Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) vs Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Safety |  CDT | Beta 0.34 vs RPRX's 0.36 |
| Dividends |  RPRX | 1.4% yield; 2-year raise streak; CDT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | RPRX | +43.1% vs CDT's -99.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | RPRX | 4.0% ROA vs CDT's -237.4% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
CDTbeta 0.34
Growth exposure
RPRXRev growth 5.1%, EPS growth -6.9%, 3Y rev CAGR 2.1%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
RPRX16.7% 10Y total return vs CDT's -100.0%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
CDTLower volatility, beta 0.34, current ratio 0.25x
Defensive / Recession hedge
CDTBeta 0.34, current ratio 0.25x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
CDT Equity is a healthcare company that facilitates the development and commercialization of clinical-stage medical assets. It generates revenue through licensing agreements, milestone payments, and equity stakes in the biotech companies it partners with — typically taking a share of future commercial success. Its key advantage lies in its founders' deep pharmaceutical industry expertise and strategic approach to identifying promising clinical assets with commercial potential.
Royalty Pharma is a specialized investment firm that acquires royalty interests in approved and development-stage biopharmaceutical products. It generates revenue primarily from royalty payments on approximately 35 marketed therapies — with its largest assets including cystic fibrosis drug Trikafta and HIV treatment Biktarvy — which provide predictable cash flows. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in valuing complex biopharmaceutical royalties and its extensive industry relationships that provide access to proprietary deal flow.
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
CDT 2RPRX 2CDT1/1 metricsCDT1/1 metricsRPRX4/6 metricsRPRX6/6 metricsCDT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). RPRX leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
RPRX and CDT operate at a comparable scale, with $2.3B and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $2.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$17M | $1.5B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$20M | $765M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $34M | $2.4B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +100.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +65.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +32.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +102.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +7.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.1% | -44.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1M | $26.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $8M | $35.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.03x | 26.65x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 9.75x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 22.51x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 11.26x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 2.74x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 10.75x |
Profitability & Efficiency
RPRX delivers a 8.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $8 in annual profit, vs $-5 for CDT. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), RPRX scores 4/9 vs CDT's 1/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -4.7% | +8.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -2.4% | +4.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +6.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +8.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.91x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $7M | $8.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $554,000 | $619M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $7M | $9.0B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -15.44x | 5.66x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in RPRX five years ago would be worth $12,100 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $0 for CDT. Over the past 12 months, RPRX leads with a +43.1% total return vs CDT's -99.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors RPRX at 12.5% vs CDT's -98.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -50.8% | +22.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -99.4% | +43.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +42.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +21.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | +16.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -98.2% | +12.5% |
Risk & Volatility
CDT is the less volatile stock with a 0.34 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than RPRX's 0.36 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. RPRX currently trades 99.1% from its 52-week high vs CDT's 0.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.34x | 0.36x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $168.00 | $47.86 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.58 | $29.66 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +0.4% | +99.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 27.2 | 81.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 575K | 3.5M |
Analyst Outlook
RPRX is the only dividend payer here at 1.41% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | CDTCDT Equity Inc. | RPRXRoyalty Pharma plc |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $49.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +1.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $0.67 |
| 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 22 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) | 100 | 0 | -100.0% |
| Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) | 100 | 120.6 | +20.6% |
Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) returned +21% over 5 years vs CDT Equity Inc. (CDT)'s -100%. A $10,000 investment in RPRX 5 years ago would be worth $12,100 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) | $1.6B | $2.4B | +48.8% |
Royalty Pharma plc's revenue grew from $1.6B (2017) to $2.4B (2025) — a 5.1% CAGR.
Chart 3P/E Ratio History — 6 Years
| Stock | 2020 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) | 19.3 | 21.7 | +12.4% |
Royalty Pharma plc has traded in a 11x–404x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~27x.
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) | -1.01 | -20.53 | -1932.7% |
| Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) | 1.99 | 1.78 | -10.7% |
Royalty Pharma plc's EPS grew from $1.99 (2017) to $1.78 (2025) — a -1% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CDT Equity Inc. generated $-10M FCF in 2024 (-352% vs 2021). Royalty Pharma plc generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+23% vs 2021).
CDT vs RPRX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CDT or RPRX a better buy right now?
Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) offers the better valuation at 26.6x trailing P/E (9.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) a "Buy" — based on 11 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 — CDT or RPRX?
Over the past 5 years, Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) delivered a total return of +21.0%, compared to -100.0% for CDT Equity Inc. (CDT). A $10,000 investment in RPRX five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RPRX returned +16.7% versus CDT's -100.0%. 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 — CDT or RPRX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CDT Equity Inc. (CDT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.34β versus Royalty Pharma plc's 0.36β — meaning RPRX is approximately 5% more volatile than CDT relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — CDT or RPRX?
Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) is the more profitable company, earning 32.4% net margin versus 0.0% for CDT Equity Inc. — meaning it keeps 32.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RPRX leads at 65.6% versus 0.0% for CDT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RPRX leads at 100.0%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — CDT or RPRX?
In this comparison, RPRX (1.4% yield) pays a dividend. CDT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is CDT or RPRX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Royalty Pharma plc (RPRX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.36), 1.4% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (RPRX: +16.7%, CDT: -100.0%), 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.
07What are the main differences between CDT and RPRX?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. RPRX pays a dividend while CDT does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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.