Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT) vs Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) 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 |  VCYT | Beta 1.12 vs NAUT's 1.71, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) |  NAUT | +118.3% vs VCYT's +10.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | VCYT | 4.7% ROA vs NAUT's -31.3% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
VCYTbeta 1.12
Growth exposure
VCYTRev growth 16.0%, EPS growth 164.5%, 3Y rev CAGR 20.4%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
VCYT443.8% 10Y total return vs NAUT's -74.9%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
VCYTLower volatility, beta 1.12, Low D/E 3.0%, current ratio 8.15x
Defensive / Recession hedge
VCYTBeta 1.12, current ratio 8.15x
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.
Veracyte is a molecular diagnostics company that develops genomic tests to improve cancer and other disease diagnosis and treatment decisions. It generates revenue primarily from diagnostic test sales — including its Afirma thyroid, Decipher prostate, and Percepta lung cancer tests — with additional income from technology licensing partnerships. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary genomic classifiers and biobank of clinical samples that enable development of clinically validated tests with strong physician adoption.
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
VCYT 3NAUT 1VCYT1/1 metricsNAUT2/2 metricsVCYT5/6 metricsVCYT4/6 metricsVCYT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). NAUT leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VCYT and NAUT operate at a comparable scale, with $517M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $517M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$60M | $74M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$63M | $66M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$54M | $126M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +70.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +11.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +12.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +24.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +18.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.4% | +7.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $331M | $2.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $349M | $2.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.57x | 44.23x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 22.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 44.23x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 5.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.11x | 2.23x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 22.73x |
Profitability & Efficiency
VCYT delivers a 5.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $-37 for NAUT. VCYT carries lower financial leverage with a 0.03x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to NAUT's 0.19x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VCYT scores 8/9 vs NAUT's 1/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -37.1% | +5.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -31.3% | +4.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +4.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +4.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 1 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.19x | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $18M | -$323M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $12M | $363M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $30M | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VCYT five years ago would be worth $7,634 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,808 for NAUT. Over the past 12 months, NAUT leads with a +118.3% total return vs VCYT's +10.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VCYT at 15.2% vs NAUT's 6.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +37.2% | -14.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +118.3% | +10.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +21.9% | +52.8% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -81.9% | -23.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -74.9% | +443.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +6.8% | +15.2% |
Risk & Volatility
VCYT is the less volatile stock with a 1.12 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 VCYT's 71.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.71x | 1.12x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.08 | $50.71 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $0.62 | $22.61 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +85.1% | +71.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.4 | 39.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 197K | 807K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NAUT as "Buy" and VCYT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 30.3% upside for VCYT (target: $47) vs -4.6% for NAUT (target: $3).
| Metric | NAUTNautilus Biotechn… | VCYTVeracyte, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.50 | $47.25 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 20 |
| 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% |
| Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) | 100 | 105.69 | +5.7% |
Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) returned -24% over 5 years vs Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT)'s -82%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) | $65M | $517M | +694.6% |
Veracyte, Inc.'s revenue grew from $65M (2016) to $517M (2025) — a 25.9% CAGR.
Chart 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nautilus Biotechnol… (NAUT) | 87.18 | -0.47 | -100.5% |
| Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) | -1.09 | 0.82 | +175.2% |
Veracyte, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.09 (2016) to $0.82 (2025).
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. generated $-52M FCF in 2025 (-25% vs 2021). Veracyte, Inc. generated $127M FCF in 2025 (+442% vs 2021).
NAUT vs VCYT: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NAUT or VCYT a better buy right now?
Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) offers the better valuation at 44.2x trailing P/E (22.0x 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 VCYT?
Over the past 5 years, Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) delivered a total return of -23.7%, compared to -81.9% for Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. (NAUT). A $10,000 investment in VCYT five years ago would be worth approximately $8K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: VCYT returned +443.8% 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 VCYT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) is the lower-risk stock at 1.12β versus Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc.'s 1.71β — meaning NAUT is approximately 52% more volatile than VCYT relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 3% versus 19% for Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — NAUT or VCYT?
Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) is the more profitable company, earning 12.8% net margin versus 0.0% for Nautilus Biotechnology, Inc. — meaning it keeps 12.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: VCYT leads at 11.2% versus 0.0% for NAUT. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VCYT leads at 70.1%, 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 VCYT more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VCYT: 30.3% to $47.25.
06Which pays a better dividend — NAUT or VCYT?
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 NAUT or VCYT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Veracyte, Inc. (VCYT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.12), +443.8% 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 (VCYT: +443.8%, 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 VCYT?
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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