Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX) vs Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) 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 |  CAI | 97.0% revenue growth vs IMDX's 25.1% |
| Quality / Margins | CAI | -66.2% net margin vs IMDX's -13.8% |
| Stability / Safety |  IMDX | Beta 0.43 vs CAI's 1.09 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | IMDX | +51.1% vs CAI's -29.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CAI | -47.8% ROA vs IMDX's -138.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
IMDXDividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.43
Growth exposure
CAIRev growth 97.0%, EPS growth -19.3%, 3Y rev CAGR 46.5%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
CAI-29.1% 10Y total return vs IMDX's -94.0%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
IMDXLower volatility, beta 0.43, current ratio 1.62x
Defensive / Recession hedge
IMDXBeta 0.43, current ratio 1.62x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Insight Molecular Diagnostics is a molecular diagnostics company that develops and commercializes proprietary laboratory-developed tests for cancer detection. It generates revenue primarily from its DetermaRx test for early-stage lung cancer and DetermaIO gene expression assay — along with biomarker discovery services for pharmaceutical companies. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary gene expression technology and collaborations with major sequencing platform providers like Life Technologies.
Caris Life Sciences is an AI-powered molecular diagnostics company that provides comprehensive cancer profiling services to guide treatment decisions. It generates revenue primarily from molecular testing services for oncology patients — including tissue-based and blood-based profiling — along with pharmaceutical research services for drug development partners. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive molecular database and proprietary AI algorithms that analyze complex biomarker data to deliver personalized cancer treatment insights.
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
CAI 4IMDX 2CAI3/4 metricsCAI2/2 metricsCAI7/7 metricsIMDX4/6 metricsIMDX2/2 metricsCAI1/1 metricsCAI leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). IMDX leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CAI is the larger business by revenue, generating $812M annually — 184.5x IMDX's $4M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -66.2% (CAI) to -13.8% (IMDX).
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | CAICaris Life Scienc… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4M | $812M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$59M | $70M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$61M | -$538M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$24M | $33M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +54.7% | +46.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -13.9% | +5.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -13.8% | -66.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -5.4% | +4.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +126.1% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +65.4% | — |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | CAICaris Life Scienc… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $95M | $33.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $90M | $32.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.17x | -6.17x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 62.06x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 718.40x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 50.75x | 40.89x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 57.52x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 496.41x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CAI delivers a -93.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-93 in annual profit, vs $-15 for IMDX. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CAI scores 5/9 vs IMDX's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | CAICaris Life Scienc… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -14.8% | -93.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -138.3% | -47.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -127.8% | +7.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.00x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$5M | -$798M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $9M | $798M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4M | $169,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -536.86x | -2.23x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CAI five years ago would be worth $7,093 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $735 for IMDX. Over the past 12 months, IMDX leads with a +51.1% total return vs CAI's -29.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors IMDX at -10.3% vs CAI's -10.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | CAICaris Life Scienc… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -23.6% | -26.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +51.1% | -29.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -27.8% | -29.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -92.6% | -29.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -94.0% | -29.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -10.3% | -10.8% |
Risk & Volatility
IMDX is the less volatile stock with a 0.43 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CAI's 1.09 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. IMDX currently trades 64.3% from its 52-week high vs CAI's 46.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | CAICaris Life Scienc… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.43x | 1.09x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.51 | $42.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.33 | $17.15 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +64.3% | +46.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 43.2 | 38.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 60K | 2.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates IMDX as "Buy" and CAI as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 92.0% upside for IMDX (target: $11) vs 57.8% for CAI (target: $31).
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | CAICaris Life Scienc… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $10.50 | $31.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 6 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insight Molecular D… (IMDX) | $0.00 | $2M | — |
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | $294M | $812M | +175.9% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s revenue grew from $294M (2016) to $812M (2025) — a 11.9% CAGR.
Chart 2Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insight Molecular D… (IMDX) | -24.6% | -32.3% | -31.0% |
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | 2.0% | -66.2% | -3351.8% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s net margin went from 2% (2016) to -66% (2025).
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insight Molecular D… (IMDX) | -8.42 | -4.66 | +44.6% |
| Caris Life Sciences… (CAI) | 0.31 | -3.22 | -1138.7% |
Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s EPS grew from $0.31 (2016) to $-3.22 (2025) — a NaN% CAGR.
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. generated $-21M FCF in 2024 (+44% vs 2021). Caris Life Sciences, Inc. generated $67M FCF in 2025 (+120% vs 2022).
IMDX vs CAI: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IMDX or CAI a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX) 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 — IMDX or CAI?
Over the past 5 years, Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) delivered a total return of -29.1%, compared to -92.6% for Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX). A $10,000 investment in CAI five years ago would be worth approximately $7K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CAI returned -29.1% versus IMDX's -94.0%. 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 — IMDX or CAI?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.43β versus Caris Life Sciences, Inc.'s 1.09β — meaning CAI is approximately 152% more volatile than IMDX relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — IMDX or CAI?
Caris Life Sciences, Inc. (CAI) is the more profitable company, earning -66.2% net margin versus -32.3% for Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. — meaning it keeps -66.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CAI leads at 5.6% versus -32.5% for IMDX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CAI leads at 46.2%, 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.
05Is IMDX or CAI more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for IMDX: 92.0% to $10.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — IMDX or CAI?
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 IMDX or CAI better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.43)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (IMDX: -94.0%, CAI: -29.1%), 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 IMDX and CAI?
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.
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