Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) vs BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) 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 | CPRX | 19.8% revenue growth vs BMRN's 12.9% |
| Value | CPRX | Lower P/E (12.4x vs 15.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | CPRX | 36.4% net margin vs BMRN's 10.8% |
| Stability / Safety | BMRN | Beta 0.74 vs CPRX's 0.82 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CPRX | +0.8% vs BMRN's -13.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CPRX | 19.4% ROA vs BMRN's 4.6%, ROIC 83.9% vs 7.4% |
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
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for rare neuromuscular and neurological diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of Firdapse — its amifampridine phosphate tablets for Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome — which represents the vast majority of its income, supplemented by its pediatric LEMS drug Ruzurgi. The company's moat lies in its orphan drug exclusivity for rare disease treatments and its specialized expertise in neuromuscular disorders, creating high barriers to entry.
BioMarin Pharmaceutical is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing therapies for rare genetic diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its orphan drug portfolio — including Voxzogo, Vimizim, and Palynziq — with additional income from licensing and royalties. The company's moat lies in its deep expertise in rare disease biology and its established commercial infrastructure for ultra-orphan drugs, which creates high barriers to entry.
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
CPRX leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BMRN is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.2B annually — 5.5x CPRX's $589M. CPRX is the more profitable business, keeping 36.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BMRN's 10.8%. On growth, BMRN holds the edge at +17.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CPRXCatalyst Pharmace… | BMRNBioMarin Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $589M | $3.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $295M | $613M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $214M | $349M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $209M | $725M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +85.2% | +77.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +43.8% | +16.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +36.4% | +10.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +35.4% | +22.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.6% | +17.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -9.1% | -134.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 13.7x trailing earnings, CPRX trades at a 60% valuation discount to BMRN's 34.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CPRX's 7.2x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than BMRN's 18.2x.
| Metric | CPRXCatalyst Pharmace… | BMRNBioMarin Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.8B | $11.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.1B | $11.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 13.74x | 34.29x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 12.36x | 15.45x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.73x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.18x | 18.18x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.80x | 3.68x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.08x | 2.00x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.55x | 16.36x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CPRX delivers a 22.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $22 in annual profit, vs $6 for BMRN. CPRX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BMRN's 0.10x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BMRN scores 5/9 vs CPRX's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CPRXCatalyst Pharmace… | BMRNBioMarin Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +22.5% | +5.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +19.4% | +4.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +83.9% | +7.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +30.6% | +7.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.10x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$707M | -$715M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $709M | $1.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2M | $597M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 48.95x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CPRX five years ago would be worth $57,700 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $7,797 for BMRN. Over the past 12 months, CPRX leads with a +0.8% total return vs BMRN's -13.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CPRX at 14.8% vs BMRN's -14.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CPRXCatalyst Pharmace… | BMRNBioMarin Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.3% | +3.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +0.8% | -13.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +51.2% | -38.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +477.0% | -22.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +2098.1% | -24.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.8% | -14.7% |
Risk & Volatility
BMRN is the less volatile stock with a 0.74 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CPRX's 0.82 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | CPRXCatalyst Pharmace… | BMRNBioMarin Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.82x | 0.74x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $26.58 | $73.51 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $19.05 | $50.76 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +86.8% | +84.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.9 | 56.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 976K | 1.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CPRX as "Buy" and BMRN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 43.0% upside for CPRX (target: $33) vs 32.8% for BMRN (target: $82).
| Metric | CPRXCatalyst Pharmace… | BMRNBioMarin Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $33.00 | $82.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | 40 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.9% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalyst Pharmaceut… (CPRX) | 100 | 568.18 | +468.2% |
| BioMarin Pharmaceut… (BMRN) | 100 | 61.39 | -38.6% |
Catalyst Pharmaceut… (CPRX) returned +477% over 5 years vs BioMarin Pharmaceut… (BMRN)'s -22%. A $10,000 investment in CPRX 5 years ago would be worth $57,700 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalyst Pharmaceut… (CPRX) | $0.00 | $589M | — |
| BioMarin Pharmaceut… (BMRN) | $1.1B | $0.00 | -100.0% |
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $589M (2025) — a 0.0% CAGR. BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $0M (2025) — a -100.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalyst Pharmaceut… (CPRX) | -68.0% | 36.4% | +153.5% |
| BioMarin Pharmaceut… (BMRN) | -56.4% | 15.0% | +126.5% |
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalyst Pharmaceut… (CPRX) | 12.5 | 13.9 | +11.2% |
| BioMarin Pharmaceut… (BMRN) | 19.4 | 424.5 | +2088.1% |
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has traded in a 5x–27x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x. BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. has traded in a 19x–425x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~34x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalyst Pharmaceut… (CPRX) | -0.22 | 1.68 | +863.6% |
| BioMarin Pharmaceut… (BMRN) | -3.79 | 0.14 | +103.7% |
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.22 (2016) to $1.68 (2025). BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc.'s EPS grew from $-3.79 (2016) to $0.14 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $209M FCF in 2025 (+251% vs 2021). BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. generated $725M FCF in 2025 (+291% vs 2021).
CPRX vs BMRN: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CPRX or BMRN a better buy right now?
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) offers the better valuation at 13.7x trailing P/E (12.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) a "Buy" — based on 16 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 — CPRX or BMRN?
On trailing P/E, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) is the cheapest at 13.7x versus BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. at 34.3x. On forward P/E, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. is actually cheaper at 12.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CPRX or BMRN?
Over the past 5 years, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) delivered a total return of +477.0%, compared to -22.0% for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN). A $10,000 investment in CPRX five years ago would be worth approximately $58K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CPRX returned +21.0% versus BMRN's -24.6%. 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 — CPRX or BMRN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.74β versus Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.82β — meaning CPRX is approximately 10% more volatile than BMRN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 10% for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CPRX or BMRN?
Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) is the more profitable company, earning 36.4% net margin versus 10.8% for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. — meaning it keeps 36.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CPRX leads at 43.8% versus 16.6% for BMRN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CPRX leads at 85.2%, 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 CPRX or BMRN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Catalyst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (CPRX) trades at 12.4x forward P/E versus 15.4x for BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. — 3.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CPRX: 43.0% to $33.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — CPRX or BMRN?
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 CPRX or BMRN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, BioMarin Pharmaceutical Inc. (BMRN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.74)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BMRN: -24.6%, CPRX: +21.0%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CPRX and BMRN?
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: CPRX is a small-cap deep-value stock; BMRN 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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