Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) 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 | AAPL | 6.4% revenue growth vs PTGX's -100.0% |
| Value | PTGX | Lower P/E (25.4x vs 31.1x) |
| Stability / Safety | PTGX | Lower D/E ratio (1.7% vs 167.2%) |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; PTGX pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PTGX | +145.0% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs PTGX's -19.5%, ROIC 64.5% vs -21.8% |
Who Each Stock Is For
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
Protagonist Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing peptide-based drugs for blood disorders and inflammatory diseases. It generates revenue primarily through collaboration agreements — notably with Janssen Biotech — and has no commercial products yet, relying on milestone payments and potential future royalties. The company's key advantage is its proprietary peptide discovery platform that enables the development of orally available peptide therapeutics, a challenging area in drug development.
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
PTGX leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). AAPL leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL and PTGX operate at a comparable scale, with $435.6B and $0 in trailing revenue. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PTGXProtagonist Thera… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$158M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$130M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $58M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -122.6% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -134.8% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | PTGXProtagonist Thera… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $5.8B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $5.6B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -44.92x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 25.45x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 9.52x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 99.91x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-21 for PTGX. PTGX carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs PTGX's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PTGXProtagonist Thera… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -21.2% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -19.5% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -21.8% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -24.0% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.02x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$118M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $128M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $10M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PTGX five years ago would be worth $34,422 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, PTGX leads with a +145.0% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PTGX at 78.4% vs AAPL's 21.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PTGXProtagonist Thera… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +5.6% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +145.0% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +467.7% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +244.2% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +687.0% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +78.4% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
PTGX is the less volatile stock with a -0.11 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. PTGX currently trades 95.4% from its 52-week high vs AAPL's 91.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PTGXProtagonist Thera… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | -0.11x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $96.54 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $35.97 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.4% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 62.7 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 594K | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PTGX as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 21.4% upside for PTGX (target: $112) 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 | PTGXProtagonist Thera… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $111.75 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonist Therape… (PTGX) | 100 | 1,048.61 | +948.6% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 361.46 | +261.5% |
Protagonist Therape… (PTGX) returned +244% over 5 years vs Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s +110%. A $10,000 investment in PTGX 5 years ago would be worth $34,422 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonist Therape… (PTGX) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc.'s revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $0M (2025) — a 0.0% 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonist Therape… (PTGX) | -184.2% | 63.3% | +134.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Protagonist Therape… (PTGX) | -5.72 | -2.05 | +64.2% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.72 (2016) to $-2.05 (2025). Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. generated $58M FCF in 2025 (+153% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
PTGX vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PTGX or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) a "Buy" — based on 24 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 — PTGX or AAPL?
On forward P/E, Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. is actually cheaper at 25.4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PTGX or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) delivered a total return of +244.2%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in PTGX five years ago would be worth approximately $34K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus PTGX's +687.0%. 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 — PTGX or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) is the lower-risk stock at -0.11β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately -1272% more volatile than PTGX relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PTGX or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 0.0% for Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 0.0% for PTGX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL leads at 46.9%, 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 PTGX or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) trades at 25.4x forward P/E versus 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 5.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PTGX: 21.4% to $111.75.
07Which pays a better dividend — PTGX or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. PTGX does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PTGX or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Protagonist Therapeutics, Inc. (PTGX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0.11), +687.0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PTGX: +687.0%, 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 PTGX and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (PTGX (Healthcare) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. 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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