Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (RNA) vs CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) 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 | RNA | 72.1% revenue growth vs CRSP's -90.0% |
| Quality / Margins | CRSP | -13.3% net margin vs RNA's -36.5% |
| Stability / Safety | RNA | Beta 1.08 vs CRSP's 1.25, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRSP | +36.9% vs RNA's -51.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRSP | -21.7% ROA vs RNA's -35.0%, ROIC -27.4% vs -42.8% |
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
Avidity Biosciences is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing antibody oligonucleotide conjugates (AOCs) to treat serious genetic diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and milestone payments from partners — with future potential from drug sales if its pipeline candidates gain approval. The company's key advantage is its proprietary AOC platform technology, which combines antibody targeting with oligonucleotide therapeutics to address previously undruggable targets.
CRISPR Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing transformative gene-editing therapies for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and milestone payments from partners like Vertex Pharmaceuticals — with its lead therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia now approved and generating product sales. The company's key advantage is its foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property and extensive expertise in developing ex vivo gene-edited cell therapies.
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
CRSP leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). RNA leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRSP is the larger business by revenue, generating $37M annually — 2.0x RNA's $19M. CRSP is the more profitable business, keeping -13.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to RNA's -36.5%.
| Metric | RNAAvidity Bioscienc… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $19M | $37M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$738M | -$556M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$685M | -$488M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$667M | -$303M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -6.4% | -3.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -39.8% | -15.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -36.5% | -13.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -35.6% | -8.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -71.1% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -98.8% | -15.8% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | RNAAvidity Bioscienc… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.2B | $5.6B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.9B | $5.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -2.97x | -9.30x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 118.92x | 1608.41x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.20x | 2.81x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
CRSP delivers a -25.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-25 in annual profit, vs $-41 for RNA. RNA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.06x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CRSP's 0.11x.
| Metric | RNAAvidity Bioscienc… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -40.5% | -25.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -35.0% | -21.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -42.8% | -27.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -46.2% | -31.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 2 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.06x | 0.11x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$288M | -$141M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $383M | $348M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $95M | $207M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in RNA five years ago would be worth $5,704 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,617 for CRSP. Over the past 12 months, CRSP leads with a +36.9% total return vs RNA's -51.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRSP at 6.8% vs RNA's -14.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | RNAAvidity Bioscienc… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -79.5% | +11.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -51.9% | +36.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -37.8% | +21.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -43.0% | -53.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -48.2% | +326.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -14.6% | +6.8% |
Risk & Volatility
RNA is the less volatile stock with a 1.08 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRSP's 1.25 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CRSP currently trades 76.6% from its 52-week high vs RNA's 20.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | RNAAvidity Bioscienc… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.08x | 1.25x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $73.06 | $78.48 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $13.14 | $30.04 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +20.2% | +76.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.0 | 66.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.6M | 1.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates RNA as "Buy" and CRSP as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 406.2% upside for RNA (target: $75) vs 8.1% for CRSP (target: $65).
| Metric | RNAAvidity Bioscienc… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $74.67 | $65.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 20 | 38 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +1.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jun 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avidity Biosciences… (RNA) | 100 | 255.23 | +155.2% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | 100 | 65.36 | -34.6% |
Avidity Biosciences… (RNA) returned -43% over 5 years vs CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP)'s -54%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avidity Biosciences… (RNA) | $379000.00 | $19M | +4848.5% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | $5M | $4M | -32.0% |
CRISPR Therapeutics AG's revenue grew from $5M (2016) to $4M (2025) — a -4.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avidity Biosciences… (RNA) | -31.5% | -36.5% | -15.9% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | -4.5% | -165.7% | -3587.9% |
CRISPR Therapeutics AG's net margin went from -4% (2016) to -166% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Avidity Biosciences… (RNA) | -0.58 | -4.97 | -756.9% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | -1.89 | -6.47 | -242.3% |
CRISPR Therapeutics AG's EPS grew from $-1.89 (2016) to $-6.47 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Avidity Biosciences, Inc. generated $-664M FCF in 2025 (-574% vs 2021). CRISPR Therapeutics AG generated $-346M FCF in 2025 (-176% vs 2021).
RNA vs CRSP: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is RNA or CRSP a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (RNA) a "Buy" — based on 20 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 — RNA or CRSP?
Over the past 5 years, Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (RNA) delivered a total return of -43.0%, compared to -53.8% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP). A $10,000 investment in RNA five years ago would be worth approximately $6K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRSP returned +326.8% versus RNA's -48.2%. 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 — RNA or CRSP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (RNA) is the lower-risk stock at 1.08β versus CRISPR Therapeutics AG's 1.25β — meaning CRSP is approximately 16% more volatile than RNA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (RNA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 6% versus 11% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — RNA or CRSP?
Avidity Biosciences, Inc. (RNA) is the more profitable company, earning -36.5% net margin versus -165.7% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG — meaning it keeps -36.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RNA leads at -39.8% versus -189.3% for CRSP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RNA leads at 77.9%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — RNA or CRSP?
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 RNA or CRSP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.25), +326.8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRSP: +326.8%, RNA: -48.2%), 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 RNA and CRSP?
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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