Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SNDX) vs Merus N.V. (MRUS) 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 | SNDX | 6.0% revenue growth vs MRUS's -12.4% |
| Quality / Margins | SNDX | -279.3% net margin vs MRUS's -6.5% |
| Stability / Safety | MRUS | Beta 0.90 vs SNDX's 1.05, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | MRUS | +91.1% vs SNDX's +38.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MRUS | -43.4% ROA vs SNDX's -56.5%, ROIC -74.6% vs -68.8% |
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
Syndax Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing targeted cancer therapies. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements — with future potential from drug commercialization if its lead candidates gain approval. The company's competitive advantage lies in its specialized pipeline targeting specific cancer pathways like Menin inhibition and CSF-1 receptor blockade.
Merus N.V. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing bispecific antibody therapies for cancer treatment. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing deals — with no commercial products yet — while advancing its pipeline through clinical trials. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary antibody discovery platform that enables the creation of novel bispecific antibodies targeting multiple cancer pathways simultaneously.
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
SNDX leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). MRUS leads in 2 (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SNDX is the larger business by revenue, generating $112M annually — 2.2x MRUS's $51M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -2.8% (SNDX) to -6.5% (MRUS). On growth, SNDX holds the edge at +2.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SNDXSyndax Pharmaceut… | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $112M | $51M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$285M | -$329M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$312M | -$335M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$311M | -$318M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +92.3% | -2.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.8% | -6.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -2.8% | -6.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -2.8% | -6.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.7% | -1.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +28.6% | +13.7% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | SNDXSyndax Pharmaceut… | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $1.9B | $6.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.1B | $6.5B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -5.82x | -26.87x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 79.68x | 195.71x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.45x | 8.92x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
MRUS delivers a -50.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-51 in annual profit, vs $-3 for SNDX. MRUS carries lower financial leverage with a 0.02x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SNDX's 1.20x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), MRUS scores 4/9 vs SNDX's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | SNDXSyndax Pharmaceut… | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -2.7% | -50.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -56.5% | -43.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -68.8% | -74.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -57.8% | -48.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.20x | 0.02x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $192M | -$283M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $154M | $293M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $346M | $10M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -12.81x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in MRUS five years ago would be worth $37,768 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,990 for SNDX. Over the past 12 months, MRUS leads with a +91.1% total return vs SNDX's +38.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MRUS at 67.7% vs SNDX's -5.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SNDXSyndax Pharmaceut… | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.9% | 0.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +38.8% | +91.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -14.4% | +371.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -10.1% | +277.7% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +80.9% | +796.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -5.0% | +67.7% |
Risk & Volatility
MRUS is the less volatile stock with a 0.90 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SNDX's 1.05 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | SNDXSyndax Pharmaceut… | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.05x | 0.90x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $22.73 | $97.14 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $8.58 | $33.19 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.5% | +92.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 50.7 | 14.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.0M | 520K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SNDX as "Buy" and MRUS as "Hold". Consensus price targets imply 81.2% upside for SNDX (target: $39) vs 7.8% for MRUS (target: $97).
| Metric | SNDXSyndax Pharmaceut… | MRUSMerus N.V. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Hold |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $39.33 | $97.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 22 | 22 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | — |
| 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 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syndax Pharmaceutic… (SNDX) | 100 | 230.31 | +130.3% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | 100 | 506.76 | +406.8% |
Merus N.V. (MRUS) returned +278% over 5 years vs Syndax Pharmaceutic… (SNDX)'s -10%. A $10,000 investment in MRUS 5 years ago would be worth $37,768 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syndax Pharmaceutic… (SNDX) | $627000.00 | $24M | +3676.7% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | $2M | $35M | +1730.9% |
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $1M (2015) to $24M (2024) — a 49.7% CAGR. Merus N.V.'s revenue grew from $2M (2015) to $35M (2024) — a 38.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syndax Pharmaceutic… (SNDX) | -38.5% | -13.5% | +65.0% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | -12.2% | -6.0% | +51.2% |
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -38% (2015) to -13% (2024). Merus N.V.'s net margin went from -12% (2015) to -6% (2024).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Syndax Pharmaceutic… (SNDX) | -4.31 | -3.73 | +13.5% |
| Merus N.V. (MRUS) | -1.65 | -3.35 | -103.0% |
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.31 (2015) to $-3.73 (2024). Merus N.V.'s EPS grew from $-1.65 (2015) to $-3.35 (2024).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-275M FCF in 2024 (-1048% vs 2021). Merus N.V. generated $-188M FCF in 2024 (-210% vs 2021).
SNDX vs MRUS: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SNDX or MRUS a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SNDX) a "Buy" — based on 22 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 — SNDX or MRUS?
Over the past 5 years, Merus N.V. (MRUS) delivered a total return of +277.7%, compared to -10.1% for Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (SNDX). A $10,000 investment in MRUS five years ago would be worth approximately $38K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MRUS returned +796.4% versus SNDX's +80.9%. 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 — SNDX or MRUS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Merus N.V. (MRUS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.90β versus Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 1.05β — meaning SNDX is approximately 16% more volatile than MRUS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Merus N.V. (MRUS) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 2% versus 120% for Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — SNDX or MRUS?
Merus N.V. (MRUS) is the more profitable company, earning -595.9% net margin versus -1346.1% for Syndax Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps -595.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MRUS leads at -753.0% versus -1434.4% for SNDX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — SNDX leads at 96.5%, 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 — SNDX or MRUS?
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 SNDX or MRUS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Merus N.V. (MRUS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.90), +796.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MRUS: +796.4%, SNDX: +80.9%), 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 SNDX and MRUS?
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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