Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) vs Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RXRX) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | RXRX | 26.9% revenue growth vs DNA's -25.1% |
| Quality / Margins | DNA | -183.8% net margin vs RXRX's -8.6% |
| Stability / Safety | DNA | Beta 1.98 vs RXRX's 2.38 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | DNA | -18.1% vs RXRX's -51.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | DNA | -27.9% ROA vs RXRX's -43.7%, ROIC -34.3% vs -95.8% |
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.
Recursion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biotechnology company that uses an industrialized, technology-driven platform to discover and develop new drugs. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and partnerships with pharmaceutical companies — like its major deal with Bayer — while advancing its own pipeline of drug candidates. Its key competitive advantage is its proprietary platform that combines automation, artificial intelligence, and massive biological datasets to systematically decode biology and accelerate drug discovery at scale.
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
DNA leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). RXRX leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
DNA is the larger business by revenue, generating $170M annually — 2.3x RXRX's $75M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -183.8% (DNA) to -8.6% (RXRX). On growth, RXRX holds the edge at +6.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | RXRXRecursion Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $170M | $75M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$223M | -$564M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$313M | -$645M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$194M | -$378M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +81.5% | -32.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -185.3% | -8.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -183.8% | -8.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -114.0% | -5.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -23.8% | +6.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +30.9% | +60.4% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | RXRXRecursion Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $328M | $1.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $577M | $1.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.20x | -2.55x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.92x | 25.96x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.74x | 1.45x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
RXRX delivers a -57.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-57 in annual profit, vs $-61 for DNA. RXRX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.07x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DNA's 0.82x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), RXRX scores 4/9 vs DNA's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | RXRXRecursion Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -61.5% | -57.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -27.9% | -43.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -34.3% | -95.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -27.5% | -50.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.82x | 0.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $250M | -$665M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $167M | $743M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $417M | $78M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -491.16x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in RXRX five years ago would be worth $2,039 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $167 for DNA. Over the past 12 months, DNA leads with a -18.1% total return vs RXRX's -51.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors RXRX at -23.4% vs DNA's -51.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | RXRXRecursion Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -22.4% | -12.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -18.1% | -51.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.5% | -55.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.3% | -79.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.3% | -79.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -51.4% | -23.4% |
Risk & Volatility
DNA is the less volatile stock with a 1.98 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than RXRX's 2.38 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. RXRX currently trades 46.5% 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… | RXRXRecursion Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.98x | 2.38x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.58 | $7.89 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.00 | $2.98 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +38.4% | +46.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.4 | 46.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 848K | 18.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates DNA as "Buy" and RXRX as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 199.7% upside for RXRX (target: $11) vs 16.1% for DNA (target: $8).
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | RXRXRecursion Pharmac… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $7.84 | $11.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 10 |
| 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 | Apr 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | 100 | 2.26 | -97.7% |
| Recursion Pharmaceu… (RXRX) | 100 | 12.66 | -87.3% |
Recursion Pharmaceu… (RXRX) returned -80% over 5 years vs Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA)'s -98%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | $54M | $170M | +214.0% |
| Recursion Pharmaceu… (RXRX) | $2M | $75M | +4264.8% |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s revenue grew from $54M (2019) to $170M (2025) — a 21.0% CAGR. Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $2M (2019) to $75M (2025) — a 87.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | -2.2% | -183.8% | -8246.5% |
| Recursion Pharmaceu… (RXRX) | -36.5% | -8.6% | +76.4% |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s net margin went from -2% (2019) to -184% (2025). Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -37% (2019) to -9% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | -4.15 | -5.64 | -35.9% |
| Recursion Pharmaceu… (RXRX) | -0.37 | -1.44 | -285.9% |
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.15 (2019) to $-5.64 (2025). Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.37 (2019) to $-1.44 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. generated $-179M FCF in 2025 (+42% vs 2021). Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-378M FCF in 2025 (-91% vs 2021).
DNA vs RXRX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is DNA or RXRX 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 RXRX?
Over the past 5 years, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RXRX) delivered a total return of -79.6%, compared to -98.3% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA). A $10,000 investment in RXRX five years ago would be worth approximately $2K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: RXRX returned -79.6% 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 RXRX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) is the lower-risk stock at 1.98β versus Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 2.38β — meaning RXRX is approximately 20% more volatile than DNA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RXRX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 7% versus 82% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — DNA or RXRX?
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) is the more profitable company, earning -183.8% net margin versus -863.4% for Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — 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 -867.9% for RXRX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — DNA leads at 81.5%, 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 RXRX?
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 RXRX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Recursion Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (RXRX) carries a higher beta of 2.38 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (DNA: -98.3%, RXRX: -79.6%), 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 RXRX?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.