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MTSR vs VKTX vs TERN vs GPCR vs PEPG
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
Biotechnology
MTSR vs VKTX vs TERN vs GPCR vs PEPG — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology | Biotechnology | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $7.43B | $3.63B | $4.63B | $2.18B | $116M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-314M | $-472M | $-94M | $-170M | $-90M |
| Total Debt | $10M | $137K | $1M | $6M | $17M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $352M | $166M | $161M | $800M | $61M |
MTSR vs VKTX vs TERN vs GPCR vs PEPG — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | Feb 23 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viking Therapeutics… (VKTX) | 100 | 284.5 | +184.5% |
| Terns Pharmaceutica… (TERN) | 100 | 522.5 | +422.5% |
| Structure Therapeut… (GPCR) | 100 | 148.0 | +48.0% |
| PepGen Inc. (PEPG) | 100 | 11.0 | -89.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: MTSR vs VKTX vs TERN vs GPCR vs PEPG
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Among these 5 stocks, MTSR doesn't own a clear edge in any measured category.
VKTX is the #2 pick in this set and the best alternative if long-term compounding is your priority.
- 24.7% 10Y total return vs TERN's 187.9%
- 4.7% margin vs MTSR's 1.3%
TERN carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- beta 0.34
- Lower volatility, beta 0.34, Low D/E 0.4%, current ratio 23.14x
- Beta 0.34, current ratio 23.14x
- Beta 0.34 vs VKTX's 1.54
GPCR ranks third and is worth considering specifically for efficiency.
- -14.4% ROA vs VKTX's -65.3%, ROIC -30.3% vs -44.4%
PEPG is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure.
- EPS growth 25.6%
- -1.0% revenue growth vs VKTX's -270.1%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | -1.0% revenue growth vs VKTX's -270.1% | |
| Quality / Margins | 4.7% margin vs MTSR's 1.3% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.34 vs VKTX's 1.54 | |
| Dividends | Tie | None of these 5 stocks pay a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +16.5% vs VKTX's +10.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | -14.4% ROA vs VKTX's -65.3%, ROIC -30.3% vs -44.4% |
MTSR vs VKTX vs TERN vs GPCR vs PEPG — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 5 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Who Leads Where
PEPG leads in 1 of 6 categories
GPCR leads 1 • TERN leads 1 • MTSR leads 0 • VKTX leads 0 • 2 tied
Explore the data ↓Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
PEPG leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
MTSR and PEPG operate at a comparable scale, with $0 and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$337M | -$502M | -$108M | -$209M | -$90M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$314M | -$472M | -$94M | -$170M | -$90M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$232M | -$340M | -$78M | -$159M | -$82M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | — | — | — | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | — | — | — | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | — | — | — | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | — | — | — | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | — | — | — | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +49.5% | -2.3% | +3.6% | -29.6% | +60.3% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — TERN and PEPG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $7.4B | $3.6B | $4.6B | $2.2B | $116M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $7.1B | $3.5B | $4.5B | $1.4B | $72M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -34.73x | -9.82x | -47.28x | -15.77x | -0.79x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — | — | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — | — | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | — | — | — | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 25.28x | 5.52x | 12.17x | 1.48x | 0.48x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — | — | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
GPCR leads this category, winning 5 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
GPCR delivers a -15.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-15 in annual profit, vs $-93 for MTSR. VKTX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PEPG's 0.12x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PEPG scores 4/9 vs VKTX's 2/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -93.2% | -71.3% | -30.0% | -15.1% | -75.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -55.4% | -65.3% | -28.5% | -14.4% | -60.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | -44.4% | -42.2% | -30.3% | -73.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -84.5% | -51.8% | -33.7% | -24.1% | -63.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.03x | 0.00x | 0.00x | 0.00x | 0.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$343M | -$166M | -$160M | -$793M | -$44M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $352M | $166M | $161M | $800M | $61M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $10M | $137,000 | $1M | $6M | $17M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -2591.91x | -15687.44x | — | — | — |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
TERN leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in VKTX five years ago would be worth $52,905 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,303 for PEPG. Over the past 12 months, TERN leads with a +1653.3% total return vs VKTX's +10.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TERN at 61.1% vs PEPG's -51.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | — | -11.6% | +32.0% | -44.5% | -76.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +167.2% | +10.7% | +1653.3% | +53.7% | +11.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +166.0% | +39.0% | +318.2% | +43.3% | -88.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +166.0% | +429.1% | +245.0% | +45.5% | -87.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +166.0% | +2467.2% | +187.9% | +45.5% | -87.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +38.6% | +11.6% | +61.1% | +12.7% | -51.5% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — TERN and PEPG each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
PEPG is the less volatile stock with a -0.10 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VKTX's 1.54 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. TERN currently trades 99.6% from its 52-week high vs PEPG's 21.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.35x | 1.54x | 0.34x | 0.89x | -0.10x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $83.86 | $43.15 | $53.18 | $94.90 | $7.80 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $22.25 | $22.96 | $2.66 | $15.80 | $1.01 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +84.1% | +72.6% | +99.6% | +39.9% | +21.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.1 | 45.3 | 73.7 | 26.1 | 34.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 0 | 2.3M | 6.8M | 949K | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: MTSR as "Buy", VKTX as "Buy", TERN as "Buy", GPCR as "Buy", PEPG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 316.7% upside for PEPG (target: $7) vs -21.3% for MTSR (target: $56).
| Metric | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $55.50 | $100.75 | $55.56 | $114.75 | $7.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 4 | 24 | 16 | 14 | 6 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
PEPG leads in 1 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow). GPCR leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
MTSR vs VKTX vs TERN vs GPCR vs PEPG: Key Questions Answered
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Metsera, Inc.
(MTSR) a "Buy" — based on 4 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 — MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG?
Over the past 5 years, Viking Therapeutics, Inc.
(VKTX) delivered a total return of +429. 1%, compared to -87. 0% for PepGen Inc. (PEPG). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VKTX returned +24. 7% versus PEPG's -87. 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 — MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), PepGen Inc.
(PEPG) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 10β versus Viking Therapeutics, Inc. 's 1. 54β — meaning VKTX is approximately -1684% more volatile than PEPG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 12% for PepGen Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: PepGen Inc.
grew EPS 25. 6% year-over-year, compared to -215. 8% for Viking Therapeutics, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG?
Metsera, Inc.
(MTSR) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus 0. 0% for PepGen Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MTSR leads at 0. 0% versus 0. 0% for PEPG. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MTSR leads at 0. 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG?
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 MTSR or VKTX or TERN or GPCR or PEPG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, PepGen Inc.
(PEPG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 10)). Viking Therapeutics, Inc. (VKTX) carries a higher beta of 1. 54 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (PEPG: -87. 0%, VKTX: +24. 7%), 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 MTSR and VKTX and TERN and GPCR and PEPG?
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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