Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Amarin Corporation plc (AMRN) vs Alkermes plc (ALKS) 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 | ALKS | -5.2% revenue growth vs AMRN's -25.5% |
| Quality / Margins | ALKS | 16.4% net margin vs AMRN's -38.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ALKS | Beta 0.61 vs AMRN's 0.84 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AMRN | +27.3% vs ALKS's -12.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ALKS | 9.7% ROA vs AMRN's -13.1%, ROIC 14.9% vs -18.7% |
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
Amarin Corporation is a pharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing cardiovascular therapeutics. It generates nearly all its revenue from VASCEPA — a prescription omega-3 fatty acid product for reducing triglyceride levels — sold primarily to wholesalers and specialty pharmacies. Its key advantage is patent protection and regulatory exclusivity for VASCEPA, though this moat faces challenges from generic competition.
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.
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
ALKS leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AMRN leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ALKS is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.5B annually — 6.5x AMRN's $227M. ALKS is the more profitable business, keeping 16.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AMRN's -38.0%. On growth, AMRN holds the edge at +17.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | AMRNAmarin Corporatio… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $227M | $1.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$93M | $281M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$86M | $242M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$22M | $520,800 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +38.9% | +86.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -42.5% | +17.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -38.0% | +16.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -9.6% | +0.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +17.4% | -10.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +69.7% | -67.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AMRNAmarin Corporatio… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.7B | $5.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.6B | $4.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -3.45x | 21.05x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 32.04x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 15.89x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 25.11x | 3.38x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.58x | 2.79x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 9571.39x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ALKS delivers a 13.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $-19 for AMRN. AMRN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ALKS's 0.04x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ALKS scores 5/9 vs AMRN's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | AMRNAmarin Corporatio… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -18.8% | +13.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -13.1% | +9.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -18.7% | +14.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -17.0% | +14.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | 0.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$113M | -$518M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $121M | $588M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $8M | $70M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -7085.14x | 23.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ALKS five years ago would be worth $15,677 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,115 for AMRN. Over the past 12 months, AMRN leads with a +27.3% total return vs ALKS's -12.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ALKS at 4.0% vs AMRN's -30.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AMRNAmarin Corporatio… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +0.6% | +6.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +27.3% | -12.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -66.0% | +12.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.9% | +56.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -52.7% | -6.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -30.2% | +4.0% |
Risk & Volatility
ALKS is the less volatile stock with a 0.61 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AMRN's 0.84 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ALKS currently trades 82.9% from its 52-week high vs AMRN's 66.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AMRNAmarin Corporatio… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.84x | 0.61x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $20.90 | $36.32 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.08 | $25.17 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +66.0% | +82.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 40.0 | 39.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 76K | 1.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AMRN as "Hold" and ALKS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 52.8% upside for ALKS (target: $46) vs -84.3% for AMRN (target: $2).
| Metric | AMRNAmarin Corporatio… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.17 | $46.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 18 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarin Corporation … (AMRN) | 100 | 4.66 | -95.3% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 100 | 164.6 | +64.6% |
Alkermes plc (ALKS) returned +57% over 5 years vs Amarin Corporation … (AMRN)'s -89%. A $10,000 investment in ALKS 5 years ago would be worth $15,677 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarin Corporation … (AMRN) | $130M | $229M | +75.7% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | $746M | $1.5B | +97.9% |
Alkermes plc's revenue grew from $746M (2016) to $1.5B (2025) — a 7.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarin Corporation … (AMRN) | -66.4% | -35.9% | +45.8% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -28.0% | 16.4% | +158.6% |
Alkermes plc's net margin went from -28% (2016) to 16% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 3 Years
| Stock | 2023 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 13.2 | 19.6 | +48.5% |
Alkermes plc has traded in a 13x–20x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amarin Corporation … (AMRN) | -8.2 | -4 | +51.2% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -1.38 | 1.43 | +203.6% |
Alkermes plc's EPS grew from $-1.38 (2016) to $1.43 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Amarin Corporation plc generated $-31M FCF in 2024 (+53% vs 2021). Alkermes plc generated $1M FCF in 2025 (-99% vs 2021).
AMRN vs ALKS: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AMRN or ALKS 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 is the better long-term investment — AMRN or ALKS?
Over the past 5 years, Alkermes plc (ALKS) delivered a total return of +56.8%, compared to -88.9% for Amarin Corporation plc (AMRN). A $10,000 investment in ALKS five years ago would be worth approximately $16K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ALKS returned -6.7% versus AMRN's -52.7%. 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 — AMRN or ALKS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.61β versus Amarin Corporation plc's 0.84β — meaning AMRN is approximately 38% more volatile than ALKS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Amarin Corporation plc (AMRN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 4% for Alkermes plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AMRN or ALKS?
Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the more profitable company, earning 16.4% net margin versus -35.9% for Amarin Corporation plc — meaning it keeps 16.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALKS leads at 17.2% versus -40.2% for AMRN. 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.
05Is AMRN or ALKS more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ALKS: 52.8% to $46.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — AMRN or ALKS?
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 AMRN or ALKS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.61)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ALKS: -6.7%, AMRN: -52.7%), 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.
08What are the main differences between AMRN and ALKS?
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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