Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) vs Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) 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 | BEAM | 120.0% revenue growth vs CRSP's -90.0% |
| Quality / Margins | BEAM | -57.2% net margin vs CRSP's -13.3% |
| Stability / Safety | CRSP | Beta 1.25 vs BEAM's 1.66, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRSP | +36.9% vs BEAM's +8.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BEAM | -5.4% ROA vs CRSP's -21.7%, ROIC -33.6% vs -27.4% |
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
CRISPR Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing transformative gene-editing therapies for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and milestone payments from partners like Vertex Pharmaceuticals — with its lead therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia now approved and generating product sales. The company's key advantage is its foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property and extensive expertise in developing ex vivo gene-edited cell therapies.
Beam Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines using base editing technology to treat serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners — with potential future income from clinical-stage programs targeting sickle cell disease, T-cell cancers, and metabolic disorders. The company's key advantage is its proprietary base editing platform, which enables more precise DNA modifications than traditional CRISPR approaches — potentially offering safer and more effective genetic 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
BEAM leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CRSP leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BEAM is the larger business by revenue, generating $140M annually — 3.8x CRSP's $37M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -57.2% (BEAM) to -13.3% (CRSP).
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $37M | $140M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$556M | -$361M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$488M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$303M | -$360M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -3.6% | +84.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -15.6% | -2.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -13.3% | -57.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -8.2% | -2.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +2.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -15.8% | +3.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.6B | $2.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.5B | $2.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -9.30x | -35.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1608.41x | 20.72x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.81x | 2.27x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BEAM delivers a -6.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-6 in annual profit, vs $-25 for CRSP. CRSP carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BEAM's 0.12x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BEAM scores 5/9 vs CRSP's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -25.5% | -6.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -21.7% | -5.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -27.4% | -33.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -31.1% | -33.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.11x | 0.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$141M | -$141M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $348M | $295M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $207M | $154M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -9.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRSP five years ago would be worth $4,617 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,978 for BEAM. Over the past 12 months, CRSP leads with a +36.9% total return vs BEAM's +8.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRSP at 6.8% vs BEAM's -10.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.8% | +4.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +36.9% | +8.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +21.9% | -29.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -53.8% | -70.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +326.8% | +51.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.8% | -10.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CRSP is the less volatile stock with a 1.25 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BEAM's 1.66 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 1.66x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $78.48 | $36.44 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $30.04 | $13.53 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +76.6% | +78.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 66.2 | 51.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.4M | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CRSP as "Buy" and BEAM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 43.6% upside for BEAM (target: $41) vs 8.1% for CRSP (target: $65).
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $65.00 | $40.86 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 38 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.3% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | 100 | 96.18 | -3.8% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | 100 | 121.29 | +21.3% |
CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) returned -54% over 5 years vs Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM)'s -70%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | $5M | $4M | -32.0% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | $0.00 | $140M | — |
CRISPR Therapeutics AG's revenue grew from $5M (2016) to $4M (2025) — a -4.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | -4.5% | -165.7% | -3587.9% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -4351.4% | -57.2% | +98.7% |
CRISPR Therapeutics AG's net margin went from -4% (2016) to -166% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | -1.89 | -6.47 | -242.3% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -0.62 | -0.81 | -30.6% |
CRISPR Therapeutics AG's EPS grew from $-1.89 (2016) to $-6.47 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CRISPR Therapeutics AG generated $-346M FCF in 2025 (-176% vs 2021). Beam Therapeutics Inc. generated $-360M FCF in 2025 (-218% vs 2021).
CRSP vs BEAM: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CRSP or BEAM a better buy right now?
Analysts rate CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) a "Buy" — based on 38 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 — CRSP or BEAM?
Over the past 5 years, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) delivered a total return of -53.8%, compared to -70.2% for Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM). A $10,000 investment in CRSP five years ago would be worth approximately $5K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRSP returned +326.8% versus BEAM's +51.8%. 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 — CRSP or BEAM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) is the lower-risk stock at 1.25β versus Beam Therapeutics Inc.'s 1.66β — meaning BEAM is approximately 32% more volatile than CRSP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 12% for Beam Therapeutics Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CRSP or BEAM?
Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) is the more profitable company, earning -57.2% net margin versus -165.7% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG — meaning it keeps -57.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BEAM leads at -274.6% versus -189.3% for CRSP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BEAM leads at 84.0%, 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 — CRSP or BEAM?
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.
06Is CRSP or BEAM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.25), +326.8% 10Y return). Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) carries a higher beta of 1.66 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRSP: +326.8%, BEAM: +51.8%), 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 CRSP and BEAM?
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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