Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) vs Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (WVE) 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 | WVE | -4.4% revenue growth vs CRSP's -90.0% |
| Quality / Margins | WVE | -111.6% net margin vs CRSP's -13.3% |
| Stability / Safety | CRSP | Beta 1.25 vs WVE's 1.26, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRSP | +36.9% vs WVE's +31.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRSP | -21.7% ROA vs WVE's -50.5% |
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.
Wave Life Sciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines that target the root causes of diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and milestone payments from partners like Pfizer — with potential future income from drug sales if its pipeline succeeds. The company's key advantage is its proprietary PRISM platform, which produces stereopure oligonucleotides that offer potentially better safety and efficacy profiles than traditional genetic medicines.
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
WVE leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CRSP leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WVE is the larger business by revenue, generating $109M annually — 3.0x CRSP's $37M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -111.6% (WVE) to -13.3% (CRSP).
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | WVEWave Life Science… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $37M | $109M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$556M | -$127M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$488M | -$122M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$303M | -$198M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -3.6% | +96.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -15.6% | -124.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -13.3% | -111.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -8.2% | -181.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +199.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -15.8% | +31.9% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | WVEWave Life Science… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.6B | $2.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.5B | $2.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -9.30x | -19.90x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1608.41x | 20.62x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.81x | 9.19x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
CRSP delivers a -25.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-25 in annual profit, vs $-98 for WVE. CRSP carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to WVE's 0.12x.
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | WVEWave Life Science… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -25.5% | -97.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -21.7% | -50.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -27.4% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -31.1% | -67.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.11x | 0.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$141M | -$277M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $348M | $302M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $207M | $25M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in WVE five years ago would be worth $13,888 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,617 for CRSP. Over the past 12 months, CRSP leads with a +36.9% total return vs WVE's +31.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors WVE at 49.1% vs CRSP's 6.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | WVEWave Life Science… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.8% | -12.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +36.9% | +31.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +21.9% | +231.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -53.8% | +38.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +326.8% | -7.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.8% | +49.1% |
Risk & Volatility
CRSP is the less volatile stock with a 1.25 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than WVE's 1.26 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CRSP currently trades 76.6% from its 52-week high vs WVE's 64.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | WVEWave Life Science… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 1.26x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $78.48 | $21.73 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $30.04 | $5.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +76.6% | +64.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 66.2 | 66.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.4M | 3.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CRSP as "Buy" and WVE as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 129.7% upside for WVE (target: $32) vs 8.1% for CRSP (target: $65).
| Metric | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | WVEWave Life Science… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $65.00 | $32.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 38 | 24 |
| 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% |
| Wave Life Sciences … (WVE) | 100 | 169.36 | +69.4% |
Wave Life Sciences … (WVE) returned +39% over 5 years vs CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP)'s -54%. A $10,000 investment in WVE 5 years ago would be worth $13,888 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | $5M | $4M | -32.0% |
| Wave Life Sciences … (WVE) | $1M | $108M | +7193.1% |
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% |
| Wave Life Sciences … (WVE) | -37.3% | -89.6% | -140.1% |
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% |
| Wave Life Sciences … (WVE) | -2.43 | -0.7 | +71.2% |
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). Wave Life Sciences Ltd. generated $-152M FCF in 2024 (-70% vs 2021).
CRSP vs WVE: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CRSP or WVE 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 WVE?
Over the past 5 years, Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (WVE) delivered a total return of +38.9%, compared to -53.8% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP). A $10,000 investment in WVE five years ago would be worth approximately $14K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRSP returned +326.8% versus WVE's -7.4%. 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 WVE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) is the lower-risk stock at 1.25β versus Wave Life Sciences Ltd.'s 1.26β — meaning WVE is approximately 0% 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 Wave Life Sciences Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CRSP or WVE?
Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (WVE) is the more profitable company, earning -89.6% net margin versus -165.7% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG — meaning it keeps -89.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WVE leads at -101.9% versus -189.3% for CRSP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WVE 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 — CRSP or WVE?
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 WVE 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). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRSP: +326.8%, WVE: -7.4%), 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 WVE?
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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