DNA
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$672M
5Y Perf.-97.5%
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Stock Comparison
DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
TWST
Twist Bioscience Corporation
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
Market Cap$3.65B
5Y Perf.-56.4%
ILMN
Illumina, Inc.
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
Market Cap$21.07B
5Y Perf.-63.7%
BEAM
Beam Therapeutics Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$3.23B
5Y Perf.-61.6%
DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | DNA | TWST | ILMN | BEAM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Diagnostics & Research | Medical - Diagnostics & Research | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $672M | $3.65B | $21.07B | $3.23B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $122M | $409M | $4.39B | $132M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-304M | $-81M | $853M | $-65M |
| Gross Margin | 81.5% | 52.1% | 67.1% | -64.2% |
| Operating Margin | -244.3% | -33.9% | 20.9% | -281.0% |
| Forward P/E | — | — | 26.8x | — |
| Total Debt | $417M | $137M | $2.55B | $294M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $167M | $183M | $1.42B | $295M |
DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
DNA
TWST
ILMN
BEAM
| Stock | Apr 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ginkgo Bioworks Hol… (DNA) | 100 | 2.5 | -97.5% |
| Twist Bioscience Co… (TWST) | 100 | 43.6 | -56.4% |
| Illumina, Inc. (ILMN) | 100 | 36.3 | -63.7% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | 100 | 38.4 | -61.6% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: ILMN leads in 3 of 6 categories, making it the strongest pick for profitability and margin quality and capital preservation and lower volatility. Beam Therapeutics Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and recent price momentum and sentiment. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
DNA
Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.
The Specific-Use Pick
DNA plays a supporting role in this comparison — it may shine differently against other peers.
Best for: healthcare exposure
TWST
Twist Bioscience Corporation
The Long-Run Compounder
TWST is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 318.1% 10Y total return vs BEAM's 67.8%
Best for: long-term compounding
ILMN
Illumina, Inc.
The Income Pick
ILMN carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability.
- beta 1.23
- 19.4% margin vs DNA's -249.8%
- Beta 1.23 vs DNA's 3.42
- 13.4% ROA vs DNA's -26.6%, ROIC 16.8% vs -34.3%
Best for: income & stability
BEAM
Beam Therapeutics Inc.
The Growth Play
BEAM is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night is your priority.
- Rev growth 120.0%, EPS growth 82.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 31.9%
- Lower volatility, beta 2.14, Low D/E 23.7%, current ratio 13.09x
- Beta 2.14, current ratio 13.09x
- 120.0% revenue growth vs DNA's -25.1%
Best for: growth exposure and sleep-well-at-night
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | BEAM | 120.0% revenue growth vs DNA's -25.1% |
| Quality / Margins | ILMN | 19.4% margin vs DNA's -249.8% |
| Stability / Safety | ILMN | Beta 1.23 vs DNA's 3.42 |
| Dividends | Tie | None of these 4 stocks pay a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | BEAM | +93.9% vs DNA's +39.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ILMN | 13.4% ROA vs DNA's -26.6%, ROIC 16.8% vs -34.3% |
DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
FY 2025
FY 2025
Segment breakdown not available.
DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 4 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLILMNLAGGINGBEAM
Who Leads Where
ILMN leads in 3 of 6 categories
DNA leads 1 • TWST leads 1 • BEAM leads 0
Explore the data ↓BEAMBeam Therapeutics Inc.
0leads
TWSTTwist Bioscience Corp…
1leads
DNAGinkgo Bioworks Holdi…
1leads
ILMNIllumina, Inc.
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs DNAvs TWSTMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
ILMN3/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
DNA2/3
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
ILMN6/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
TWST5/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
ILMN2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ILMN leads this category, winning 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ILMN is the larger business by revenue, generating $4.4B annually — 36.0x DNA's $122M. ILMN is the more profitable business, keeping 19.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to DNA's -2.5%. On growth, TWST holds the edge at +19.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | TWSTTwist Bioscience … | ILMNIllumina, Inc. | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $122M | $409M | $4.4B | $132M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$221M | -$115M | $1.1B | -$355M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$304M | -$81M | $853M | -$65M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$183M | -$95M | $989M | -$384M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +81.5% | +52.1% | +67.1% | -64.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.4% | -33.9% | +20.9% | -2.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -2.5% | -19.8% | +19.4% | -49.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -150.4% | -23.2% | +22.5% | -2.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -100.0% | +19.3% | +4.8% | -100.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +17.3% | -7.6% | +6.1% | +26.6% |
ILMN leads this category, winning 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
DNA leads this category, winning 2 of 3 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | TWSTTwist Bioscience … | ILMNIllumina, Inc. | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $672M | $3.6B | $21.1B | $3.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $922M | $3.6B | $22.2B | $3.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.83x | -45.03x | 25.45x | -38.85x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — | 26.77x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | 6.01x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — | 19.58x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.95x | 9.68x | 4.86x | 23.14x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.13x | 7.40x | 7.95x | 2.51x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — | 22.63x | — |
DNA leads this category, winning 2 of 3 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ILMN leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ILMN delivers a 32.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $33 in annual profit, vs $-57 for DNA. BEAM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.24x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ILMN's 0.94x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ILMN scores 8/9 vs DNA's 2/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | TWSTTwist Bioscience … | ILMNIllumina, Inc. | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -57.3% | -17.5% | +32.8% | -5.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -26.6% | -12.5% | +13.4% | -4.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -34.3% | -26.9% | +16.8% | -31.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -27.5% | -24.9% | +17.6% | -33.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.82x | 0.29x | 0.94x | 0.24x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $250M | -$46M | $1.1B | -$1M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $167M | $183M | $1.4B | $295M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $417M | $137M | $2.6B | $294M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — | 12.09x | 1.08x |
ILMN leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
TWST leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in TWST five years ago would be worth $5,015 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $256 for DNA. Over the past 12 months, BEAM leads with a +93.9% total return vs DNA's +39.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TWST at 63.5% vs DNA's -42.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | TWSTTwist Bioscience … | ILMNIllumina, Inc. | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +18.6% | +80.7% | +3.2% | +16.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +39.5% | +78.6% | +81.7% | +93.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -81.2% | +336.9% | -27.1% | -5.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.4% | -49.9% | -62.8% | -55.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.5% | +318.1% | +0.7% | +67.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -42.7% | +63.5% | -10.0% | -1.9% |
TWST leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
ILMN leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
ILMN is the less volatile stock with a 1.23 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than DNA's 3.42 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ILMN currently trades 89.2% from its 52-week high vs DNA's 58.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | TWSTTwist Bioscience … | ILMNIllumina, Inc. | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 3.42x | 2.47x | 1.23x | 2.14x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.58 | $66.00 | $155.53 | $36.44 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.37 | $23.30 | $73.86 | $15.35 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +58.7% | +88.7% | +89.2% | +86.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 70.4 | 57.0 | 65.2 | 60.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.3M | 1.2M | 1.5M | 2.0M |
ILMN leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: DNA as "Buy", TWST as "Buy", ILMN as "Buy", BEAM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 29.7% upside for BEAM (target: $41) vs -24.0% for DNA (target: $8).
| Metric | DNAGinkgo Bioworks H… | TWSTTwist Bioscience … | ILMNIllumina, Inc. | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $7.84 | $49.50 | $147.38 | $40.83 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 13 | 50 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% | +3.5% | 0.0% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
ILMN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). DNA leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Best OverallIllumina, Inc. (ILMN)Leads 3 of 6 categories
Loading custom metrics...
DNA vs TWST vs ILMN vs BEAM: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is DNA or TWST or ILMN or BEAM a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Beam Therapeutics Inc.
(BEAM) is the stronger pick with 120. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -25. 1% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA). Illumina, Inc. (ILMN) offers the better valuation at 25. 5x trailing P/E (26. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. 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 TWST or ILMN or BEAM?
Over the past 5 years, Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) delivered a total return of -49.
9%, compared to -97. 4% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TWST returned +318. 1% versus DNA's -97. 5%. 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 TWST or ILMN or BEAM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Illumina, Inc.
(ILMN) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 23β versus Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. 's 3. 42β — meaning DNA is approximately 177% more volatile than ILMN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 24% versus 94% for Illumina, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — DNA or TWST or ILMN or BEAM?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Beam Therapeutics Inc.
(BEAM) is pulling ahead at 120. 0% versus -25. 1% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Illumina, Inc. grew EPS 170. 9% year-over-year, compared to 46. 5% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BEAM leads at 31. 9% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — DNA or TWST or ILMN or BEAM?
Illumina, Inc.
(ILMN) is the more profitable company, earning 19. 6% net margin versus -183. 8% for Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. — meaning it keeps 19. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ILMN leads at 19. 9% versus -274. 6% for BEAM. 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.
06Is DNA or TWST or ILMN or BEAM more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BEAM: 29.
7% to $40. 83.
07Which pays a better dividend — DNA or TWST or ILMN 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.
08Is DNA or TWST or ILMN or BEAM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Illumina, Inc.
(ILMN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 23)). Ginkgo Bioworks Holdings, Inc. (DNA) carries a higher beta of 3. 42 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (ILMN: +0. 7%, DNA: -97. 5%), 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.
09What are the main differences between DNA and TWST and ILMN 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.
In terms of investment character: DNA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; TWST is a small-cap high-growth stock; ILMN is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; BEAM is a small-cap high-growth 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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