Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) vs Abivax S.A. (ABVX) 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 | ABVX | 133.5% revenue growth vs APLS's -11.8% |
| Quality / Margins | APLS | 3.2% net margin vs ABVX's -21.9% |
| Stability / Safety | APLS | Beta 0.84 vs ABVX's 1.07, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ABVX | +14.8% vs APLS's -16.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | APLS | 2.3% ROA vs ABVX's -277.5% |
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
Apellis Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company developing and commercializing therapies that target the complement system — a part of the immune system — for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its approved drug EMPAVELI® (pegcetacoplan) for paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria, with additional revenue from SYFOVRE® (pegcetacoplan injection) for geographic atrophy, and is advancing a pipeline of complement-targeting candidates. Its key advantage is its deep expertise in complement inhibition — a complex biological pathway — and its first-mover position with the first approved therapy for geographic atrophy.
Abivax is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel therapies for inflammatory diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer. It generates revenue primarily through research grants and partnerships while advancing its lead candidate ABX464 through clinical trials for ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, and other inflammatory conditions. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary small molecule platform technology that targets RNA biology to modulate inflammation and viral replication.
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
APLS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). ABVX leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
APLS is the larger business by revenue, generating $689M annually — 45.5x ABVX's $15M. APLS is the more profitable business, keeping 3.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to ABVX's -21.9%. On growth, ABVX holds the edge at -40.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | ABVXAbivax S.A. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $689M | $15M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $55M | -$358M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $0 | -$332M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $45M | -$250M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +85.2% | +100.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +8.0% | -23.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.2% | -21.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.6% | -16.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -153.9% | -40.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -124.1% | -144.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | ABVXAbivax S.A. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $9.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.3B | $9.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 116.44x | -36.72x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 33.61x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.85x | 753.36x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.14x | 159.73x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 58.55x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
APLS delivers a 7.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $7 in annual profit, vs $-149 for ABVX. APLS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.30x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ABVX's 2.40x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), APLS scores 6/9 vs ABVX's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | ABVXAbivax S.A. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +7.5% | -149.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.3% | -2.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.4% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.6% | -98.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.30x | 2.40x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$354M | -$47M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $466M | $144M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $113M | $97M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.22x | -21.56x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ABVX five years ago would be worth $146,121 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,396 for APLS. Over the past 12 months, ABVX leads with a +1479.2% total return vs APLS's -16.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ABVX at 144.5% vs APLS's -31.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | ABVXAbivax S.A. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.9% | -9.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.7% | +1479.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.0% | +1361.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.0% | +1361.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.4% | +1361.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.6% | +144.5% |
Risk & Volatility
APLS is the less volatile stock with a 0.84 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ABVX's 1.07 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ABVX currently trades 81.5% from its 52-week high vs APLS's 68.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | ABVXAbivax S.A. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.84x | 1.07x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $30.48 | $148.83 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.10 | $4.77 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.8% | +81.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.8 | 45.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.5M | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates APLS as "Buy" and ABVX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 59.8% upside for APLS (target: $34) vs 17.5% for ABVX (target: $143).
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | ABVXAbivax S.A. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $33.50 | $142.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 8 |
| 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 | Nov 23 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | 100 | 45.75 | -54.2% |
| Abivax S.A. (ABVX) | 117.59 | 1,342.89 | +1042.0% |
Abivax S.A. (ABVX) returned +1.4K% over 5 years vs Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS)'s -56%. A $10,000 investment in ABVX 5 years ago would be worth $146,121 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | $0.00 | $689M | — |
| Abivax S.A. (ABVX) | $127000.00 | $11M | +8397.6% |
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $689M (2025) — a 0.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | -137.6% | 3.2% | +102.4% |
| Abivax S.A. (ABVX) | -112.7% | -16.3% | +85.5% |
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | -1.5 | 0.18 | +112.0% |
| Abivax S.A. (ABVX) | -1.47 | -2.8 | -90.5% |
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.50 (2016) to $0.18 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $45M FCF in 2025 (+108% vs 2021). Abivax S.A. generated $-155M FCF in 2024 (-227% vs 2021).
APLS vs ABVX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is APLS or ABVX a better buy right now?
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) offers the better valuation at 116.4x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) 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 — APLS or ABVX?
Over the past 5 years, Abivax S.A. (ABVX) delivered a total return of +1361%, compared to -56.0% for Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS). A $10,000 investment in ABVX five years ago would be worth approximately $146K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ABVX returned +1361% versus APLS's +49.4%. 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 — APLS or ABVX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.84β versus Abivax S.A.'s 1.07β — meaning ABVX is approximately 27% more volatile than APLS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 30% versus 2% for Abivax S.A. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — APLS or ABVX?
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) is the more profitable company, earning 3.2% net margin versus -1633.1% for Abivax S.A. — meaning it keeps 3.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: APLS leads at 8.0% versus -1602.9% for ABVX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ABVX leads at 100.0%, 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 — APLS or ABVX?
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 APLS or ABVX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Abivax S.A. (ABVX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.07), +1361% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ABVX: +1361%, APLS: +49.4%), 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 APLS and ABVX?
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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