Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Stability / Safety |  AAPL | Beta 1.28 vs NAUT's 1.71 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; NAUT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) |  NAUT | +118.3% vs AAPL's +11.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs NAUT's -31.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
AAPLDividend streak 14 yrs, beta 1.28, yield 0.4%
Growth exposure
AAPLRev growth 6.4%, EPS growth 22.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 1.8%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
AAPL9.6% 10Y total return vs NAUT's -74.9%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
NAUTLower volatility, beta 1.71, Low D/E 19.1%, current ratio 13.33x
Defensive / Recession hedge
AAPLBeta 1.28, yield 0.4%, current ratio 0.89x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Nautilus Biotechnology is a life sciences company developing a proteomics platform to analyze proteins at unprecedented scale and depth. It aims to generate revenue through sales of its integrated platform — including instruments, consumables, and software — though it remains pre-revenue as it develops its technology. The company's potential moat lies in its proprietary single-molecule protein analysis technology, which could enable comprehensive proteome mapping that existing methods cannot achieve.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AAPL 3NAUT 1AAPL1/1 metricsNAUT2/2 metricsAAPL4/6 metricsAAPL2/2 metricsAAPL leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). NAUT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL and NAUT operate at a comparable scale, with $435.6B and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$60M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$63M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$54M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.4% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $331M | $3.86T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $349M | $3.95T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.57x | 35.19x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 30.95x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.97x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 27.29x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 9.27x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.11x | 53.42x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.08x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-37 for NAUT. NAUT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.19x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs NAUT's 1/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -37.1% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -31.3% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.19x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $18M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $12M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $30M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $22,020 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,808 for NAUT. Over the past 12 months, NAUT leads with a +118.3% total return vs AAPL's +11.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 20.0% vs NAUT's 6.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +37.2% | -3.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +118.3% | +11.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +21.9% | +72.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -81.9% | +120.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.9% | +963.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.8% | +20.0% |
Risk & Volatility
AAPL is the less volatile stock with a 1.28 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NAUT's 1.71 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AAPL currently trades 91.0% from its 52-week high vs NAUT's 85.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.71x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.08 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.62 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.1% | +91.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.4 | 47.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 194K | 45.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NAUT as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 15.5% upside for AAPL (target: $303) vs -4.6% for NAUT (target: $3). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.50 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.0% | +2.4% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Aug 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 100 | 23.11 | -76.9% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 201.23 | +101.2% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +120% over 5 years vs Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT)'s -82%. A $10,000 investment in AAPL 5 years ago would be worth $22,020 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 87.18 | -0.47 | -100.5% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. generated $-52M FCF in 2025 (-25% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
NAUT vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NAUT or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.2x trailing P/E (31.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) 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 is the better long-term investment — NAUT or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +120.2%, compared to -81.9% for Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT). A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth approximately $22K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +963.0% versus NAUT's -74.9%. 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 — NAUT or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the lower-risk stock at 1.28β versus Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc.'s 1.71β — meaning NAUT is approximately 34% more volatile than AAPL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 19% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NAUT or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 0.0% for Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 0.0% for NAUT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL leads at 46.9%, 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 NAUT or AAPL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AAPL: 15.5% to $303.11.
06Which pays a better dividend — NAUT or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. NAUT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is NAUT or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +963.0% 10Y return). Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) carries a higher beta of 1.71 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +963.0%, NAUT: -74.9%), 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.
08What are the main differences between NAUT and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (NAUT (Healthcare) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. 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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