Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) vs Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) 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 | 97.0% revenue growth vs ADPT's 5.1% | |
| Quality / Margins | -31.5% net margin vs CAI's -66.2% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 1.09 vs ADPT's 1.31, lower leverage | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +104.7% vs CAI's -29.1% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | -16.2% ROA vs CAI's -47.8% |
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
Caris Life Sciences is an AI-powered molecular diagnostics company that provides comprehensive cancer profiling services to guide treatment decisions. It generates revenue primarily from molecular testing services for oncology patients — including tissue-based and blood-based profiling — along with pharmaceutical research services for drug development partners. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive molecular database and proprietary AI algorithms that analyze complex biomarker data to deliver personalized cancer treatment insights.
Adaptive Biotechnologies is a biotechnology company that develops immune medicine platforms for diagnosing and treating diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through its clinical diagnostics segment — including its clonoSEQ test for minimal residual disease monitoring — and its translational and clinical genomics research services, with diagnostics contributing roughly 60% of revenue. The company's key advantage lies in its proprietary immune medicine platform that maps and translates the genetics of the adaptive immune system into clinical diagnostics and therapies.
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
ADPT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). CAI leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CAI is the larger business by revenue, generating $812M annually — 3.2x ADPT's $253M. ADPT is the more profitable business, keeping -31.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CAI's -66.2%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $812M | $253M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $70M | -$62M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$538M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $33M | -$63M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +46.2% | +71.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.6% | -30.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -66.2% | -31.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.0% | -24.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +102.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +126.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $33.2B | $2.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $32.4B | $2.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -6.17x | -15.22x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 62.06x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 718.40x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 40.89x | 14.02x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 57.52x | 11.94x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 496.41x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
ADPT delivers a -39.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-39 in annual profit, vs $-93 for CAI. CAI carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ADPT's 0.44x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CAI scores 5/9 vs ADPT's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -93.2% | -39.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -47.8% | -16.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | -41.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.7% | -32.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.44x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$798M | $41M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $798M | $48M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $169,000 | $89M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -2.23x | -6.25x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CAI five years ago would be worth $7,093 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,893 for ADPT. Over the past 12 months, ADPT leads with a +104.7% total return vs CAI's -29.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ADPT at 24.8% vs CAI's -10.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -26.4% | +3.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -29.1% | +104.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.1% | +94.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.1% | -61.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.1% | -59.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -10.8% | +24.8% |
Risk & Volatility
CAI is the less volatile stock with a 1.09 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ADPT's 1.31 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ADPT currently trades 79.2% from its 52-week high vs CAI's 46.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.09x | 1.31x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $42.50 | $20.76 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $17.15 | $6.26 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +46.7% | +79.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 38.4 | 46.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.3M | 1.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CAI as "Buy" and ADPT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 57.8% upside for CAI (target: $31) vs 29.3% for ADPT (target: $21).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $31.33 | $21.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 6 | 17 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | $294M | $812M | +175.9% |
| Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) | $38M | $179M | +365.5% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s revenue grew from $294M (2016) to $812M (2025) — a 11.9% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | 2.0% | -66.2% | -3351.8% |
| Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) | -111.4% | -89.1% | +20.0% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to -66% (2025).
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | 0.31 | -3.22 | -1138.7% |
| Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) | -0.41 | -1.08 | -163.4% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.31 (2016) to $-3.22 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Caris Life Sciences, Inc. generated $67M FCF in 2025 (+120% vs 2022). Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation generated $-99M FCF in 2024 (+61% vs 2021).
CAI vs ADPT: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CAI or ADPT a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) a "Buy" — based on 6 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 — CAI or ADPT?
Over the past 5 years, Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) delivered a total return of -29.1%, compared to -61.1% for Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT). A $10,000 investment in CAI five years ago would be worth approximately $7K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CAI returned -29.1% versus ADPT's -59.2%. 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 — CAI or ADPT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) is the lower-risk stock at 1.09β versus Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation's 1.31β — meaning ADPT is approximately 20% more volatile than CAI relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 44% for Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CAI or ADPT?
Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) is the more profitable company, earning -66.2% net margin versus -89.1% for Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation — meaning it keeps -66.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CAI leads at 5.6% versus -90.8% for ADPT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADPT leads at 59.7%, 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 CAI or ADPT more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CAI: 57.8% to $31.33.
06Which pays a better dividend — CAI or ADPT?
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 CAI or ADPT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.09)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CAI: -29.1%, ADPT: -59.2%), 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 CAI and ADPT?
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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