Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. (IDYA) vs Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) 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 | IDYA | 30.2% revenue growth vs EXEL's 7.0% |
| Quality / Margins | EXEL | 29.6% net margin vs IDYA's -52.0% |
| Stability / Safety | EXEL | Beta 0.63 vs IDYA's 1.00 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | IDYA | +56.5% vs EXEL's +13.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EXEL | 24.0% ROA vs IDYA's -10.2%, ROIC 32.1% vs -12.4% |
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
IDEAYA Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing targeted cancer therapies based on synthetic lethality — a precision medicine approach that exploits specific genetic vulnerabilities in tumors. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and milestone payments from partners like GSK, with future income potential from drug royalties if its clinical candidates succeed. The company's competitive advantage lies in its expertise in synthetic lethality drug discovery and biomarker-driven patient selection, which enables more targeted and potentially effective oncology treatments.
Exelixis is an oncology-focused biotechnology company that discovers, develops, and commercializes targeted cancer therapies. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its flagship drug Cabometyx — which accounts for the vast majority of its revenue — along with royalties from partnered products like Cotellic. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in tyrosine kinase inhibitors and its focused pipeline targeting difficult-to-treat cancers.
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
EXEL leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). IDYA leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EXEL is the larger business by revenue, generating $2.3B annually — 10.5x IDYA's $219M. EXEL is the more profitable business, keeping 29.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to IDYA's -52.0%. On growth, IDYA holds the edge at +55.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | IDYAIDEAYA Bioscience… | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $219M | $2.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$155M | $830M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$114M | $678M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$73M | $753M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +97.9% | +96.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -72.8% | +35.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -52.0% | +29.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -33.6% | +32.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +55.4% | +10.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +36.9% | +75.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | IDYAIDEAYA Bioscience… | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.8B | $11.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.7B | $11.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -25.16x | 15.85x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 13.29x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.31x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 13.19x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 12.93x | 5.09x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.79x | 5.75x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 13.36x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EXEL delivers a 31.4% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $31 in annual profit, vs $-11 for IDYA. IDYA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EXEL's 0.08x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EXEL scores 7/9 vs IDYA's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | IDYAIDEAYA Bioscience… | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -11.1% | +31.4% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -10.2% | +24.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -12.4% | +32.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -15.0% | +35.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.08x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$85M | -$309M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $113M | $482M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $28M | $173M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in EXEL five years ago would be worth $19,758 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,445 for IDYA. Over the past 12 months, IDYA leads with a +56.5% total return vs EXEL's +13.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EXEL at 37.1% vs IDYA's 22.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | IDYAIDEAYA Bioscience… | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -4.9% | +1.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +56.5% | +13.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +82.4% | +158.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +64.5% | +97.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +187.8% | +1110.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +22.2% | +37.1% |
Risk & Volatility
EXEL is the less volatile stock with a 0.63 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than IDYA's 1.00 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EXEL currently trades 88.8% from its 52-week high vs IDYA's 82.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IDYAIDEAYA Bioscience… | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.00x | 0.63x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $39.28 | $49.62 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $13.45 | $32.38 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +82.0% | +88.8% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 45.2 | 53.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 732K | 2.1M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates IDYA as "Buy" and EXEL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.4% upside for IDYA (target: $44) vs 0.8% for EXEL (target: $44).
| Metric | IDYAIDEAYA Bioscience… | EXELExelixis, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $44.25 | $44.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +8.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDEAYA Biosciences,… (IDYA) | 100 | 489.37 | +389.4% |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | 100 | 221.93 | +121.9% |
Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) returned +98% over 5 years vs IDEAYA Biosciences,… (IDYA)'s +64%. A $10,000 investment in EXEL 5 years ago would be worth $19,758 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDEAYA Biosciences,… (IDYA) | $0.00 | $219M | — |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | $191M | $2.3B | +1111.8% |
Exelixis, Inc.'s revenue grew from $191M (2016) to $2.3B (2025) — a 31.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDEAYA Biosciences,… (IDYA) | -176.6% | -52.0% | +70.6% |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | -36.7% | 33.7% | +192.0% |
Exelixis, Inc.'s net margin went from -37% (2016) to 34% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | 62 | 15.8 | -74.5% |
Exelixis, Inc. has traded in a 9x–62x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| IDEAYA Biosciences,… (IDYA) | -0.83 | -1.28 | -54.2% |
| Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) | -0.28 | 2.78 | +1092.9% |
Exelixis, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.28 (2016) to $2.78 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. generated $-73M FCF in 2025 (-26% vs 2021). Exelixis, Inc. generated $884M FCF in 2025 (+163% vs 2021).
IDYA vs EXEL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IDYA or EXEL a better buy right now?
Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) offers the better valuation at 15.8x trailing P/E (13.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. (IDYA) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 — IDYA or EXEL?
Over the past 5 years, Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) delivered a total return of +97.6%, compared to +64.5% for IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. (IDYA). A $10,000 investment in EXEL five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EXEL returned +1110% versus IDYA's +187.8%. 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 — IDYA or EXEL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.63β versus IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc.'s 1.00β — meaning IDYA is approximately 60% more volatile than EXEL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. (IDYA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 8% for Exelixis, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — IDYA or EXEL?
Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) is the more profitable company, earning 33.7% net margin versus -52.0% for IDEAYA Biosciences, Inc. — meaning it keeps 33.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EXEL leads at 37.6% versus -72.8% for IDYA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IDYA leads at 97.9%, 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.
05Is IDYA or EXEL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IDYA: 37.4% to $44.25.
06Which pays a better dividend — IDYA or EXEL?
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.
07Is IDYA or EXEL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Exelixis, Inc. (EXEL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.63), +1110% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EXEL: +1110%, IDYA: +187.8%), 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.
08What are the main differences between IDYA and EXEL?
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: IDYA is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EXEL is a mid-cap deep-value 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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