Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX) vs Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Safety |  IMDX | Beta 0.43 vs NAUT's 1.71 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) |  NAUT | +99.4% vs IMDX's +70.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NAUT | -31.3% ROA vs IMDX's -138.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
IMDXDividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.43
Growth exposure
NAUTEPS growth 16.1%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
NAUT-76.9% 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.
Nautilus Biotechnology is a life sciences company developing a proteomics platform to analyze proteins at unprecedented scale and depth. It aims to generate revenue through sales of its integrated platform — including instruments, consumables, and software — though it remains pre-revenue as it develops its technology. The company's potential moat lies in its proprietary single-molecule protein analysis technology, which could enable comprehensive proteome mapping that existing methods cannot achieve.
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
IMDX 2NAUT 2IMDX1/1 metricsNAUT1/1 metricsIMDX3/5 metricsNAUT6/6 metricsIMDX leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). NAUT leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
IMDX and NAUT operate at a comparable scale, with $4M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $4M | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$59M | -$60M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$61M | -$63M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$24M | -$54M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +54.7% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -13.9% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -13.8% | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -5.4% | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +126.1% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +65.4% | +15.4% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $95M | $305M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $90M | $322M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.16x | -5.13x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 50.34x | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 1.94x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
NAUT delivers a -37.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-37 in annual profit, vs $-15 for IMDX. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), IMDX scores 4/9 vs NAUT's 1/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -14.8% | -37.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -138.3% | -31.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -127.8% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 1 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.19x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$5M | $18M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $9M | $12M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $4M | $30M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -536.86x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NAUT five years ago would be worth $1,821 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $696 for IMDX. Over the past 12 months, NAUT leads with a +99.4% total return vs IMDX's +70.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NAUT at 3.9% vs IMDX's -10.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -24.2% | +26.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +70.1% | +99.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -28.4% | +12.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -93.0% | -81.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -94.0% | -76.9% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -10.6% | +3.9% |
Risk & Volatility
IMDX is the less volatile stock with a 0.43 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NAUT's 1.71 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NAUT currently trades 78.3% from its 52-week high vs IMDX's 63.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.43x | 1.71x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.51 | $3.08 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $2.33 | $0.62 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +63.7% | +78.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 48.4 | 52.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 42K | 161K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates IMDX as "Buy" and NAUT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 93.5% upside for IMDX (target: $11) vs 3.6% for NAUT (target: $3).
| Metric | IMDXInsight Molecular… | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $10.50 | $2.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 11 | 5 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.1% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Sep 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insight Molecular D… (IMDX) | 100 | 22.6 | -77.4% |
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 102.49 | 23.11 | -77.4% |
Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) returned -82% over 5 years vs Insight Molecular D… (IMDX)'s -93%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insight Molecular D… (IMDX) | $0.00 | $2M | — |
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Insight Molecular D… (IMDX) | -8.42 | -4.66 | +44.6% |
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 87.18 | -0.47 | -100.5% |
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. generated $-21M FCF in 2024 (+44% vs 2021). Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. generated $-52M FCF in 2025 (-25% vs 2021).
IMDX vs NAUT: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IMDX or NAUT 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 NAUT?
Over the past 5 years, Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) delivered a total return of -81.8%, compared to -93.0% for Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX). A $10,000 investment in NAUT five years ago would be worth approximately $2K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NAUT returned -76.9% 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 NAUT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. (IMDX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.43β versus Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc.'s 1.71β — meaning NAUT is approximately 294% more volatile than IMDX relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — IMDX or NAUT?
Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) is the more profitable company, earning 0.0% net margin versus -32.3% for Insight Molecular Diagnostics Inc. — meaning it keeps 0.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NAUT leads at 0.0% versus -32.5% for IMDX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IMDX leads at 39.3%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — IMDX or NAUT?
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.
06Is IMDX or NAUT 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)). Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) carries a higher beta of 1.71 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IMDX: -94.0%, NAUT: -76.9%), 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.
07What are the main differences between IMDX and NAUT?
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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