Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Celcuity Inc. (CELC) vs Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) 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 | EXEL | Beta 0.63 vs CELC's 1.08, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CELC | +10.8% vs EXEL's +13.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EXEL | 24.0% ROA vs CELC's -34.2%, ROIC 32.1% vs -50.3% |
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
Celcuity is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing targeted cancer therapies using its proprietary diagnostic platform. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements — notably with Pfizer for its lead drug candidate Gedatolisib — while advancing its pipeline toward commercialization. The company's key advantage is its CELsignia platform, which analyzes living tumor cells to identify specific cancer-driving abnormalities and match patients with targeted treatments.
Exelixis is an oncology-focused biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and commercializes targeted cancer therapies. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its flagship drug Cabometyx — which accounts for the vast majority of its revenue — along with royalties from partnered products like Cotellic. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in tyrosine kinase inhibitors and its focused pipeline targeting difficult-to-treat cancers.
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
EXEL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CELC leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EXEL and CELC operate at a comparable scale, with $2.3B and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | CELCCelcuity Inc. | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $2.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$159M | $830M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$163M | $678M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$145M | $753M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +96.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +35.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +29.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +32.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +10.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -31.4% | +75.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CELCCelcuity Inc. | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $4.8B | $11.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.9B | $11.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -39.47x | 15.85x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 13.29x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.31x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 13.19x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 5.09x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 38.12x | 5.75x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 13.36x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EXEL delivers a 31.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $31 in annual profit, vs $-139 for CELC. EXEL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.08x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CELC's 0.85x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EXEL scores 7/9 vs CELC's 1/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CELCCelcuity Inc. | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -139.1% | +31.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -34.2% | +24.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -50.3% | +32.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -58.0% | +35.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.85x | 0.08x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $75M | -$309M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $23M | $482M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $98M | $173M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -5.02x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CELC five years ago would be worth $75,942 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $19,758 for EXEL. Over the past 12 months, CELC leads with a +1084.6% total return vs EXEL's +13.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CELC at 111.7% vs EXEL's 37.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CELCCelcuity Inc. | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.1% | +1.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +1084.6% | +13.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +848.3% | +158.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +659.4% | +97.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +681.7% | +1110.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +111.7% | +37.1% |
Risk & Volatility
EXEL is the less volatile stock with a 0.63 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CELC's 1.08 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CELC currently trades 92.8% from its 52-week high vs EXEL's 88.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CELCCelcuity Inc. | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.08x | 0.63x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $120.31 | $49.62 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $7.58 | $32.38 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +92.8% | +88.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.2 | 53.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 610K | 2.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CELC as "Buy" and EXEL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 0.8% upside for EXEL (target: $44) vs -11.1% for CELC (target: $99).
| Metric | CELCCelcuity Inc. | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $99.33 | $44.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +8.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celcuity Inc. (CELC) | 100 | 1,349.58 | +1249.6% |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | 100 | 221.93 | +121.9% |
Celcuity Inc. (CELC) returned +659% over 5 years vs Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL)'s +98%. A $10,000 investment in CELC 5 years ago would be worth $75,942 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celcuity Inc. (CELC) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | $191M | $2.3B | +1111.8% |
Exelixis, Inc.'s revenue grew from $191M (2016) to $2.3B (2025) — a 31.9% CAGR.
Chart 3P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | 62 | 15.8 | -74.5% |
Exelixis, Inc. has traded in a 9x–62x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x.
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Celcuity Inc. (CELC) | -0.49 | -2.83 | -477.6% |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | -0.28 | 2.78 | +1092.9% |
Exelixis, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.28 (2016) to $2.78 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Celcuity Inc. generated $-84M FCF in 2024 (-310% vs 2021). Exelixis, Inc. generated $884M FCF in 2025 (+163% vs 2021).
CELC vs EXEL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CELC or EXEL a better buy right now?
Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) offers the better valuation at 15.8x trailing P/E (13.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Celcuity Inc. (CELC) a "Buy" — based on 9 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 — CELC or EXEL?
Over the past 5 years, Celcuity Inc. (CELC) delivered a total return of +659.4%, compared to +97.6% for Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL). A $10,000 investment in CELC five years ago would be worth approximately $76K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EXEL returned +1110% versus CELC's +681.7%. 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 — CELC or EXEL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.63β versus Celcuity Inc.'s 1.08β — meaning CELC is approximately 72% more volatile than EXEL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 8% versus 85% for Celcuity Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CELC or EXEL?
Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) is the more profitable company, earning 33.7% net margin versus 0.0% for Celcuity Inc. — meaning it keeps 33.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EXEL leads at 37.6% versus 0.0% for CELC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EXEL leads at 96.6%, 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 CELC or EXEL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EXEL: 0.8% to $44.40.
06Which pays a better dividend — CELC or EXEL?
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 CELC or EXEL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.63), +1110% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EXEL: +1110%, CELC: +681.7%), 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 CELC and EXEL?
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: CELC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EXEL is a mid-cap deep-value 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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