Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare CureVac N.V. (CVAC) vs BioNTech SE (BNTX) 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 | CVAC | 9.0% revenue growth vs BNTX's -28.0% |
| Quality / Margins | CVAC | 37.9% net margin vs BNTX's -18.1% |
| Stability / Safety | CVAC | Beta 0.90 vs BNTX's 0.92 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CVAC | +50.3% vs BNTX's -2.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CVAC | 28.1% ROA vs BNTX's -2.7%, ROIC 65.0% vs -10.5% |
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
CureVac is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing mRNA-based vaccines and cancer immunotherapies. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and grants — having partnered with companies like GSK and Bayer — while advancing its pipeline toward commercialization. Its key advantage lies in proprietary mRNA technology platforms optimized for stability and immune response, though it faces intense competition from established mRNA leaders.
BioNTech is a biotechnology company that develops mRNA-based immunotherapies for cancer and infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through COVID-19 vaccine sales — which accounted for the vast majority of its income during the pandemic — and through partnerships and licensing deals for its oncology pipeline. The company's key advantage is its pioneering mRNA technology platform, which enables rapid development of targeted therapies and vaccines.
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
CVAC leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). BNTX leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BNTX is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.2B annually — 6.2x CVAC's $511M. CVAC is the more profitable business, keeping 37.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BNTX's -18.1%. On growth, BNTX holds the edge at +22.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CVACCureVac N.V. | BNTXBioNTech SE |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $511M | $3.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $226M | -$550M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $194M | -$572M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $196M | -$563M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +94.8% | +82.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +40.8% | -29.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +37.9% | -18.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +38.4% | -17.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -91.4% | +22.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +18.8% | -114.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | CVACCureVac N.V. | BNTXBioNTech SE |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.0B | $27.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $607M | $16.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 6.47x | -33.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.09x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.96x | 8.52x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.51x | 1.16x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 12.58x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
CVAC delivers a 33.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $33 in annual profit, vs $-3 for BNTX. BNTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CVAC's 0.06x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CVAC scores 7/9 vs BNTX's 3/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CVACCureVac N.V. | BNTXBioNTech SE |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +33.0% | -3.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +28.1% | -2.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +65.0% | -10.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +26.7% | -6.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.06x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$443M | -$9.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $482M | $9.8B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $39M | $254M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 547.87x | -49.09x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BNTX five years ago would be worth $10,193 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $485 for CVAC. Over the past 12 months, CVAC leads with a +50.3% total return vs BNTX's -2.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BNTX at -5.4% vs CVAC's -18.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CVACCureVac N.V. | BNTXBioNTech SE |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.2% | +14.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +50.3% | -2.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.1% | -15.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -95.2% | +1.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -91.7% | +688.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -18.6% | -5.4% |
Risk & Volatility
CVAC is the less volatile stock with a 0.90 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BNTX's 0.92 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BNTX currently trades 88.9% from its 52-week high vs CVAC's 81.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CVACCureVac N.V. | BNTXBioNTech SE |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.90x | 0.92x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.72 | $124.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.48 | $81.20 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +81.5% | +88.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 47.8 | 50.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 822K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CVAC as "Hold" and BNTX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 350.6% upside for CVAC (target: $21) vs 24.1% for BNTX (target: $137).
| Metric | CVACCureVac N.V. | BNTXBioNTech SE |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $21.00 | $136.80 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 24 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| 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 | Aug 20 | Jan 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CureVac N.V. (CVAC) | 100 | 8.35 | -91.6% |
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | 100 | 167.25 | +67.3% |
BioNTech SE (BNTX) returned +2% over 5 years vs CureVac N.V. (CVAC)'s -95%. A $10,000 investment in BNTX 5 years ago would be worth $10,193 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CureVac N.V. (CVAC) | $13M | $535M | +4058.0% |
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | $62M | $2.8B | +4366.2% |
BioNTech SE's revenue grew from $62M (2017) to $2.8B (2024) — a 72.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CureVac N.V. (CVAC) | -5.5% | 30.3% | +647.5% |
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | -139.1% | -24.2% | +82.6% |
BioNTech SE's net margin went from -139% (2017) to -24% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 3 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | 6.3 | 27.6 | +338.1% |
BioNTech SE has traded in a 4x–28x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-34x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| CureVac N.V. (CVAC) | -0.4 | 0.72 | +280.0% |
| BioNTech SE (BNTX) | -0.38 | -2.77 | -628.9% |
BioNTech SE's EPS grew from $-0.38 (2017) to $-2.77 (2024).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
CureVac N.V. generated $83M FCF in 2024 (+110% vs 2021). BioNTech SE generated $-245M FCF in 2024 (-133% vs 2021).
CVAC vs BNTX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CVAC or BNTX a better buy right now?
CureVac N.V. (CVAC) offers the better valuation at 6.5x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate BioNTech SE (BNTX) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 — CVAC or BNTX?
Over the past 5 years, BioNTech SE (BNTX) delivered a total return of +1.9%, compared to -95.2% for CureVac N.V. (CVAC). A $10,000 investment in BNTX five years ago would be worth approximately $10K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BNTX returned +688.9% versus CVAC's -91.7%. 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 — CVAC or BNTX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), CureVac N.V. (CVAC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.90β versus BioNTech SE's 0.92β — meaning BNTX is approximately 3% more volatile than CVAC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, BioNTech SE (BNTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 6% for CureVac N.V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — CVAC or BNTX?
CureVac N.V. (CVAC) is the more profitable company, earning 30.3% net margin versus -24.2% for BioNTech SE — meaning it keeps 30.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CVAC leads at 33.2% versus -47.8% for BNTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BNTX leads at 80.3%, 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 — CVAC or BNTX?
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 CVAC or BNTX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, BioNTech SE (BNTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.92), +688.9% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BNTX: +688.9%, CVAC: -91.7%), 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.
07What are the main differences between CVAC and BNTX?
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: CVAC is a small-cap deep-value stock; BNTX 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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