DSGN
Design Therapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$881M
5Y Perf.-15.1%
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Stock Comparison
DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
ARQT
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$2.58B
5Y Perf.+27.8%
FULC
Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$372M
5Y Perf.-51.7%
DERM
Journey Medical Corporation
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic
Market Cap$102M
5Y Perf.-35.9%
DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | DSGN | ARQT | FULC | DERM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic |
| Market Cap | $881M | $2.58B | $372M | $102M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $416M | $0.00 | $56M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-70M | $-2M | $-76M | $-9M |
| Gross Margin | — | 90.9% | — | 67.5% |
| Operating Margin | — | 0.8% | — | -12.2% |
| Forward P/E | — | 106.5x | — | 69.9x |
| Total Debt | $645K | $6M | $6M | $26M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $17M | $43M | $198M | $20M |
DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
DSGN
ARQT
FULC
DERM
| Stock | Nov 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Design Therapeutics… (DSGN) | 100 | 84.9 | -15.1% |
| Arcutis Biotherapeu… (ARQT) | 100 | 127.8 | +27.8% |
| Fulcrum Therapeutic… (FULC) | 100 | 48.3 | -51.7% |
| Journey Medical Cor… (DERM) | 100 | 64.1 | -35.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: DSGN and ARQT are tied at the top with 2 categories each — the right choice depends on your priorities. Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for growth and revenue expansion and operational efficiency and capital deployment. FULC and DERM also each lead in at least one category. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
DSGN
Design Therapeutics, Inc.
The Quality Compounder
DSGN has the current edge in this matchup, primarily because of its strength in quality and momentum.
- 4.3% margin vs DERM's -15.5%
- +323.4% vs DERM's -28.1%
Best for: quality and momentum
ARQT
Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
The Growth Play
ARQT is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if growth exposure and long-term compounding is your priority.
- Rev growth 91.3%, EPS growth 88.8%, 3Y rev CAGR 367.3%
- -5.2% 10Y total return vs FULC's -49.0%
- 91.3% revenue growth vs FULC's -100.0%
- -0.6% ROA vs DSGN's -31.3%, ROIC -5.2% vs -28.5%
Best for: growth exposure and long-term compounding
FULC
Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.
The Income Pick
FULC is the clearest fit if your priority is income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- beta 1.40
- Lower volatility, beta 1.40, Low D/E 1.8%, current ratio 27.40x
- Beta 1.40, current ratio 27.40x
- Beta 1.40 vs DERM's 1.82, lower leverage
Best for: income & stability and sleep-well-at-night
DERM
Journey Medical Corporation
The Value Play
DERM is the clearest fit if your priority is value.
- Better valuation composite
Best for: value
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ARQT | 91.3% revenue growth vs FULC's -100.0% |
| Value | DERM | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | DSGN | 4.3% margin vs DERM's -15.5% |
| Stability / Safety | FULC | Beta 1.40 vs DERM's 1.82, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | None of these 4 stocks pay a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | DSGN | +323.4% vs DERM's -28.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ARQT | -0.6% ROA vs DSGN's -31.3%, ROIC -5.2% vs -28.5% |
DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
FY 2023
Segment breakdown not available.
FY 2024
DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 4 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLARQTLAGGINGFULC
Who Leads Where
ARQT leads in 2 of 6 categories
DERM leads 1 • DSGN leads 0 • FULC leads 0 • 2 tied
Explore the data ↓FULCFulcrum Therapeutics,…
0leads
DSGNDesign Therapeutics, …
0leads
DERMJourney Medical Corpo…
1leads
ARQTArcutis Biotherapeuti…
2leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs DERMvs DSGNMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
ARQT6/6
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
DERM2/4
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
ARQT6/9
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
Tied
—
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ARQT leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
ARQT and FULC operate at a comparable scale, with $416M and $0 in trailing revenue. ARQT is the more profitable business, keeping -0.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to DERM's -15.5%. On growth, ARQT holds the edge at +60.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | DSGNDesign Therapeuti… | ARQTArcutis Biotherap… | FULCFulcrum Therapeut… | DERMJourney Medical C… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $416M | $0 | $56M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$78M | $6M | -$86M | -$3M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$70M | -$2M | -$76M | -$9M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$54M | $27M | -$64M | -$3M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +90.9% | — | +67.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +0.8% | — | -12.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | -0.6% | — | -15.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +6.5% | — | -4.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +60.1% | — | +1.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +6.5% | +55.0% | +10.7% | +5.9% |
ARQT leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
DERM leads this category, winning 2 of 4 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | DSGNDesign Therapeuti… | ARQTArcutis Biotherap… | FULCFulcrum Therapeut… | DERMJourney Medical C… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $881M | $2.6B | $372M | $102M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $864M | $2.5B | $181M | $108M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -11.56x | -158.92x | -5.83x | -6.94x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 106.49x | — | 69.93x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 6.87x | — | 1.82x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.80x | 13.87x | 1.25x | 5.09x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — | — | — |
DERM leads this category, winning 2 of 4 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ARQT leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
ARQT delivers a -1.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-1 in annual profit, vs $-45 for DERM. DSGN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DERM's 1.28x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ARQT scores 4/9 vs DERM's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | DSGNDesign Therapeuti… | ARQTArcutis Biotherap… | FULCFulcrum Therapeut… | DERMJourney Medical C… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -33.1% | -1.4% | -27.8% | -45.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -31.3% | -0.6% | -26.3% | -10.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -28.5% | -5.2% | -36.2% | -56.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -34.8% | -4.3% | -28.1% | -34.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.03x | 0.02x | 1.28x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$16M | -$37M | -$191M | $5M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $17M | $43M | $198M | $20M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $645,000 | $6M | $6M | $26M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 2.08x | — | -1.52x |
ARQT leads this category, winning 6 of 9 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
Evenly matched — DSGN and DERM each lead in 2 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in FULC five years ago would be worth $6,565 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,027 for DSGN. Over the past 12 months, DSGN leads with a +323.4% total return vs DERM's -28.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors DERM at 44.7% vs ARQT's 13.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | DSGNDesign Therapeuti… | ARQTArcutis Biotherap… | FULCFulcrum Therapeut… | DERMJourney Medical C… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +54.9% | -28.8% | -37.0% | -32.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +323.4% | +50.8% | +35.7% | -28.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +85.5% | +44.9% | +123.4% | +203.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -49.7% | -39.5% | -34.4% | -47.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -66.0% | -5.2% | -49.0% | -47.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +22.9% | +13.2% | +30.7% | +44.7% |
Evenly matched — DSGN and DERM each lead in 2 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — DSGN and FULC each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
FULC is the less volatile stock with a 1.40 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than DERM's 1.82 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. DSGN currently trades 81.7% from its 52-week high vs FULC's 43.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | DSGNDesign Therapeuti… | ARQTArcutis Biotherap… | FULCFulcrum Therapeut… | DERMJourney Medical C… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.49x | 1.50x | 1.14x | 1.78x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $17.25 | $31.77 | $15.74 | $9.55 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.11 | $12.42 | $4.78 | $4.31 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +81.7% | +65.0% | +43.7% | +52.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.3 | 54.3 | 42.0 | 44.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 377K | 1.3M | 990K | 230K |
Evenly matched — DSGN and FULC each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: DSGN as "Buy", ARQT as "Buy", FULC as "Buy", DERM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 200.4% upside for FULC (target: $21) vs 24.1% for DSGN (target: $18).
| Metric | DSGNDesign Therapeuti… | ARQTArcutis Biotherap… | FULCFulcrum Therapeut… | DERMJourney Medical C… |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.50 | $35.50 | $20.67 | $11.75 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 12 | 16 | 3 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
ARQT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). DERM leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Best OverallArcutis Biotherapeutics, In… (ARQT)Leads 2 of 6 categories
Loading custom metrics...
DSGN vs ARQT vs FULC vs DERM: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
(ARQT) is the stronger pick with 91. 3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -100. 0% for Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. (FULC). Analysts rate Design Therapeutics, Inc. (DSGN) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 — DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM?
Over the past 5 years, Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.
(FULC) delivered a total return of -34. 4%, compared to -49. 7% for Design Therapeutics, Inc. (DSGN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARQT returned -2. 9% versus DSGN's -65. 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 — DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.
(FULC) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 14β versus Journey Medical Corporation's 1. 78β — meaning DERM is approximately 56% more volatile than FULC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Design Therapeutics, Inc. (DSGN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 128% for Journey Medical Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc.
(ARQT) is pulling ahead at 91. 3% versus -100. 0% for Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc. (FULC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. grew EPS 88. 8% year-over-year, compared to -637. 5% for Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ARQT leads at 367. 3% 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 — DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM?
Design Therapeutics, Inc.
(DSGN) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus -26. 1% for Journey Medical Corporation — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: DSGN leads at 0. 0% versus -24. 4% for DERM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ARQT leads at 90. 2%, 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 DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Journey Medical Corporation (DERM) trades at 69.
9x forward P/E versus 106. 5x for Arcutis Biotherapeutics, Inc. — 36. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for FULC: 200. 4% to $20. 67.
07Which pays a better dividend — DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM?
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 DSGN or ARQT or FULC or DERM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Fulcrum Therapeutics, Inc.
(FULC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1. 14)). Journey Medical Corporation (DERM) carries a higher beta of 1. 78 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (FULC: -48. 1%, DERM: -46. 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.
09What are the main differences between DSGN and ARQT and FULC and DERM?
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: DSGN is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ARQT is a small-cap high-growth stock; FULC is a small-cap quality compounder stock; DERM is a small-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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