Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) 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 AUPH's 0.64 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | AUPH | +78.2% vs AKTX's -72.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AUPH | 38.2% ROA vs AKTX's -34.7%, ROIC 16.6% 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
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapies for autoimmune diseases with unmet medical needs. It generates revenue primarily from sales of LUPKYNIS — its FDA-approved oral treatment for lupus nephritis — with additional income from its collaboration and licensing agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical. The company's key advantage is its first-mover position in the oral treatment space for lupus nephritis, a serious kidney complication of systemic lupus erythematosus where treatment options have been limited.
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
AUPH leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). AKTX leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AUPH and AKTX operate at a comparable scale, with $283M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | AUPHAurinia Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $283M | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $105M | -$17M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $287M | -$16M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $135M | -$10M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +88.5% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +37.1% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +101.5% | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +47.8% | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +28.8% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +152.0% | -80.2% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | AUPHAurinia Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.9B | $12.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.9B | $12.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.85x | -0.00x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.87x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.82x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.62x | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.38x | 0.00x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.85x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
AUPH delivers a 49.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $49 in annual profit, vs $-69 for AKTX. AUPH carries lower financial leverage with a 0.13x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AKTX's 0.15x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AUPH scores 7/9 vs AKTX's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | AUPHAurinia Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +49.4% | -69.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +38.2% | -34.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +16.6% | -172.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +18.9% | -142.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.13x | 0.15x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$5M | $661,000 |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $80M | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $75M | $3M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -47.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AUPH five years ago would be worth $9,786 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $35 for AKTX. Over the past 12 months, AUPH leads with a +78.2% total return vs AKTX's -72.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AUPH at 15.9% vs AKTX's -67.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | AUPHAurinia Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -7.7% | -18.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +78.2% | -72.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +55.9% | -96.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -2.1% | -99.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +497.9% | -99.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +15.9% | -67.5% |
Risk & Volatility
AKTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.63 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AUPH's 0.64 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AUPH currently trades 85.7% from its 52-week high vs AKTX's 13.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | AUPHAurinia Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.64x | 0.63x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $16.54 | $1.73 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.83 | $0.22 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.7% | +13.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 37.4 | 52.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 782K | 387K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates AUPH as "Buy" and AKTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 12601.1% upside for AKTX (target: $30) vs 9.4% for AUPH (target: $16).
| Metric | AUPHAurinia Pharmaceu… | AKTXAkari Therapeutic… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $15.50 | $30.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 14 | 7 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.2% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurinia Pharmaceuti… (AUPH) | 100 | 86.97 | -13.0% |
| Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX) | 100 | 0.64 | -99.4% |
Aurinia Pharmaceuti… (AUPH) returned -2% over 5 years vs Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX)'s -100%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurinia Pharmaceuti… (AUPH) | $173000.00 | $283M | +163515.6% |
| Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $283M (2025) — a 127.6% CAGR.
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aurinia Pharmaceuti… (AUPH) | -0.66 | 2.07 | +413.6% |
| Akari Therapeutics,… (AKTX) | -3,080 | -1,660 | +46.1% |
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.66 (2016) to $2.07 (2025).
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. generated $135M FCF in 2025 (+185% vs 2021). Akari Therapeutics, Plc generated $-13M FCF in 2024 (+33% vs 2021).
AUPH vs AKTX: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is AUPH or AKTX a better buy right now?
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) offers the better valuation at 6.8x trailing P/E (16.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) a "Buy" — based on 14 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 — AUPH or AKTX?
Over the past 5 years, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) delivered a total return of -2.1%, compared to -99.6% for Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX). A $10,000 investment in AUPH five years ago would be worth approximately $10K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AUPH returned +497.9% 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 — AUPH or AKTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Akari Therapeutics, Plc (AKTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.63β versus Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s 0.64β — meaning AUPH is approximately 1% more volatile than AKTX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 13% versus 15% for Akari Therapeutics, Plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — AUPH or AKTX?
Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) is the more profitable company, earning 101.5% net margin versus 0.0% for Akari Therapeutics, Plc — meaning it keeps 101.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AUPH leads at 37.1% versus 0.0% for AKTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AUPH leads at 88.5%, 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.
05Is AUPH or AKTX more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AKTX: 12601.1% to $30.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — AUPH 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.
07Is AUPH or AKTX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc. (AUPH) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.64), +497.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AUPH: +497.9%, AKTX: -99.9%), 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 AUPH 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. In terms of investment character: AUPH is a small-cap deep-value stock; AKTX is a mid-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.
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