Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) vs Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) 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 | SCLX | 21.1% revenue growth vs GILD's 6.0% |
| Value | SCLX | Lower P/E (2.6x vs 17.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | GILD | 28.9% net margin vs SCLX's -9.3% |
| Stability / Safety | GILD | Beta 0.38 vs SCLX's 0.96 |
| Dividends | GILD | 2.1% yield; 10-year raise streak; SCLX pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | GILD | +33.1% vs SCLX's -0.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GILD | 14.4% ROA vs SCLX's -136.2% |
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
Gilead Sciences is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing medicines for serious diseases like HIV, viral hepatitis, and cancer. It generates revenue primarily from antiviral drugs — especially HIV treatments like Biktarvy which drive the majority of sales — along with oncology therapies and COVID-19 treatment Veklury. The company's moat lies in its deep expertise in antiviral drug development, a robust HIV franchise with high patient retention, and a pipeline of cell therapy and oncology assets.
Scilex Holding is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its commercial product ZTlido — a prescription lidocaine topical patch for neuropathic pain — while advancing a pipeline of novel pain therapies through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized focus on non-opioid alternatives for acute and chronic pain, addressing a critical need in pain management with reduced addiction risks.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
GILD leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
GILD is the larger business by revenue, generating $29.4B annually — 729.5x SCLX's $40M. GILD is the more profitable business, keeping 28.9% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to SCLX's -9.3%. On growth, GILD holds the edge at +4.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $29.4B | $40M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $12.4B | -$259M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $8.5B | -$376M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $9.7B | $24M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +80.8% | +68.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +37.4% | -6.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +28.9% | -9.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +32.8% | +59.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.7% | -26.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +22.5% | -17.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $185.6B | $1.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $202.3B | $1.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 391.97x | -0.42x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 17.13x | 2.64x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 45.68x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.45x | 26.58x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.71x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 18.01x | 77.75x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), GILD scores 7/9 vs SCLX's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +37.6% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +14.4% | -136.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +3.2% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.4% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.39x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $16.7B | $35M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $10.0B | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $26.7B | $38M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.56x | -39.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GILD five years ago would be worth $26,249 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $238 for SCLX. Over the past 12 months, GILD leads with a +33.1% total return vs SCLX's -0.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GILD at 25.2% vs SCLX's -70.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +22.5% | -37.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +33.1% | -0.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +96.4% | -97.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +162.5% | -97.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +101.0% | -97.6% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +25.2% | -70.0% |
Risk & Volatility
GILD is the less volatile stock with a 0.38 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SCLX's 0.96 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. GILD currently trades 94.7% from its 52-week high vs SCLX's 24.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.38x | 0.96x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $157.29 | $34.27 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $93.37 | $3.60 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +94.7% | +24.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.8 | 35.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 6.2M | 61K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GILD as "Buy" and SCLX as "Buy". GILD is the only dividend payer here at 2.10% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | GILDGilead Sciences, … | SCLXScilex Holding Co… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $157.38 | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 58 | 2 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.1% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 10 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $3.12 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.6% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 100 | 215.07 | +115.1% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | 100.41 | 2.65 | -97.4% |
Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) returned +162% over 5 years vs Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX)'s -98%. A $10,000 investment in GILD 5 years ago would be worth $26,249 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | $32.6B | $28.8B | -11.9% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | $24M | $57M | +140.2% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s revenue grew from $32.6B (2015) to $28.8B (2024) — a -1.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 55.5% | 1.7% | -97.0% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -2.0% | -128.7% | -6278.8% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s net margin went from 55% (2015) to 2% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 20.4 | 243.1 | +1091.7% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc. has traded in a 15x–243x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~392x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, In… (GILD) | 11.91 | 0.38 | -96.8% |
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -0.01 | -19.43 | -154106.3% |
Gilead Sciences, Inc.'s EPS grew from $11.91 (2015) to $0.38 (2024) — a -32% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Gilead Sciences, Inc. generated $10B FCF in 2024 (-5% vs 2021). Scilex Holding Company generated $19M FCF in 2024 (+168% vs 2021).
GILD vs SCLX: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GILD or SCLX a better buy right now?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) offers the better valuation at 392.0x trailing P/E (17.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) a "Buy" — based on 58 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 has the better valuation — GILD or SCLX?
On forward P/E, Scilex Holding Company is actually cheaper at 2.6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GILD or SCLX?
Over the past 5 years, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) delivered a total return of +162.5%, compared to -97.6% for Scilex Holding Company (SCLX). A $10,000 investment in GILD five years ago would be worth approximately $26K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: GILD returned +101.0% versus SCLX's -97.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — GILD or SCLX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) is the lower-risk stock at 0.38β versus Scilex Holding Company's 0.96β — meaning SCLX is approximately 151% more volatile than GILD relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — GILD or SCLX?
Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) is the more profitable company, earning 1.7% net margin versus -128.7% for Scilex Holding Company — meaning it keeps 1.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: GILD leads at 5.8% versus -147.4% for SCLX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — GILD leads at 78.3%, 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.
06Is GILD or SCLX more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) trades at 2.6x forward P/E versus 17.1x for Gilead Sciences, Inc. — 14.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — GILD or SCLX?
In this comparison, GILD (2.1% yield) pays a dividend. SCLX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is GILD or SCLX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Gilead Sciences, Inc. (GILD) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.38), 2.1% yield, +101.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (GILD: +101.0%, SCLX: -97.6%), 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 GILD and SCLX?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. GILD pays a dividend while SCLX does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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