Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) vs Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) 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 |  CAI | 97.0% revenue growth vs VCYT's 16.0% |
| Value |  VCYT | Lower P/E (22.0x vs 62.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | VCYT | 12.8% net margin vs CAI's -66.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CAI | Beta 1.09 vs VCYT's 1.12, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | VCYT | +10.0% vs CAI's -29.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VCYT | 4.7% ROA vs CAI's -47.8% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
CAIDividend streak 4 yrs, beta 1.09
Growth exposure
CAIRev growth 97.0%, EPS growth -19.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 46.5%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
VCYT443.8% 10Y total return vs CAI's -29.1%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
CAILower volatility, beta 1.09, Low D/E 0.0%, current ratio 7.85x
Defensive / Recession hedge
CAIBeta 1.09, current ratio 7.85x
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.
Veracyte is a molecular diagnostics company that develops genomic tests to improve cancer and other disease diagnosis and treatment decisions. It generates revenue primarily from diagnostic test sales — including its Afirma thyroid, Decipher prostate, and Percepta lung cancer tests — with additional income from technology licensing partnerships. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary genomic classifiers and biobank of clinical samples that enable development of clinically validated tests with strong physician adoption.
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
VCYT 3CAI 1VCYT4/4 metricsVCYT5/6 metricsCAI4/7 metricsVCYT6/6 metricsVCYT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CAI leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CAI is the larger business by revenue, generating $812M annually — 1.6x VCYT's $517M. VCYT is the more profitable business, keeping 12.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CAI's -66.2%.
| Metric | CAICaris Life Scienc… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $812M | $517M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $70M | $74M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$538M | $66M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $33M | $126M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +46.2% | +70.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +5.6% | +11.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -66.2% | +12.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.0% | +24.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +18.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +7.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, VCYT's 44.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CAI's 718.4x.
| Metric | CAICaris Life Scienc… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $33.2B | $2.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $32.4B | $2.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -6.17x | 44.23x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 62.06x | 22.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 718.40x | 44.23x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 40.89x | 5.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 57.52x | 2.23x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 496.41x | 22.73x |
Profitability & Efficiency
VCYT delivers a 5.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 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 VCYT's 0.03x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VCYT scores 8/9 vs CAI's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CAICaris Life Scienc… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -93.2% | +5.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -47.8% | +4.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +4.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +7.7% | +4.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$798M | -$323M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $798M | $363M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $169,000 | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -2.23x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VCYT five years ago would be worth $7,634 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,093 for CAI. Over the past 12 months, VCYT leads with a +10.0% total return vs CAI's -29.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VCYT at 15.2% vs CAI's -10.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CAICaris Life Scienc… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -26.4% | -14.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -29.1% | +10.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.1% | +52.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.1% | -23.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.1% | +443.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -10.8% | +15.2% |
Risk & Volatility
CAI is the less volatile stock with a 1.09 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VCYT's 1.12 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. VCYT currently trades 71.5% from its 52-week high vs CAI's 46.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CAICaris Life Scienc… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.09x | 1.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $42.50 | $50.71 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $17.15 | $22.61 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +46.7% | +71.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 38.4 | 39.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.3M | 807K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CAI as "Buy" and VCYT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 57.8% upside for CAI (target: $31) vs 30.3% for VCYT (target: $47).
| Metric | CAICaris Life Scienc… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $31.33 | $47.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 6 | 20 |
| 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% |
| Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) | $65M | $517M | +694.6% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s revenue grew from $294M (2016) to $812M (2025) — a 11.9% CAGR. Veracyte, Inc.'s revenue grew from $65M (2016) to $517M (2025) — a 25.9% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | 2.0% | -66.2% | -3351.8% |
| Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) | -48.2% | 12.8% | +126.6% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to -66% (2025). Veracyte, Inc.'s net margin went from -48% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | 0.31 | -3.22 | -1138.7% |
| Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) | -1.09 | 0.82 | +175.2% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.31 (2016) to $-3.22 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR. Veracyte, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.09 (2016) to $0.82 (2025).
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Caris Life Sciences, Inc. generated $67M FCF in 2025 (+120% vs 2022). Veracyte, Inc. generated $127M FCF in 2025 (+442% vs 2021).
CAI vs VCYT: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CAI or VCYT a better buy right now?
Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) offers the better valuation at 44.2x trailing P/E (22.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. 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 has the better valuation — CAI or VCYT?
On forward P/E, Veracyte, Inc. is actually cheaper at 22.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CAI or VCYT?
Over the past 5 years, Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) delivered a total return of -23.7%, compared to -29.1% for Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI). A $10,000 investment in VCYT five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VCYT returned +443.8% versus CAI's -29.1%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CAI or VCYT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) is the lower-risk stock at 1.09β versus Veracyte, Inc.'s 1.12β — meaning VCYT is approximately 3% 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 3% for Veracyte, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CAI or VCYT?
Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) is the more profitable company, earning 12.8% net margin versus -66.2% for Caris Life Sciences, Inc. — meaning it keeps 12.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VCYT leads at 11.2% versus 5.6% for CAI. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VCYT leads at 70.1%, 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.
06Is CAI or VCYT more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) trades at 22.0x forward P/E versus 62.1x for Caris Life Sciences, Inc. — 40.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CAI: 57.8% to $31.33.
07Which pays a better dividend — CAI or VCYT?
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.
08Is CAI or VCYT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.12), +443.8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (VCYT: +443.8%, CAI: -29.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CAI and VCYT?
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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