Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) vs Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) 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 |  ADPT | Beta 1.31 vs NAUT's 1.71 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) |  NAUT | +118.3% vs ADPT's +104.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ADPT | -16.2% ROA vs NAUT's -31.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
ADPTbeta 1.31
Growth exposure
ADPTRev growth 5.1%, EPS growth 30.8%, 3Y rev CAGR 5.1%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
ADPT-59.2% 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
ADPTBeta 1.31, current ratio 2.89x
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.
Adaptive Biotechnologies is a biotechnology company that develops immune medicine platforms for diagnosing and treating diseases like cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through its clinical diagnostics segment — including its clonoSEQ test for minimal residual disease monitoring — and its translational and clinical genomics research services, with diagnostics contributing roughly 60% of revenue. The company's key advantage lies in its proprietary immune medicine platform that maps and translates the genetics of the adaptive immune system into clinical diagnostics and therapies.
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
ADPT 2NAUT 1ADPT1/1 metricsNAUT4/6 metricsADPT4/6 metricsADPT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). NAUT leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ADPT and NAUT operate at a comparable scale, with $253M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | ADPTAdaptive Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $253M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$60M | -$62M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$63M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$54M | -$63M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +71.8% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | -30.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | -31.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | -24.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +102.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.4% | +126.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | ADPTAdaptive Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $331M | $2.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $349M | $2.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.57x | -15.22x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 14.02x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.11x | 11.94x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
NAUT delivers a -37.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-37 in annual profit, vs $-39 for ADPT. NAUT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.19x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to ADPT's 0.44x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ADPT scores 4/9 vs NAUT's 1/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | ADPTAdaptive Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -37.1% | -39.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -31.3% | -16.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | -41.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | -32.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.19x | 0.44x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $18M | $41M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $12M | $48M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $30M | $89M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -6.25x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ADPT five years ago would be worth $3,893 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,808 for NAUT. Over the past 12 months, NAUT leads with a +118.3% total return vs ADPT's +104.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ADPT at 24.8% vs NAUT's 6.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | ADPTAdaptive Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +37.2% | +3.3% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +118.3% | +104.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +21.9% | +94.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -81.9% | -61.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.9% | -59.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.8% | +24.8% |
Risk & Volatility
ADPT is the less volatile stock with a 1.31 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. NAUT currently trades 85.1% from its 52-week high vs ADPT's 79.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | ADPTAdaptive Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.71x | 1.31x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.08 | $20.76 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.62 | $6.26 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.1% | +79.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.4 | 46.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 197K | 1.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NAUT as "Buy" and ADPT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 29.3% upside for ADPT (target: $21) vs -4.6% for NAUT (target: $3).
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | ADPTAdaptive Biotechn… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.50 | $21.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 17 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| 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 | Aug 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 100 | 22.22 | -77.8% |
| Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) | 100 | 38.64 | -61.4% |
Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) returned -61% over 5 years vs Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT)'s -82%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) | $38M | $179M | +365.5% |
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 87.18 | -0.47 | -100.5% |
| Adaptive Biotechnol… (ADPT) | -0.41 | -1.08 | -163.4% |
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. generated $-52M FCF in 2025 (-25% vs 2021). Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation generated $-99M FCF in 2024 (+61% vs 2021).
NAUT vs ADPT: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NAUT or ADPT a better buy right now?
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 ADPT?
Over the past 5 years, Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) delivered a total return of -61.1%, compared to -81.9% for Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT). A $10,000 investment in ADPT five years ago would be worth approximately $4K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ADPT returned -59.2% 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 ADPT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) is the lower-risk stock at 1.31β versus Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc.'s 1.71β — meaning NAUT is approximately 31% more volatile than ADPT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 19% versus 44% for Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NAUT or ADPT?
Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) is the more profitable company, earning 0.0% net margin versus -89.1% for Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation — meaning it keeps 0.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NAUT leads at 0.0% versus -90.8% for ADPT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ADPT leads at 59.7%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — NAUT or ADPT?
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.
06Is NAUT or ADPT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Adaptive Biotechnologies Corporation (ADPT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. 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 (ADPT: -59.2%, 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.
07What are the main differences between NAUT and ADPT?
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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