Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Incyte Corporation (INCY) vs Merus N.V. (MRUS) 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 | INCY | 21.2% revenue growth vs MRUS's -12.4% |
| Quality / Margins | INCY | 25.0% net margin vs MRUS's -6.5% |
| Stability / Safety | INCY | Beta 0.61 vs MRUS's 0.90, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MRUS | +91.1% vs INCY's +37.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | INCY | 18.5% ROA vs MRUS's -43.4%, ROIC 51.1% vs -74.6% |
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
Incyte is a biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and commercializes proprietary therapeutics for oncology and inflammatory diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its flagship drug JAKAFI (ruxolitinib) for myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera — which accounts for the vast majority of its revenue — along with newer oncology products like PEMAZYRE and ICLUSIG. The company's moat lies in its deep expertise in kinase inhibition — particularly JAK inhibitors — and its established commercial infrastructure for hematology-oncology products.
Merus N.V. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing bispecific antibody therapies for cancer treatment. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing deals — with no commercial products yet — while advancing its pipeline through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary antibody discovery platform that enables the creation of novel bispecific antibodies targeting multiple cancer pathways simultaneously.
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
INCY leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). MRUS leads in 1 (Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
INCY is the larger business by revenue, generating $5.1B annually — 100.5x MRUS's $51M. INCY is the more profitable business, keeping 25.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to MRUS's -6.5%. On growth, INCY holds the edge at +27.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | INCYIncyte Corporation | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $5.1B | $51M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.4B | -$329M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $1.3B | -$335M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.4B | -$318M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +91.8% | -2.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +26.4% | -6.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +25.0% | -6.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +26.3% | -6.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +27.8% | -1.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +43.1% | +13.7% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | INCYIncyte Corporation | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $20.1B | $6.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $17.1B | $6.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 15.80x | -26.87x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 13.40x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 11.89x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.91x | 195.71x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.93x | 8.92x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 14.84x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
INCY delivers a 24.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $25 in annual profit, vs $-51 for MRUS. INCY carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MRUS's 0.02x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), INCY scores 7/9 vs MRUS's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | INCYIncyte Corporation | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +24.9% | -50.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +18.5% | -43.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +51.1% | -74.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +29.0% | -48.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | 0.02x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$3.0B | -$283M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3.1B | $293M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $69M | $10M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 686.52x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MRUS five years ago would be worth $37,768 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $12,718 for INCY. Over the past 12 months, MRUS leads with a +91.1% total return vs INCY's +37.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MRUS at 67.7% vs INCY's 9.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | INCYIncyte Corporation | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -0.1% | 0.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +37.8% | +91.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +31.6% | +371.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +27.2% | +277.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +37.8% | +796.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +9.6% | +67.7% |
Risk & Volatility
INCY is the less volatile stock with a 0.61 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MRUS's 0.90 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | INCYIncyte Corporation | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.61x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $112.29 | $97.14 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $53.56 | $33.19 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.2% | +92.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.9 | 14.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.6M | 520K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates INCY as "Buy" and MRUS as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 7.8% upside for MRUS (target: $97) vs 7.5% for INCY (target: $109).
| Metric | INCYIncyte Corporation | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $108.90 | $97.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 44 | 22 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | 0.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incyte Corporation (INCY) | 100 | 129.86 | +29.9% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | 100 | 511.95 | +411.9% |
Merus N.V. (MRUS) returned +278% over 5 years vs Incyte Corporation (INCY)'s +27%. A $10,000 investment in MRUS 5 years ago would be worth $37,768 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incyte Corporation (INCY) | $1.1B | $5.1B | +365.0% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | $3M | $35M | +1289.6% |
Incyte Corporation's revenue grew from $1.1B (2016) to $5.1B (2025) — a 18.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incyte Corporation (INCY) | 9.4% | 25.0% | +165.5% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | -18.9% | -6.0% | +68.5% |
Incyte Corporation's net margin went from 9% (2016) to 25% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incyte Corporation (INCY) | 124.7 | 15.4 | -87.7% |
Incyte Corporation has traded in a 15x–461x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~16x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Incyte Corporation (INCY) | 0.54 | 6.41 | +1087.0% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | -3.75 | -3.35 | +10.7% |
Incyte Corporation's EPS grew from $0.54 (2016) to $6.41 (2025) — a 32% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Incyte Corporation generated $1B FCF in 2025 (+138% vs 2021). Merus N.V. generated $-188M FCF in 2024 (-210% vs 2021).
INCY vs MRUS: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is INCY or MRUS a better buy right now?
Incyte Corporation (INCY) offers the better valuation at 15.8x trailing P/E (13.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Incyte Corporation (INCY) a "Buy" — based on 44 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 — INCY or MRUS?
Over the past 5 years, Merus N.V. (MRUS) delivered a total return of +277.7%, compared to +27.2% for Incyte Corporation (INCY). A $10,000 investment in MRUS five years ago would be worth approximately $38K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MRUS returned +796.4% versus INCY's +37.8%. 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 — INCY or MRUS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Incyte Corporation (INCY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.61β versus Merus N.V.'s 0.90β — meaning MRUS is approximately 48% more volatile than INCY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Incyte Corporation (INCY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 2% for Merus N.V. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — INCY or MRUS?
Incyte Corporation (INCY) is the more profitable company, earning 25.0% net margin versus -595.9% for Merus N.V. — meaning it keeps 25.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: INCY leads at 26.1% versus -753.0% for MRUS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — INCY leads at 91.5%, 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 INCY or MRUS more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MRUS: 7.8% to $97.00.
06Which pays a better dividend — INCY or MRUS?
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 INCY or MRUS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Merus N.V. (MRUS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.90), +796.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MRUS: +796.4%, INCY: +37.8%), 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 INCY and MRUS?
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: INCY is a mid-cap deep-value stock; MRUS 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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