Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) vs Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (CANF) 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 | CANF | -9.3% revenue growth vs APLS's -11.8% |
| Quality / Margins | APLS | 3.2% net margin vs CANF's -15.7% |
| Stability / Safety | CANF | Beta 0.36 vs APLS's 0.84, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CANF | +169.9% vs APLS's -16.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | APLS | 2.3% ROA vs CANF's -114.0%, ROIC 27.4% vs -448.3% |
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.
Can-Fite BioPharma is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing small molecule drugs targeting inflammatory diseases and cancer. It generates revenue primarily through licensing agreements and milestone payments from partners — with no commercial products yet — as it advances its lead candidates through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary A3 adenosine receptor platform, which targets a novel pathway for treating autoimmune and 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
CANF leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). APLS leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
APLS is the larger business by revenue, generating $689M annually — 1231.0x CANF's $560,000. APLS is the more profitable business, keeping 3.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CANF's -15.7%. On growth, CANF holds the edge at -36.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | CANFCan-Fite BioPharm… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $689M | $560,000 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $55M | -$9M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $0 | -$9M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $45M | -$8M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +85.2% | +100.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +8.0% | -16.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.2% | -15.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.6% | -14.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -153.9% | -36.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -124.1% | +36.4% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | CANFCan-Fite BioPharm… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $14.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.3B | $14.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 116.44x | -4.40x |
| 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 | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.14x | 6.34x |
| 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 $-2 for CANF. CANF carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x 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 CANF's 1/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | CANFCan-Fite BioPharm… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +7.5% | -2.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.3% | -114.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +27.4% | -4.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.6% | -108.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 1 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.30x | 0.02x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$354M | -$5M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $466M | $5M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $113M | $104,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.22x | -580.71x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in APLS five years ago would be worth $4,396 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,351 for CANF. Over the past 12 months, CANF leads with a +169.9% total return vs APLS's -16.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CANF at 20.6% vs APLS's -31.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | CANFCan-Fite BioPharm… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -18.9% | +2059.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -16.7% | +169.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -68.0% | +75.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -56.0% | -76.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.4% | -98.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -31.6% | +20.6% |
Risk & Volatility
CANF is the less volatile stock with a 0.36 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. CANF currently trades 96.3% 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… | CANFCan-Fite BioPharm… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.84x | 0.36x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $30.48 | $4.93 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $16.10 | $0.17 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +68.8% | +96.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.8 | 68.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.5M | 4.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates APLS as "Buy" and CANF as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 59.8% upside for APLS (target: $34) vs 52.6% for CANF (target: $7).
| Metric | APLSApellis Pharmaceu… | CANFCan-Fite BioPharm… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $33.50 | $7.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 4 |
| 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% |
| Can-Fite BioPharma … (CANF) | 100 | 32.52 | -67.5% |
Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) returned -56% over 5 years vs Can-Fite BioPharma … (CANF)'s -76%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | $0.00 | $689M | — |
| Can-Fite BioPharma … (CANF) | $169500.00 | $674000.00 | +297.6% |
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% |
| Can-Fite BioPharma … (CANF) | -40.7% | -11.7% | +71.3% |
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apellis Pharmaceuti… (APLS) | -1.5 | 0.18 | +112.0% |
| Can-Fite BioPharma … (CANF) | -90 | -1.08 | +98.8% |
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). Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. generated $-8M FCF in 2024 (+23% vs 2021).
APLS vs CANF: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is APLS or CANF 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 CANF?
Over the past 5 years, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) delivered a total return of -56.0%, compared to -76.5% for Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (CANF). 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 CANF's -98.5%. 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 CANF?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (CANF) is the lower-risk stock at 0.36β versus Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.84β — meaning APLS is approximately 133% more volatile than CANF relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (CANF) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 30% for Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — APLS or CANF?
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (APLS) is the more profitable company, earning 3.2% net margin versus -1169.1% for Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. — 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 -1206.2% for CANF. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CANF 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 CANF?
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 CANF better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Can-Fite BioPharma Ltd. (CANF) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.36)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CANF: -98.5%, 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 CANF?
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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