Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) vs Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (CNTA) 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 | DNA | -25.1% revenue growth vs CNTA's -100.0% |
| Quality / Margins | DNA | -183.8% net margin vs CNTA's -16.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CNTA | Beta 0.98 vs DNA's 1.98, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CNTA | +72.7% vs DNA's -18.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | DNA | -27.9% ROA vs CNTA's -54.1%, ROIC -34.3% vs -91.8% |
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
Ginkgo Bioworks operates a cell programming platform that designs custom microorganisms for industrial applications like therapeutics, food ingredients, and chemicals. It generates revenue primarily through platform access fees and milestone payments from biotech partners — with additional income from equity stakes in spin-out ventures. Its competitive advantage lies in its massive automated foundry infrastructure and proprietary AI-driven design software, which creates significant scale and efficiency advantages in synthetic biology.
Centessa Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing novel medicines for serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements — though as a pre-commercial company, it currently relies on equity financing and partnerships to fund development. The company's competitive advantage lies in its asset-centric model — each program operates as an independent "company" with dedicated resources and accountability — and its LockBody platform technology designed to create targeted cancer therapies with reduced systemic toxicity.
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
CNTA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility). DNA leads in 1 (Financial Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
DNA is the larger business by revenue, generating $170M annually — 11.3x CNTA's $15M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -183.8% (DNA) to -16.2% (CNTA).
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | CNTACentessa Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $170M | $15M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$223M | -$213M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$313M | -$243M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$194M | -$181M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +81.5% | +100.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -185.3% | -14.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -183.8% | -16.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -114.0% | -12.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -23.8% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +30.9% | -10.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | CNTACentessa Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $328M | $3.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $577M | $3.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.20x | -13.04x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.92x | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.74x | 7.66x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
DNA delivers a -61.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-61 in annual profit, vs $-80 for CNTA. CNTA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.29x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DNA's 0.82x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CNTA scores 3/9 vs DNA's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | CNTACentessa Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -61.5% | -80.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -27.9% | -54.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -34.3% | -91.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -27.5% | -47.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.82x | 0.29x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $250M | -$266M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $167M | $383M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $417M | $117M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -20.50x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CNTA five years ago would be worth $12,349 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $167 for DNA. Over the past 12 months, CNTA leads with a +72.7% total return vs DNA's -18.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CNTA at 96.9% vs DNA's -51.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | CNTACentessa Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -22.4% | +13.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -18.1% | +72.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.5% | +663.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.3% | +23.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.3% | +23.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -51.4% | +96.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CNTA is the less volatile stock with a 0.98 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than DNA's 1.98 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CNTA currently trades 87.8% from its 52-week high vs DNA's 38.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | CNTACentessa Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.98x | 0.98x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.58 | $30.58 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.00 | $9.60 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +38.4% | +87.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.4 | 65.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 848K | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates DNA as "Buy" and CNTA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 39.0% upside for CNTA (target: $37) vs 16.1% for DNA (target: $8).
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | CNTACentessa Pharmace… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $7.84 | $37.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| 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 | Jun 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | 100 | 2.32 | -97.7% |
| Centessa Pharmaceut… (CNTA) | 108.41 | 115.82 | +6.8% |
Centessa Pharmaceut… (CNTA) returned +23% over 5 years vs Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA)'s -98%. A $10,000 investment in CNTA 5 years ago would be worth $12,349 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | $54M | $170M | +214.0% |
| Centessa Pharmaceut… (CNTA) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s revenue grew from $54M (2019) to $170M (2025) — a 21.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | -2.2% | -183.8% | -8246.5% |
| Centessa Pharmaceut… (CNTA) | -22.0% | -22.0% | +0.0% |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s net margin went from -2% (2019) to -184% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | -4.15 | -5.64 | -35.9% |
| Centessa Pharmaceut… (CNTA) | -0.08 | -2.06 | -2551.2% |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.15 (2019) to $-5.64 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. generated $-179M FCF in 2025 (+42% vs 2021). Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc generated $-142M FCF in 2024 (-4% vs 2021).
DNA vs CNTA: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is DNA or CNTA a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) a "Buy" — based on 11 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 — DNA or CNTA?
Over the past 5 years, Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (CNTA) delivered a total return of +23.5%, compared to -98.3% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA). A $10,000 investment in CNTA five years ago would be worth approximately $12K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CNTA returned +23.5% versus DNA's -98.3%. 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 — DNA or CNTA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (CNTA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.98β versus Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s 1.98β — meaning DNA is approximately 101% more volatile than CNTA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (CNTA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 29% versus 82% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — DNA or CNTA?
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) is the more profitable company, earning -183.8% net margin versus -1618.0% for Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc — meaning it keeps -183.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DNA leads at -185.3% versus -1425.3% for CNTA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CNTA 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 — DNA or CNTA?
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 DNA or CNTA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Centessa Pharmaceuticals plc (CNTA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.98)). Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) carries a higher beta of 1.98 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CNTA: +23.5%, DNA: -98.3%), 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 DNA and CNTA?
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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