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NAGE vs LLY
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Drug Manufacturers - General
NAGE vs LLY — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| Market Cap | $336M | $921.16B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $129M | $72.25B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $17M | $25.27B |
| Gross Margin | 64.3% | 83.5% |
| Operating Margin | 11.0% | 45.9% |
| Forward P/E | 16.3x | 28.2x |
| Total Debt | $3M | $42.50B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $65M | $7.16B |
NAGE vs LLY — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Niagen Bioscience I… (NAGE) | 100 | 87.1 | -12.9% |
| Eli Lilly and Compa… (LLY) | 100 | 637.4 | +537.4% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: NAGE vs LLY
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
NAGE is the clearest fit if your priority is sleep-well-at-night.
- Lower volatility, beta 1.74, Low D/E 3.7%, current ratio 4.86x
- Lower P/E (16.3x vs 28.2x)
LLY carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 11 yrs, beta 0.71, yield 0.6%
- Rev growth 44.7%, EPS growth 96.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 31.7%
- 12.4% 10Y total return vs NAGE's -8.9%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 44.7% revenue growth vs NAGE's 29.9% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (16.3x vs 28.2x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 35.0% margin vs NAGE's 13.4% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.71 vs NAGE's 1.74 | |
| Dividends | 0.6% yield; 11-year raise streak; the other pay no meaningful dividend | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +26.3% vs NAGE's -50.4% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 22.7% ROA vs NAGE's 18.4%, ROIC 41.8% vs 114.1% |
NAGE vs LLY — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
NAGE vs LLY — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LLY leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
LLY is the larger business by revenue, generating $72.2B annually — 558.2x NAGE's $129M. LLY is the more profitable business, keeping 35.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to NAGE's 13.4%. On growth, LLY holds the edge at +55.5% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $129M | $72.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $16M | $34.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $17M | $25.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $13M | $13.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +64.3% | +83.5% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.0% | +45.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +13.4% | +35.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.2% | +18.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +16.2% | +55.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -44.4% | +169.9% |
Valuation Metrics
NAGE leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 20.9x trailing earnings, NAGE trades at a 51% valuation discount to LLY's 42.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, NAGE's 17.4x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than LLY's 30.6x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $336M | $921.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $274M | $956.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 20.95x | 42.48x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 16.33x | 28.24x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.47x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 17.37x | 30.60x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.59x | 14.13x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 4.68x | 32.99x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 25.53x | 102.67x |
Profitability & Efficiency
Evenly matched — NAGE and LLY each lead in 4 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
LLY delivers a 101.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $101 in annual profit, vs $26 for NAGE. NAGE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to LLY's 1.60x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), LLY scores 8/9 vs NAGE's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +26.1% | +101.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +18.4% | +22.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +114.1% | +41.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +20.9% | +46.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.04x | 1.60x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$62M | $35.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $65M | $7.2B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3M | $42.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 35.68x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
LLY leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in LLY five years ago would be worth $51,115 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,564 for NAGE. Over the past 12 months, LLY leads with a +26.3% total return vs NAGE's -50.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors NAGE at 45.5% vs LLY's 31.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -33.0% | -9.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -50.4% | +26.3% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +208.1% | +129.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -44.4% | +411.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -8.9% | +1237.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +45.5% | +31.8% |
Risk & Volatility
LLY leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
LLY is the less volatile stock with a 0.71 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NAGE's 1.74 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. LLY currently trades 86.0% from its 52-week high vs NAGE's 28.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.74x | 0.71x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $14.69 | $1133.95 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $4.04 | $623.78 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +28.5% | +86.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.1 | 61.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.1M | 2.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NAGE as "Buy" and LLY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 234.1% upside for NAGE (target: $14) vs 29.1% for LLY (target: $1258). LLY is the only dividend payer here at 0.61% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.00 | $1258.47 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 45 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.6% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 11 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $6.00 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | +0.4% |
LLY leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Total Returns). NAGE leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
NAGE vs LLY: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NAGE or LLY a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the stronger pick with 44.
7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 29. 9% for Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE). Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE) offers the better valuation at 20. 9x trailing P/E (16. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE) a "Buy" — based on 5 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 — NAGE or LLY?
On trailing P/E, Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE) is the cheapest at 20.
9x versus Eli Lilly and Company at 42. 5x. On forward P/E, Niagen Bioscience Inc is actually cheaper at 16. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NAGE or LLY?
Over the past 5 years, Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) delivered a total return of +411.
1%, compared to -44. 4% for Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LLY returned +1238% versus NAGE's -8. 9%. 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 — NAGE or LLY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
71β versus Niagen Bioscience Inc's 1. 74β — meaning NAGE is approximately 145% more volatile than LLY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 160% for Eli Lilly and Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — NAGE or LLY?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is pulling ahead at 44.
7% versus 29. 9% for Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Eli Lilly and Company grew EPS 96. 0% year-over-year, compared to 81. 8% for Niagen Bioscience Inc. Over a 3-year CAGR, LLY leads at 31. 7% annualised revenue growth. 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.
06Which has better profit margins — NAGE or LLY?
Eli Lilly and Company (LLY) is the more profitable company, earning 31.
7% net margin versus 13. 4% for Niagen Bioscience Inc — meaning it keeps 31. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: LLY leads at 45. 6% versus 11. 0% for NAGE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — LLY leads at 83. 8%, 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.
07Is NAGE or LLY more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE) trades at 16.
3x forward P/E versus 28. 2x for Eli Lilly and Company — 11. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NAGE: 234. 1% to $14. 00.
08Which pays a better dividend — NAGE or LLY?
In this comparison, LLY (0.
6% yield) pays a dividend. NAGE does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
09Is NAGE 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.
71), 0. 6% yield, +1238% 10Y return). Niagen Bioscience Inc (NAGE) carries a higher beta of 1. 74 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (LLY: +1238%, NAGE: -8. 9%), 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.
10What are the main differences between NAGE 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 NAGE 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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