45), +221.6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMGN: +221.6%, SCLX: -97.6%), 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.
09What are the main differences between AMGN and SCLX?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.