Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) vs Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) 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 | AGIO | 48.0% revenue growth vs SCLX's 21.1% |
| Quality / Margins | AGIO | -9.0% net margin vs SCLX's -9.3% |
| Stability / Safety | AGIO | Beta 0.91 vs SCLX's 0.96 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SCLX | -0.6% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AGIO | -29.0% ROA vs SCLX's -136.2% |
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
Scilex Holding is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing non-opioid pain management products. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its commercial product ZTlido — a prescription lidocaine topical patch for neuropathic pain — while advancing a pipeline of novel pain therapies through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized focus on non-opioid alternatives for acute and chronic pain, addressing a critical need in pain management with reduced addiction risks.
Agios Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for rare genetic diseases related to cellular metabolism. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its lead drug PYRUKYND for pyruvate kinase deficiency — with additional income from research collaborations and milestone payments — while advancing a pipeline of other metabolic therapies. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in cellular metabolism science and proprietary platform for targeting metabolic pathways in rare diseases.
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
AGIO leads in 3 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Total Returns. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AGIO and SCLX operate at a comparable scale, with $45M and $40M in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -9.0% (AGIO) to -9.3% (SCLX). On growth, AGIO holds the edge at +43.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $40M | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$259M | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$376M | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $24M | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +68.6% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -6.5% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.3% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +59.0% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -26.8% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -17.3% | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.5B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.5B | $2.25T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -0.42x | -4.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 2.64x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 26.58x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 77.75x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SCLX scores 6/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -136.2% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | — | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $35M | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $38M | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -39.55x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AGIO five years ago would be worth $6,363 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $238 for SCLX. Over the past 12 months, SCLX leads with a -0.6% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AGIO at 6.1% vs SCLX's -70.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -37.3% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -0.6% | -14.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.3% | +19.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.6% | -36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -97.6% | -21.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -70.0% | +6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
AGIO is the less volatile stock with a 0.91 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SCLX's 0.96 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. AGIO currently trades 65.7% from its 52-week high vs SCLX's 24.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.96x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $34.27 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.60 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +24.0% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 35.9 | 62.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 61K | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SCLX as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy".
| Metric | SCLXScilex Holding Co… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | 100 | 2.65 | -97.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 53.52 | -46.5% |
Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) returned -36% over 5 years vs Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX)'s -98%.
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | $24M | $57M | +140.2% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $70M (2016) to $54M (2025) — a -2.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -2.0% | -128.7% | -6278.8% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scilex Holding Comp… (SCLX) | -0.01 | -19.43 | -154106.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Scilex Holding Company generated $19M FCF in 2024 (+168% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
SCLX vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SCLX or AGIO a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) a "Buy" — based on 2 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 — SCLX or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) delivered a total return of -36.4%, compared to -97.6% for Scilex Holding Company (SCLX). A $10,000 investment in AGIO five years ago would be worth approximately $6K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGIO returned -21.2% versus SCLX's -97.6%. 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 — SCLX or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.91β versus Scilex Holding Company's 0.96β — meaning SCLX is approximately 6% more volatile than AGIO relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — SCLX or AGIO?
Scilex Holding Company (SCLX) is the more profitable company, earning -128.7% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps -128.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SCLX leads at -147.4% versus -873.9% for AGIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AGIO leads at 88.3%, 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 — SCLX or AGIO?
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 SCLX or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.91)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AGIO: -21.2%, SCLX: -97.6%), 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 SCLX and AGIO?
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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