Medical - Diagnostics & Research
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Stock Comparison
PSNL vs TWST
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Medical - Diagnostics & Research
PSNL vs TWST — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Medical - Diagnostics & Research | Medical - Diagnostics & Research |
| Market Cap | $532M | $3.65B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $49M | $409M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-96M | $-81M |
| Gross Margin | -13.5% | 52.1% |
| Operating Margin | -209.0% | -33.9% |
| Total Debt | $32M | $137M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $124M | $183M |
PSNL vs TWST — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalis, Inc. (PSNL) | 100 | 50.5 | -49.5% |
| Twist Bioscience Co… (TWST) | 100 | 149.8 | +49.8% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: PSNL vs TWST
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
PSNL is the clearest fit if your priority is sleep-well-at-night.
- Lower volatility, beta 2.75, Low D/E 12.2%, current ratio 6.76x
TWST carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 2.47
- Rev growth 20.3%, EPS growth 63.9%, 3Y rev CAGR 22.8%
- 318.1% 10Y total return vs PSNL's -79.0%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 20.3% revenue growth vs PSNL's -100.0% | |
| Quality / Margins | -19.8% margin vs PSNL's -194.8% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 2.47 vs PSNL's 2.75 | |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | +78.6% vs PSNL's +23.8% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | -12.5% ROA vs PSNL's -32.9%, ROIC -26.9% vs -40.7% |
PSNL vs TWST — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
PSNL vs TWST — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TWST leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TWST is the larger business by revenue, generating $409M annually — 8.3x PSNL's $49M. TWST is the more profitable business, keeping -19.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PSNL's -194.8%. On growth, TWST holds the edge at +19.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $49M | $409M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$95M | -$115M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$96M | -$81M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$85M | -$95M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -13.5% | +52.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.1% | -33.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -194.8% | -19.8% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -172.6% | -23.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -100.0% | +19.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -61.1% | -7.6% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — PSNL and TWST each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $532M | $3.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $440M | $3.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -6.58x | -45.03x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 9.68x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.05x | 7.40x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
TWST leads this category, winning 4 of 7 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
TWST delivers a -17.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-17 in annual profit, vs $-44 for PSNL. PSNL carries lower financial leverage with a 0.12x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to TWST's 0.29x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -43.5% | -17.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -32.9% | -12.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -40.7% | -26.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -33.0% | -24.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.12x | 0.29x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$92M | -$46M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $124M | $183M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $32M | $137M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -990.79x | — |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
TWST leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in TWST five years ago would be worth $5,015 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,633 for PSNL. Over the past 12 months, TWST leads with a +78.6% total return vs PSNL's +23.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TWST at 63.5% vs PSNL's 38.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -23.7% | +80.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +23.8% | +78.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +163.9% | +336.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -73.7% | -49.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -79.0% | +318.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +38.2% | +63.5% |
Risk & Volatility
TWST leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
TWST is the less volatile stock with a 2.47 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PSNL's 2.75 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. TWST currently trades 88.7% from its 52-week high vs PSNL's 52.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.65x | 2.41x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $11.50 | $66.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.84 | $23.30 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +52.1% | +88.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 47.7 | 57.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.8M | 1.2M |
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PSNL as "Buy" and TWST as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 100.3% upside for PSNL (target: $12) vs 3.3% for TWST (target: $61).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $12.00 | $60.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 13 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.0% |
TWST leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Income & Cash Flow and Profitability & Efficiency. 1 category is tied.
PSNL vs TWST: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PSNL or TWST a better buy right now?
For growth investors, Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) is the stronger pick with 20.
3% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -100. 0% for Personalis, Inc. (PSNL). Analysts rate Personalis, Inc. (PSNL) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 — PSNL or TWST?
Over the past 5 years, Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) delivered a total return of -49.
9%, compared to -73. 7% for Personalis, Inc. (PSNL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: TWST returned +306. 1% versus PSNL's -79. 0%. 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 — PSNL or TWST?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) is the lower-risk stock at 2.
41β versus Personalis, Inc. 's 2. 65β — meaning PSNL is approximately 10% more volatile than TWST relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Personalis, Inc. (PSNL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 29% for Twist Bioscience Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which is growing faster — PSNL or TWST?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) is pulling ahead at 20.
3% versus -100. 0% for Personalis, Inc. (PSNL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Twist Bioscience Corporation grew EPS 63. 9% year-over-year, compared to 33. 6% for Personalis, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — PSNL or TWST?
Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) is the more profitable company, earning -20.
6% net margin versus -194. 8% for Personalis, Inc. — meaning it keeps -20. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: TWST leads at -36. 2% versus -209. 0% for PSNL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TWST leads at 50. 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — PSNL or TWST?
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 PSNL or TWST better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Twist Bioscience Corporation (TWST) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (+306.
1% 10Y return). Personalis, Inc. (PSNL) carries a higher beta of 2. 65 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (TWST: +306. 1%, PSNL: -79. 0%), 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 PSNL and TWST?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: PSNL is a small-cap quality compounder stock; TWST is a small-cap high-growth 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.