ARCT vs BEAM vs MRNA vs EDIT

For growth investors, Beam Therapeutics Inc.

(BEAM) is the stronger pick with 120. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -100. 0% for Editas Medicine, Inc. (EDIT). Analysts rate Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (ARCT) a "Buy" — based on 21 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.

Over the past 5 years, Beam Therapeutics Inc.

(BEAM) delivered a total return of -55. 6%, compared to -91. 1% for Editas Medicine, Inc. (EDIT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MRNA returned +161. 0% versus EDIT's -90. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Moderna, Inc.

(MRNA) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 82β versus Editas Medicine, Inc. 's 2. 52β — meaning EDIT is approximately 39% more volatile than MRNA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc. (ARCT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 66% for Editas Medicine, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Beam Therapeutics Inc.

(BEAM) is pulling ahead at 120. 0% versus -100. 0% for Editas Medicine, Inc. (EDIT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Beam Therapeutics Inc. grew EPS 82. 3% year-over-year, compared to 20. 0% for Arcturus Therapeutics Holdings Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BEAM leads at 31. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Editas Medicine, Inc.

(EDIT) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus -145. 2% for Moderna, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EDIT leads at 0. 0% versus -274. 6% for BEAM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARCT leads at 95. 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.

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.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Moderna, Inc.

(MRNA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+161. 0% 10Y return). Editas Medicine, Inc. (EDIT) carries a higher beta of 2. 52 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (MRNA: +161. 0%, EDIT: -90. 0%), 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.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: ARCT is a small-cap quality compounder stock; BEAM is a small-cap high-growth stock; MRNA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; EDIT is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.