Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) vs Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | AGIO | 48.0% revenue growth vs ARDX's 22.1% |
| Quality / Margins | ARDX | -14.2% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ARDX | Beta 0.62 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ARDX | +22.2% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ARDX | -11.6% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC -10.8% vs -26.6% |
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
Ardelyx is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes novel medicines for gastrointestinal and cardiorenal diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its FDA-approved drug tenapanor — marketed as IBSRELA for irritable bowel syndrome with constipation and XPHOZAH for hyperphosphatemia in chronic kidney disease patients — along with partnership milestone payments and royalties from international licensing deals. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary NHE3 inhibitor technology platform, which enables development of first-in-class oral therapies targeting specific ion transport pathways with potentially better safety profiles than existing treatments.
Agios Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for rare genetic diseases related to cellular metabolism. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its lead drug PYRUKYND for pyruvate kinase deficiency — with additional income from research collaborations and milestone payments — while advancing a pipeline of other metabolic therapies. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in cellular metabolism science and proprietary platform for targeting metabolic pathways in rare diseases.
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
ARDX leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). AGIO leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ARDX is the larger business by revenue, generating $398M annually — 8.9x AGIO's $45M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -14.2% (ARDX) to -9.0% (AGIO). On growth, AGIO holds the edge at +43.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ARDXArdelyx, Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $398M | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$35M | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$57M | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$55M | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +88.9% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -9.5% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -14.2% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -13.9% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +12.3% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ARDXArdelyx, Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.6B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.7B | $2.25T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -25.19x | -4.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 401.84x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.91x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.46x | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
AGIO delivers a -31.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-31 in annual profit, vs $-37 for ARDX. AGIO carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ARDX's 1.25x.
| Metric | ARDXArdelyx, Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -36.7% | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -11.6% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -10.8% | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -10.6% | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.25x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $140M | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $68M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $208M | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1.27x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ARDX five years ago would be worth $38,081 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,363 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, ARDX leads with a +22.2% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ARDX at 31.5% vs AGIO's 6.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ARDXArdelyx, Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +6.5% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.2% | -14.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +127.4% | +19.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +280.8% | -36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +170.7% | -21.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +31.5% | +6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ARDX is the less volatile stock with a 0.62 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AGIO's 0.91 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ARDX currently trades 78.0% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ARDXArdelyx, Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.62x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.40 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.21 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +78.0% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 46.1 | 62.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.1M | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ARDX as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 159.5% upside for ARDX (target: $17) vs 37.3% for AGIO (target: $42).
| Metric | ARDXArdelyx, Inc. | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.00 | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 29 |
| 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) | 100 | 432.78 | +332.8% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) returned +281% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in ARDX 5 years ago would be worth $38,081 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) | $24M | $407M | +1595.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
Ardelyx, Inc.'s revenue grew from $24M (2016) to $407M (2025) — a 37.0% CAGR. Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $70M (2016) to $54M (2025) — a -2.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) | -4.7% | -15.1% | -223.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
Ardelyx, Inc.'s net margin went from -5% (2016) to -15% (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) | -2.8 | -0.26 | +90.7% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
Ardelyx, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-2.80 (2016) to $-0.26 (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ardelyx, Inc. generated $-44M FCF in 2025 (+72% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
ARDX vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ARDX or AGIO a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) a "Buy" — based on 16 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 — ARDX or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) delivered a total return of +280.8%, compared to -36.4% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in ARDX five years ago would be worth approximately $38K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARDX returned +170.7% versus AGIO's -21.2%. 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 — ARDX or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.62β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 46% more volatile than ARDX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 125% for Ardelyx, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — ARDX or AGIO?
Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) is the more profitable company, earning -15.1% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps -15.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ARDX leads at -10.1% versus -873.9% for AGIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARDX leads at 90.3%, 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 ARDX or AGIO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ARDX: 159.5% to $17.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — ARDX or AGIO?
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 ARDX or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ardelyx, Inc. (ARDX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.62), +170.7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ARDX: +170.7%, AGIO: -21.2%), 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 ARDX and AGIO?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.