Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) vs Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) 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 | PRME | 6.5% revenue growth vs BEAM's 120.0% |
| Quality / Margins | BEAM | -57.2% net margin vs PRME's -33.0% |
| Stability / Safety | BEAM | Beta 1.66 vs PRME's 1.88, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PRME | +83.3% vs BEAM's +8.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BEAM | -5.4% ROA vs PRME's -51.3%, ROIC -33.6% vs -260.5% |
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
Prime Medicine is a biotechnology company developing next-generation gene editing therapies using its proprietary Prime Editing technology. It aims to generate revenue through research collaborations, licensing deals, and potential future drug sales — though currently in pre-revenue stage with no commercial products. Its key advantage is the Prime Editing platform, which offers more precise and versatile gene editing than earlier CRISPR technologies, potentially enabling treatments for a wider range of genetic diseases.
Beam Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines using base editing technology to treat serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners — with potential future income from clinical-stage programs targeting sickle cell disease, T-cell cancers, and metabolic disorders. The company's key advantage is its proprietary base editing platform, which enables more precise DNA modifications than traditional CRISPR approaches — potentially offering safer and more effective genetic 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
BEAM leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Valuation Metrics. 1 category is tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BEAM is the larger business by revenue, generating $140M annually — 23.4x PRME's $6M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -57.2% (BEAM) to -33.0% (PRME).
| Metric | PRMEPrime Medicine, I… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $6M | $140M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$197M | -$361M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$197M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$115M | -$360M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -6.7% | +84.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -34.1% | -2.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -33.0% | -57.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -19.3% | -2.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.9% | +2.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +27.0% | +3.1% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | PRMEPrime Medicine, I… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $833M | $2.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $691M | $2.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -2.80x | -35.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 279.26x | 20.72x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.58x | 2.27x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BEAM delivers a -6.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-6 in annual profit, vs $-122 for PRME. BEAM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.12x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to PRME's 0.27x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BEAM scores 5/9 vs PRME's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | PRMEPrime Medicine, I… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -121.9% | -6.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -51.3% | -5.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -2.6% | -33.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -102.0% | -33.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.27x | 0.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$142M | -$141M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $182M | $295M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $41M | $154M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -9.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PRME five years ago would be worth $3,006 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,978 for BEAM. Over the past 12 months, PRME leads with a +83.3% total return vs BEAM's +8.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BEAM at -10.9% vs PRME's -34.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PRMEPrime Medicine, I… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +30.9% | +4.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +83.3% | +8.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -71.9% | -29.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -69.9% | -70.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -45.6% | +51.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -34.5% | -10.9% |
Risk & Volatility
BEAM is the less volatile stock with a 1.66 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PRME's 1.88 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BEAM currently trades 78.1% from its 52-week high vs PRME's 66.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PRMEPrime Medicine, I… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.88x | 1.66x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.94 | $36.44 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.11 | $13.53 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +66.6% | +78.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 65.6 | 51.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.5M | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PRME as "Buy" and BEAM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 273.4% upside for PRME (target: $17) vs 43.6% for BEAM (target: $41).
| Metric | PRMEPrime Medicine, I… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $17.25 | $40.86 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 27 |
| 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 | Oct 22 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) | 100 | 24.72 | -75.3% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | 100 | 62.94 | -37.1% |
Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) returned -70% over 5 years vs Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM)'s -70%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) | $0.00 | $3M | — |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | $0.00 | $140M | — |
Beam Therapeutics Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2017) to $140M (2025) — a 0.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2019 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) | -65.5% | -65.7% | -0.3% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -4351.4% | -57.2% | +98.7% |
Beam Therapeutics Inc.'s net margin went from -4351% (2019) to -57% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) | -0.03 | -1.65 | -5556.2% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -0.62 | -0.81 | -30.6% |
Beam Therapeutics Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.62 (2017) to $-0.81 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Prime Medicine, Inc. generated $-130M FCF in 2024 (-240% vs 2021). Beam Therapeutics Inc. generated $-360M FCF in 2025 (-218% vs 2021).
PRME vs BEAM: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PRME or BEAM a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) a "Buy" — based on 9 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 — PRME or BEAM?
Over the past 5 years, Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) delivered a total return of -69.9%, compared to -70.2% for Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM). A $10,000 investment in PRME five years ago would be worth approximately $3K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BEAM returned +51.8% versus PRME's -45.6%. 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 — PRME or BEAM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) is the lower-risk stock at 1.66β versus Prime Medicine, Inc.'s 1.88β — meaning PRME is approximately 13% more volatile than BEAM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 27% for Prime Medicine, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — PRME or BEAM?
Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) is the more profitable company, earning -57.2% net margin versus -65.7% for Prime Medicine, Inc. — meaning it keeps -57.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BEAM leads at -274.6% versus -67.9% for PRME. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PRME leads at 100.0%, 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 — PRME or BEAM?
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 PRME or BEAM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Prime Medicine, Inc. (PRME) carries a higher beta of 1.88 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BEAM: +51.8%, PRME: -45.6%), 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 PRME and BEAM?
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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