Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) vs Zai Lab Limited (ZLAB) 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 | ZLAB | -38.1% net margin vs PTHS's -318.4% |
| Stability / Safety | PTHS | Beta 0.76 vs ZLAB's 0.99 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PTHS | +123.4% vs ZLAB's -44.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ZLAB | -15.0% 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.
Zai Lab is a biopharmaceutical company that licenses, develops, and commercializes innovative therapies for oncology, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases primarily in Greater China. It generates revenue through product sales of its commercialized drugs — like Zejula for ovarian cancer and NUZYRA for bacterial infections — supplemented by milestone payments and royalties from its extensive partnership network. The company's key advantage lies in its strategic licensing model that gives it exclusive rights to promising late-stage and commercial-stage therapies for the Greater China market, allowing it to build a diversified portfolio without bearing full R&D 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
ZLAB leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). PTHS leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ZLAB is the larger business by revenue, generating $460M annually — 62.1x PTHS's $7M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -38.1% (ZLAB) to -3.2% (PTHS).
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | ZLABZai Lab Limited |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $7M | $460M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$21M | -$218M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$24M | -$176M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$17M | -$159M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +54.3% | +58.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -3.0% | -49.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -3.2% | -38.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -2.3% | -34.5% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +17.0% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -7.7% | +43.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | ZLABZai Lab Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $85M | $21.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $87M | $20.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -1.95x | -12.01x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 46.21x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 2.94x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
ZLAB delivers a -24.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-25 in annual profit, vs $-40 for PTHS. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PTHS scores 4/9 vs ZLAB's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | ZLABZai Lab Limited |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -40.5% | -24.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -18.7% | -15.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | -42.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | -27.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.31x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2M | -$455M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $513,443 | $680M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2M | $224M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -12.31x | -48.75x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PTHS five years ago would be worth $22,339 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $1,186 for ZLAB. Over the past 12 months, PTHS leads with a +123.4% total return vs ZLAB's -44.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PTHS at 30.7% vs ZLAB's -19.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | ZLABZai Lab Limited |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -10.5% | +10.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +123.4% | -44.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | -48.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | -88.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +123.4% | -31.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +30.7% | -19.7% |
Risk & Volatility
PTHS is the less volatile stock with a 0.76 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ZLAB's 0.99 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PTHS currently trades 48.6% from its 52-week high vs ZLAB's 43.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | ZLABZai Lab Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.76x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $54.29 | $44.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.20 | $15.96 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +48.6% | +43.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.5 | 57.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 11K | 622K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | PTHSPelthos Therapeut… | ZLABZai Lab Limited |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $35.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.2% | 0.0% |
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 | — |
| Zai Lab Limited (ZLAB) | $0.00 | $460M | — |
Zai Lab Limited's revenue grew from $0M (2016) to $460M (2025) — a 0.0% CAGR.
Chart 2EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pelthos Therapeutic… (PTHS) | -4.26 | -13.54 | -217.8% |
| Zai Lab Limited (ZLAB) | -39.7 | -1.6 | +96.0% |
Zai Lab Limited's EPS grew from $-39.70 (2016) to $-1.60 (2025).
Chart 3Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. generated $-6M FCF in 2024 (-270% vs 2022). Zai Lab Limited generated $-159M FCF in 2025 (+72% vs 2021).
PTHS vs ZLAB: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PTHS or ZLAB a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Zai Lab Limited (ZLAB) a "Buy" — based on 11 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 ZLAB?
Over the past 5 years, Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) delivered a total return of +123.4%, compared to -88.1% for Zai Lab Limited (ZLAB). 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: PTHS returned +123.4% versus ZLAB's -31.2%. 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 ZLAB?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.76β versus Zai Lab Limited's 0.99β — meaning ZLAB is approximately 31% more volatile than PTHS relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — PTHS or ZLAB?
Zai Lab Limited (ZLAB) is the more profitable company, earning -38.1% net margin versus -318.4% for Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. — meaning it keeps -38.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ZLAB leads at -49.9% versus -300.5% for PTHS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ZLAB leads at 58.6%, 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 ZLAB?
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 PTHS or ZLAB better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Pelthos Therapeutics Inc. (PTHS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.76), +123.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (PTHS: +123.4%, ZLAB: -31.2%), 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 ZLAB?
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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