Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) vs Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX) 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 | AKTX | Beta 0.63 vs APLS's 0.84, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | APLS | -16.7% vs AKTX's -72.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | APLS | 2.3% ROA vs AKTX's -34.7%, ROIC 27.4% vs -172.5% |
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.
Akari Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing advanced therapies for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. It generates no revenue currently — its business model depends on advancing its lead candidate nomacopan through clinical trials to eventually secure regulatory approvals and commercialization partnerships. The company's key advantage lies in nomacopan's dual mechanism of action targeting both complement and leukotriene pathways — a differentiated approach that could offer superior efficacy in treating complex inflammatory conditions.
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, Profitability & Efficiency). AKTX leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
APLS and AKTX operate at a comparable scale, with $689M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $689M | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $55M | -$17M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $0 | -$16M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $45M | -$10M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +85.2% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +8.0% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.2% | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.6% | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -153.9% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -124.1% | -80.2% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $12.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.3B | $12.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 116.44x | -0.00x |
| 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 | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.14x | 0.00x |
| 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 $-69 for AKTX. AKTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.15x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to APLS's 0.30x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), APLS scores 6/9 vs AKTX's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +7.5% | -69.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.3% | -34.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.4% | -172.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.6% | -142.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.30x | 0.15x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$354M | $661,000 |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $466M | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $113M | $3M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.22x | -47.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in APLS five years ago would be worth $4,396 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $35 for AKTX. Over the past 12 months, APLS leads with a -16.7% total return vs AKTX's -72.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors APLS at -31.6% vs AKTX's -67.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.9% | -18.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.7% | -72.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.0% | -96.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.0% | -99.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.4% | -99.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.6% | -67.5% |
Risk & Volatility
AKTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.63 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than APLS's 0.84 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. APLS currently trades 68.8% from its 52-week high vs AKTX's 13.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.84x | 0.63x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $30.48 | $1.73 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.10 | $0.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.8% | +13.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.8 | 52.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.5M | 387K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates APLS as "Buy" and AKTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 12601.1% upside for AKTX (target: $30) vs 59.8% for APLS (target: $34).
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $33.50 | $30.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 7 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | 100 | 62.27 | -37.7% |
| Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX) | 100 | 0.63 | -99.4% |
Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) returned -56% over 5 years vs Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX)'s -100%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | $0.00 | $689M | — |
| Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $689M (2025) — a 0.0% CAGR.
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | -1.5 | 0.18 | +112.0% |
| Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX) | -3,080 | -1,660 | +46.1% |
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.50 (2016) to $0.18 (2025).
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $45M FCF in 2025 (+108% vs 2021). Akari Therapeutics, Plc generated $-13M FCF in 2024 (+33% vs 2021).
APLS vs AKTX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is APLS or AKTX 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 AKTX?
Over the past 5 years, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) delivered a total return of -56.0%, compared to -99.6% for Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX). A $10,000 investment in APLS five years ago would be worth approximately $4K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: APLS returned +49.4% versus AKTX's -99.9%. 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 AKTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.63β versus Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.84β — meaning APLS is approximately 33% more volatile than AKTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 15% versus 30% for Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — APLS or AKTX?
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) is the more profitable company, earning 3.2% net margin versus 0.0% for Akari Therapeutics, Plc — 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 0.0% for AKTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — APLS leads at 85.2%, 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 AKTX?
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 AKTX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.63)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AKTX: -99.9%, 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 AKTX?
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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