Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs PTHS's -318.4% |
| Stability / Safety | PTHS | Beta 0.76 vs AAPL's 1.28 |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; PTHS pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PTHS | +123.4% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs PTHS's -18.7% |
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
Pelthos Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes therapeutic products for patients with unmet medical needs. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its FDA-approved treatment ZELSUVMI for molluscum contagiosum — a viral skin infection — with additional potential from its proprietary NITRICIL nitric oxide technology platform. The company's competitive advantage lies in its first-mover position with the only FDA-approved prescription treatment for molluscum contagiosum, addressing a significant market gap.
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
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AAPL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). PTHS leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 58819.5x PTHS's $7M. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to PTHS's -3.2%.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7M | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$21M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$24M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$17M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +54.3% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -3.0% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -3.2% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -2.3% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -7.7% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $85M | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $87M | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.95x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 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 | — | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-40 for PTHS. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs PTHS's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -40.5% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -18.7% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $513,443 | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -12.31x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PTHS five years ago would be worth $22,339 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, PTHS leads with a +123.4% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PTHS at 30.7% vs AAPL's 21.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -10.5% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +123.4% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.7% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
PTHS is the less volatile stock with a 0.76 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 PTHS's 48.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.76x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $54.29 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.20 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +48.6% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.5 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 11K | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.2% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelthos Therapeutic… (PTHS) | $0.00 | $0.00 | — |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 2P/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 3EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelthos Therapeutic… (PTHS) | -4.26 | -13.54 | -217.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 4Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. generated $-6M FCF in 2024 (-270% vs 2022). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
PTHS vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PTHS 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 Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — PTHS or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) delivered a total return of +123.4%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in PTHS five years ago would be worth approximately $22K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus PTHS's +123.4%. 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 — PTHS or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.76β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 69% more volatile than PTHS relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — PTHS or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus -318.4% for Pelthos 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 -300.5% for PTHS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PTHS leads at 54.3%, 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 — PTHS or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. PTHS does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is PTHS 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%, PTHS: +123.4%), 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.
07What are the main differences between PTHS and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (PTHS (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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