Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) vs Alkermes plc (ALKS) 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 | ALKS | -5.2% revenue growth vs LQDA's -20.0% |
| Value | LQDA | Lower P/E (15.5x vs 32.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | ALKS | 16.4% net margin vs LQDA's -176.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ALKS | Beta 0.61 vs LQDA's 1.08, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | LQDA | +100.3% vs ALKS's -12.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ALKS | 9.7% ROA vs LQDA's -44.2%, ROIC 14.9% vs -5.0% |
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
Liquidia Corporation is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes inhaled therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension and other cardiopulmonary diseases. It generates revenue primarily from its YUTREPIA inhaled dry powder treatment for pulmonary hypertension and generic treprostinil injection distribution. The company's key advantage lies in its proprietary PRINT particle engineering technology platform, which enables precise control over drug particle size and shape for optimized pulmonary delivery.
Alkermes is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes medicines for central nervous system disorders and other serious conditions. It generates revenue primarily from product sales of its proprietary drugs like VIVITROL and ARISTADA — which treat addiction and schizophrenia — along with royalties from partnered products and manufacturing services. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized drug delivery technologies that enable long-acting injectable formulations, creating significant barriers to entry for competitors.
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
ALKS leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Risk & Volatility). LQDA leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ALKS is the larger business by revenue, generating $1.5B annually — 21.3x LQDA's $69M. ALKS is the more profitable business, keeping 16.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to LQDA's -176.0%. On growth, LQDA holds the edge at +11.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | LQDALiquidia Corporat… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $69M | $1.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$106M | $281M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$122M | $242M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$108M | $520,800 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +89.4% | +86.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -155.0% | +17.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -176.0% | +16.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -155.8% | +0.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +11.2% | -10.6% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +86.4% | -67.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | LQDALiquidia Corporat… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $5.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.6B | $4.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -18.69x | 21.05x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.50x | 32.04x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 15.89x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 192.42x | 3.38x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 31.59x | 2.79x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 9571.39x |
Profitability & Efficiency
ALKS delivers a 13.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $-6 for LQDA. ALKS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LQDA's 1.58x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ALKS scores 5/9 vs LQDA's 1/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | LQDALiquidia Corporat… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -5.5% | +13.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -44.2% | +9.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -5.0% | +14.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -84.1% | +14.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.58x | 0.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$54M | -$518M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $176M | $588M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $122M | $70M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -4.63x | 23.55x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LQDA five years ago would be worth $105,870 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,677 for ALKS. Over the past 12 months, LQDA leads with a +100.3% total return vs ALKS's -12.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LQDA at 60.0% vs ALKS's 4.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | LQDALiquidia Corporat… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -1.2% | +6.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +100.3% | -12.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +309.8% | +12.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +958.7% | +56.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +179.5% | -6.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +60.0% | +4.0% |
Risk & Volatility
ALKS is the less volatile stock with a 0.61 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than LQDA's 1.08 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ALKS currently trades 82.9% from its 52-week high vs LQDA's 66.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | LQDALiquidia Corporat… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.08x | 0.61x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $46.67 | $36.32 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.26 | $25.17 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +66.5% | +82.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 31.7 | 39.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 1.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates LQDA as "Buy" and ALKS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 63.3% upside for LQDA (target: $51) vs 52.8% for ALKS (target: $46).
| Metric | LQDALiquidia Corporat… | ALKSAlkermes plc |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $50.67 | $46.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 7 | 28 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 0 |
| 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) | 100 | 1,062.74 | +962.7% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 100 | 164.6 | +64.6% |
Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) returned +959% over 5 years vs Alkermes plc (ALKS)'s +57%. A $10,000 investment in LQDA 5 years ago would be worth $105,870 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) | $13M | $14M | +5.9% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | $746M | $1.5B | +97.9% |
Alkermes plc's revenue grew from $746M (2016) to $1.5B (2025) — a 7.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) | -120.6% | -9.3% | +92.3% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -28.0% | 16.4% | +158.6% |
Alkermes plc's net margin went from -28% (2016) to 16% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 3 Years
| Stock | 2023 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | 13.2 | 19.6 | +48.5% |
Alkermes plc has traded in a 13x–20x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~21x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) | -1.86 | -1.66 | +10.8% |
| Alkermes plc (ALKS) | -1.38 | 1.43 | +203.6% |
Alkermes plc's EPS grew from $-1.38 (2016) to $1.43 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Liquidia Corporation generated $-98M FCF in 2024 (-188% vs 2021). Alkermes plc generated $1M FCF in 2025 (-99% vs 2021).
LQDA vs ALKS: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is LQDA or ALKS a better buy right now?
Alkermes plc (ALKS) offers the better valuation at 21.0x trailing P/E (32.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) a "Buy" — based on 7 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 has the better valuation — LQDA or ALKS?
On forward P/E, Liquidia Corporation is actually cheaper at 15.5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — LQDA or ALKS?
Over the past 5 years, Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) delivered a total return of +958.7%, compared to +56.8% for Alkermes plc (ALKS). A $10,000 investment in LQDA five years ago would be worth approximately $106K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LQDA returned +179.5% versus ALKS's -6.7%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — LQDA or ALKS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.61β versus Liquidia Corporation's 1.08β — meaning LQDA is approximately 78% more volatile than ALKS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Alkermes plc (ALKS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 158% for Liquidia Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — LQDA or ALKS?
Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the more profitable company, earning 16.4% net margin versus -931.7% for Liquidia Corporation — meaning it keeps 16.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALKS leads at 17.2% versus -866.6% for LQDA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ALKS leads at 86.3%, 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.
06Is LQDA or ALKS more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Liquidia Corporation (LQDA) trades at 15.5x forward P/E versus 32.0x for Alkermes plc — 16.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LQDA: 63.3% to $50.67.
07Which pays a better dividend — LQDA or ALKS?
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.
08Is LQDA or ALKS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Alkermes plc (ALKS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.61)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ALKS: -6.7%, LQDA: +179.5%), 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.
09What are the main differences between LQDA and ALKS?
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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