Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (MCRB) vs Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) 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 |  MCRB | 448.4% revenue growth vs LLY's 32.0% |
| Quality / Margins | MCRB | 15.4% net margin vs LLY's 31.0% |
| Stability / Safety |  LLY | Beta 0.65 vs MCRB's 1.21, lower leverage |
| Dividends | LLY | 0.5% yield; 10-year raise streak; MCRB pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | LLY | +8.6% vs MCRB's -40.3% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | LLY | 16.0% ROA vs MCRB's 3.8%, ROIC 33.7% vs -180.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
LLYDividend streak 10 yrs, beta 0.65, yield 0.5%
Growth exposure
MCRBRev growth 448.4%, EPS growth -6.2%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
LLY13.2% 10Y total return vs MCRB's -98.5%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
LLYLower volatility, beta 0.65, current ratio 1.15x
Defensive / Recession hedge
LLYBeta 0.65, yield 0.5%, current ratio 1.15x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Seres Therapeutics is a microbiome therapeutics company developing bacterial consortia treatments for serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through collaboration agreements and milestone payments — notably with Nestlé Health Science — while advancing its lead candidate SER-109 toward FDA approval for recurrent C. difficile infection. The company's key advantage is its proprietary platform for rationally designing bacterial consortia that functionally interact with human biology, creating a technical moat in the emerging microbiome therapeutics field.
Eli Lilly is a global pharmaceutical company that discovers, develops, and markets innovative medicines for serious diseases like diabetes, cancer, and autoimmune disorders. It generates revenue primarily from drug sales — with diabetes treatments like Trulicity and Mounjaro contributing over 50% of revenue — and from oncology and immunology products. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep research and development capabilities, particularly in diabetes and obesity treatments where it has established a strong patent-protected portfolio.
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
LLY 4MCRB 1LLY4/5 metricsMCRB2/2 metricsLLY6/8 metricsLLY6/6 metricsLLY2/2 metricsLLY leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). MCRB leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
LLY is the larger business by revenue, generating $59.4B annually — 169287.2x MCRB's $351,000. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 15.4% (MCRB) to 31.0% (LLY).
| Metric | MCRBSeres Therapeutic… | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $351,000 | $59.4B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$99M | $28.6B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $5M | $18.4B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$23M | $9.0B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -50.1% | +83.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -294.7% | +45.0% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +15.4% | +31.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -66.6% | +15.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +53.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +112.3% | +4.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | MCRBSeres Therapeutic… | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $80M | $898.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $141M | $928.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.48x | 85.70x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 29.43x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 13.94x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 48.19x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 19.94x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 5.15x | 63.57x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 2168.03x |
Profitability & Efficiency
LLY delivers a 77.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $77 in annual profit, vs $12 for MCRB. LLY carries lower financial leverage with a 2.36x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to MCRB's 6.65x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LLY scores 6/9 vs MCRB's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | MCRBSeres Therapeutic… | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +12.3% | +77.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.8% | +16.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -180.9% | +33.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -67.7% | +40.2% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 6.65x | 2.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $61M | $30.4B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $31M | $3.3B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $92M | $33.6B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 26.09x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in LLY five years ago would be worth $49,693 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $240 for MCRB. Over the past 12 months, LLY leads with a +8.6% total return vs MCRB's -40.3%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors LLY at 47.3% vs MCRB's -56.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MCRBSeres Therapeutic… | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -39.7% | -6.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -40.3% | +8.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -91.7% | +219.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.6% | +396.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -98.5% | +1316.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -56.4% | +47.3% |
Risk & Volatility
LLY is the less volatile stock with a 0.65 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than MCRB's 1.21 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LLY currently trades 88.5% from its 52-week high vs MCRB's 30.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MCRBSeres Therapeutic… | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.21x | 0.65x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $29.98 | $1133.95 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $6.53 | $623.78 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +30.5% | +88.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 32.0 | 44.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 70K | 3.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MCRB as "Buy" and LLY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 21.0% upside for LLY (target: $1214) vs -86.3% for MCRB (target: $1). LLY is the only dividend payer here at 0.52% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | MCRBSeres Therapeutic… | LLYEli Lilly and Com… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $1.25 | $1214.28 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 18 | 44 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 10 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $5.18 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seres Therapeutics,… (MCRB) | 100 | 12.66 | -87.3% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 100 | 726.34 | +626.3% |
Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) returned +397% over 5 years vs Seres Therapeutics,… (MCRB)'s -98%. A $10,000 investment in LLY 5 years ago would be worth $49,693 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seres Therapeutics,… (MCRB) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | $20.0B | $45.0B | +125.7% |
Seres Therapeutics, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2015) to $0M (2024) — a 0.0% CAGR. Eli Lilly and Company's revenue grew from $20.0B (2015) to $45.0B (2024) — a 9.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seres Therapeutics,… (MCRB) | -4.2% | -45.2% | -975.5% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 12.1% | 23.5% | +94.8% |
Eli Lilly and Company's net margin went from 12% (2015) to 24% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 7 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 37 | 65.9 | +78.1% |
Eli Lilly and Company has traded in a 15x–101x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~86x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seres Therapeutics,… (MCRB) | -46.6 | -18.86 | +59.5% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 2.18 | 11.71 | +437.2% |
Seres Therapeutics, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-46.60 (2015) to $-18.86 (2024). Eli Lilly and Company's EPS grew from $2.18 (2015) to $11.71 (2024) — a 21% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Seres Therapeutics, Inc. generated $-149M FCF in 2024 (-5077% vs 2021). Eli Lilly and Company generated $414M FCF in 2024 (-92% vs 2021).
MCRB vs LLY: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MCRB or LLY a better buy right now?
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) offers the better valuation at 85.7x trailing P/E (29.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (MCRB) a "Buy" — based on 18 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 — MCRB or LLY?
Over the past 5 years, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) delivered a total return of +396.9%, compared to -97.6% for Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (MCRB). A $10,000 investment in LLY five years ago would be worth approximately $50K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LLY returned +1316% versus MCRB's -98.5%. 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 — MCRB or LLY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.65β versus Seres Therapeutics, Inc.'s 1.21β — meaning MCRB is approximately 86% more volatile than LLY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 7% for Seres Therapeutics, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — MCRB or LLY?
Seres Therapeutics, Inc. (MCRB) is the more profitable company, earning 1537% net margin versus 23.5% for Eli Lilly and Company — meaning it keeps 1537% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LLY leads at 38.9% versus -294.7% for MCRB. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LLY leads at 81.3%, 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.
05Is MCRB or LLY more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LLY: 21.0% to $1214.28.
06Which pays a better dividend — MCRB or LLY?
In this comparison, LLY (0.5% yield) pays a dividend. MCRB does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is MCRB or LLY better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.65), 0.5% yield, +1316% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (LLY: +1316%, MCRB: -98.5%), 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.
08What are the main differences between MCRB and LLY?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. LLY pays a dividend while MCRB does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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