Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | NVAX | 64.7% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | NVAX | Lower P/E (3.9x vs 31.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | NVAX | 39.2% net margin vs AAPL's 27.0% |
| Stability / Safety | NVAX | Beta 1.25 vs AAPL's 1.28 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; NVAX pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NVAX | +21.7% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | NVAX | 37.4% ROA vs AAPL's 31.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Novavax is a biotechnology company that develops and commercializes protein-based vaccines for serious infectious diseases. It generates revenue primarily from its COVID-19 vaccine sales and government contracts, with future potential from its pipeline including seasonal flu and RSV vaccines. The company's key advantage is its proprietary recombinant nanoparticle vaccine technology platform, which enables rapid development of vaccines with demonstrated efficacy.
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
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
NVAX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). AAPL leads in 2 (Total Returns, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 387.7x NVAX's $1.1B. NVAX is the more profitable business, keeping 39.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AAPL's 27.0%. On growth, NVAX holds the edge at +66.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | NVAXNovavax, Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.1B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $453M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $440M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$251M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +93.5% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +40.3% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +39.2% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -22.3% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +66.6% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +158.8% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 3.9x trailing earnings, NVAX trades at a 89% valuation discount to AAPL's 35.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, NVAX's 3.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AAPL's 27.5x.
| Metric | NVAXNovavax, Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.7B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.7B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 3.93x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.71x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.49x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs NVAX's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | NVAXNovavax, Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +37.4% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +80.7% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $8M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $241M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $249M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $422 for NVAX. Over the past 12 months, NVAX leads with a +21.7% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs NVAX's 3.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | NVAXNovavax, Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +42.2% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +21.7% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +9.5% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -95.8% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -88.4% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +3.1% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
NVAX is the less volatile stock with a 1.25 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AAPL's 1.28 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AAPL currently trades 91.5% from its 52-week high vs NVAX's 84.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | NVAXNovavax, Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.25x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.97 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.01 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +84.7% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 74.8 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.2M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates NVAX as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 43.0% upside for NVAX (target: $15) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | NVAXNovavax, Inc. | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $14.50 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 23 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | 100 | 54.31 | -45.7% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 395.1 | +295.1% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs Novavax, Inc. (NVAX)'s -96%. A $10,000 investment in AAPL 5 years ago would be worth $21,049 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | $15M | $1.1B | +7217.7% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Novavax, Inc.'s revenue grew from $15M (2016) to $1.1B (2025) — a 61.1% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | -18.2% | 39.2% | +314.9% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Novavax, Inc.'s net margin went from -18% (2016) to 39% (2025). Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/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 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) | -20.68 | 2.58 | +112.5% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Novavax, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-20.68 (2016) to $2.58 (2025). Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Novavax, Inc. generated $-250M FCF in 2025 (-194% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
NVAX vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is NVAX or AAPL a better buy right now?
Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) offers the better valuation at 3.9x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) a "Buy" — based on 23 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 — NVAX or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) is the cheapest at 3.9x versus Apple Inc. at 35.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — NVAX or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to -95.8% for Novavax, Inc. (NVAX). A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth approximately $21K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus NVAX's -88.4%. 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 — NVAX or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) is the lower-risk stock at 1.25β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 3% more volatile than NVAX relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — NVAX or AAPL?
Novavax, Inc. (NVAX) is the more profitable company, earning 39.2% net margin versus 26.9% for Apple Inc. — meaning it keeps 39.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NVAX leads at 40.3% versus 32.0% for AAPL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NVAX leads at 93.5%, 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.
06Is NVAX or AAPL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NVAX: 43.0% to $14.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — NVAX or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. NVAX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is NVAX 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), +1027% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +1027%, NVAX: -88.4%), 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.
09What are the main differences between NVAX and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (NVAX (Healthcare) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. In terms of investment character: NVAX is a small-cap deep-value stock; AAPL is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. 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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