Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) 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 | PTCT | 114.5% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Value | PTCT | Lower P/E (8.8x vs 31.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | PTCT | 42.3% net margin vs AAPL's 27.0% |
| Stability / Safety | PTCT | Beta 0.91 vs AAPL's 1.28 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; PTCT pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PTCT | +23.4% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs PTCT's 28.4% |
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
PTC Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes treatments for rare genetic disorders. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its approved therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy — with additional income from collaborations and licensing agreements. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary RNA-targeting and splicing technologies that enable it to address previously untreatable genetic mutations.
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
PTCT leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). AAPL leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 244.8x PTCT's $1.8B. PTCT is the more profitable business, keeping 42.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to AAPL's 27.0%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.8B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $809M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $752M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $699M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +91.2% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +43.6% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +42.3% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +39.3% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +7.2% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +114.4% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 8.8x trailing earnings, PTCT trades at a 75% valuation discount to AAPL's 35.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PTCT's 5.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AAPL's 27.5x.
| Metric | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.5B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.9B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 8.76x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 5.61x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.15x | 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 PTCT's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +28.4% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +56.8% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$586M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $985M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $399M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.37x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,725 for PTCT. Over the past 12 months, PTCT leads with a +23.4% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs PTCT's 16.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -11.1% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +23.4% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.1% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +17.2% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +754.5% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +16.0% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
PTCT is the less volatile stock with a 0.91 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 PTCT's 77.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.91x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $87.50 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $35.95 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +77.9% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 35.0 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 994K | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PTCT as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 23.9% upside for PTCT (target: $85) 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 | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $84.50 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 26 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 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 | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | 100 | 144.36 | +44.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 373.3 | +273.3% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT)'s +17%. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | $83M | $1.7B | +1992.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s revenue grew from $83M (2016) to $1.7B (2025) — a 40.2% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | -171.8% | 39.4% | +123.0% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s net margin went from -172% (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | -4.17 | 7.78 | +286.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.17 (2016) to $7.78 (2025). Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. generated $0M FCF in 2025 (+100% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
PTCT vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PTCT or AAPL a better buy right now?
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) offers the better valuation at 8.8x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 — PTCT or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) is the cheapest at 8.8x versus Apple Inc. at 35.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PTCT or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to +17.2% for PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT). 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 PTCT's +754.5%. 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 — PTCT or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) is the lower-risk stock at 0.91β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 40% more volatile than PTCT relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — PTCT or AAPL?
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) is the more profitable company, earning 39.4% net margin versus 26.9% for Apple Inc. — meaning it keeps 39.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PTCT leads at 50.1% versus 32.0% for AAPL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PTCT leads at 91.2%, 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 PTCT or AAPL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PTCT: 23.9% to $84.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — PTCT or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. PTCT does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PTCT or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.91), +754.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PTCT: +754.5%, AAPL: +1027%), 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 PTCT and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (PTCT (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: PTCT 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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