Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO) vs Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) 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 | NVAX | 64.7% revenue growth vs INO's -73.8% |
| Quality / Margins | NVAX | 39.2% net margin vs INO's -592.8% |
| Stability / Safety | INO | Beta 0.97 vs NVAX's 1.25 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NVAX | +21.7% vs INO's -8.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NVAX | 37.4% ROA vs INO's -155.8% |
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
Inovio Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company developing DNA-based medicines to treat HPV-related conditions, cancers, and infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through government grants and research funding — particularly from defense and public health agencies — as it advances its clinical pipeline toward commercialization. The company's key advantage lies in its proprietary DNA medicine platform combining SynCon antigen design with CELLECTRA delivery technology, which enables rapid vaccine development against emerging pathogens.
Novavax is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes protein-based vaccines for serious infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily from its COVID-19 vaccine sales and government contracts, with future potential from its pipeline including seasonal flu and RSV vaccines. The company's key advantage is its proprietary recombinant nanoparticle vaccine technology platform, which enables rapid development of vaccines with demonstrated efficacy.
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
NVAX leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
NVAX is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.1B annually — 6161.6x INO's $182,337. NVAX is the more profitable business, keeping 39.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to INO's -592.8%.
| Metric | INOInovio Pharmaceut… | NVAXNovavax, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $182,337 | $1.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$87M | $453M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$108M | $440M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$20.9B | -$251M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -7.3% | +93.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -492.0% | +40.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -592.8% | +39.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -114511.0% | -22.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +66.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +99.9% | +158.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | INOInovio Pharmaceut… | NVAXNovavax, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $65M | $1.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $11M | $1.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.46x | 3.93x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 3.71x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 300.07x | 1.49x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.72x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), NVAX scores 5/9 vs INO's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | INOInovio Pharmaceut… | NVAXNovavax, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -115.4% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -155.8% | +37.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -114.1% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -109.0% | +80.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.17x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$54M | $8M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $66M | $241M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $12M | $249M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -632.05x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in NVAX five years ago would be worth $422 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $130 for INO. Over the past 12 months, NVAX leads with a +21.7% total return vs INO's -8.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NVAX at 3.1% vs INO's -50.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | INOInovio Pharmaceut… | NVAXNovavax, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +7.1% | +42.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -8.6% | +21.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.0% | +9.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.7% | -95.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.2% | -88.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -50.7% | +3.1% |
Risk & Volatility
INO is the less volatile stock with a 0.97 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NVAX's 1.25 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NVAX currently trades 84.7% from its 52-week high vs INO's 60.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | INOInovio Pharmaceut… | NVAXNovavax, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.97x | 1.25x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $2.98 | $11.97 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.30 | $5.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.7% | +84.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.2 | 74.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 4.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates INO as "Buy" and NVAX as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 231.5% upside for INO (target: $6) vs 43.0% for NVAX (target: $15).
| Metric | INOInovio Pharmaceut… | NVAXNovavax, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $6.00 | $14.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 17 | 23 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inovio Pharmaceutic… (INO) | 100 | 3.31 | -96.7% |
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | 100 | 54.31 | -45.7% |
Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) returned -96% over 5 years vs Inovio Pharmaceutic… (INO)'s -99%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inovio Pharmaceutic… (INO) | $35M | $217756.00 | -99.4% |
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | $15M | $1.1B | +7217.7% |
Novavax, Inc.'s revenue grew from $15M (2016) to $1.1B (2025) — a 61.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inovio Pharmaceutic… (INO) | -2.1% | -492.5% | -23524.0% |
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | -18.2% | 39.2% | +314.9% |
Novavax, Inc.'s net margin went from -18% (2016) to 39% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inovio Pharmaceutic… (INO) | -1.01 | -3.95 | -291.1% |
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | -20.68 | 2.58 | +112.5% |
Novavax, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-20.68 (2016) to $2.58 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-105M FCF in 2024 (+52% vs 2021). Novavax, Inc. generated $-250M FCF in 2025 (-194% vs 2021).
INO vs NVAX: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is INO or NVAX a better buy right now?
Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) offers the better valuation at 3.9x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO) a "Buy" — based on 17 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 — INO or NVAX?
Over the past 5 years, Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) delivered a total return of -95.8%, compared to -98.7% for Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO). A $10,000 investment in NVAX five years ago would be worth approximately $422 today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NVAX returned -88.4% versus INO's -97.2%. 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 — INO or NVAX?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.97β versus Novavax, Inc.'s 1.25β — meaning NVAX is approximately 29% more volatile than INO relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — INO or NVAX?
Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) is the more profitable company, earning 39.2% net margin versus -492.5% for Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 39.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NVAX leads at 40.3% versus -516.2% for INO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — INO leads at 100.0%, 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 — INO or NVAX?
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 INO or NVAX better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (INO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.97)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (INO: -97.2%, NVAX: -88.4%), 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 INO and NVAX?
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: INO is a small-cap quality compounder stock; NVAX is a small-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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