TARS
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$2.72B
5Y Perf.+183.4%
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Stock Comparison
TARS vs NUVL
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
NUVL
Nuvalent, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$7.53B
5Y Perf.+461.1%
TARS vs NUVL — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | TARS | NUVL |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $2.72B | $7.53B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $535M | $0.00 |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-48M | $-450M |
| Gross Margin | 90.4% | — |
| Operating Margin | -9.5% | — |
| Total Debt | $94M | $0.00 |
| Cash & Equiv. | $184M | $262M |
TARS vs NUVL — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
TARS
NUVL
| Stock | Jul 21 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tarsus Pharmaceutic… (TARS) | 100 | 283.4 | +183.4% |
| Nuvalent, Inc. (NUVL) | 100 | 561.1 | +461.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: TARS vs NUVL
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: TARS leads in 3 of 6 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. Nuvalent, Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for profitability and margin quality and recent price momentum and sentiment. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
TARS
Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
The Income Pick
TARS carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- beta 0.65
- Rev growth 146.7%, EPS growth 48.2%, 3Y rev CAGR 159.5%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.65, Low D/E 27.3%, current ratio 3.85x
Best for: income & stability and growth exposure
NUVL
Nuvalent, Inc.
The Long-Run Compounder
NUVL is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 446.1% 10Y total return vs TARS's 210.8%
- 3.2% margin vs TARS's -9.0%
- +53.5% vs TARS's +35.1%
Best for: long-term compounding
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | TARS | 146.7% revenue growth vs NUVL's 1.1% |
| Quality / Margins | NUVL | 3.2% margin vs TARS's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | TARS | Beta 0.65 vs NUVL's 1.09 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | NUVL | +53.5% vs TARS's +35.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | TARS | -8.9% ROA vs NUVL's -37.8%, ROIC -23.4% vs -32.5% |
TARS vs NUVL — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
FY 2025
Segment breakdown not available.
TARS vs NUVL — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLTARSLAGGINGNUVL
NUVLNuvalent, Inc.
1leads
TARSTarsus Pharmaceutical…
2leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs NUVLMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
TARS1/1
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
Tied
—
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
TARS6/8
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
NUVL4/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
Tied
—
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
—
—
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TARS leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
TARS and NUVL operate at a comparable scale, with $535M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | TARSTarsus Pharmaceut… | NUVLNuvalent, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $535M | $0 |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$49M | -$346M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$48M | -$450M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$32M | -$313M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +90.4% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -9.5% | — |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -9.0% | — |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -5.9% | — |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +106.9% | — |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +75.0% | -17.8% |
TARS leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — TARS and NUVL each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | TARSTarsus Pharmaceut… | NUVLNuvalent, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $7.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.6B | $7.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -40.23x | -17.50x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 6.03x | — |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.78x | 5.96x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Evenly matched — TARS and NUVL each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
TARS leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
TARS delivers a -14.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-14 in annual profit, vs $-43 for NUVL. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), TARS scores 5/9 vs NUVL's 1/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | TARSTarsus Pharmaceut… | NUVLNuvalent, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -14.2% | -42.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -8.9% | -37.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -23.4% | -32.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -19.6% | -34.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 1 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.27x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$90M | -$262M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $184M | $262M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $94M | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -18.76x | -26.85x |
TARS leads this category, winning 6 of 8 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
NUVL leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in NUVL five years ago would be worth $54,613 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,334 for TARS. Over the past 12 months, NUVL leads with a +53.5% total return vs TARS's +35.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors TARS at 60.1% vs NUVL's 39.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | TARSTarsus Pharmaceut… | NUVLNuvalent, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | -20.8% | +1.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +35.1% | +53.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +310.3% | +171.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +113.3% | +446.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +210.8% | +446.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +60.1% | +39.5% |
NUVL leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — TARS and NUVL each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
TARS is the less volatile stock with a 0.65 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than NUVL's 1.09 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. NUVL currently trades 90.6% from its 52-week high vs TARS's 75.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | TARSTarsus Pharmaceut… | NUVLNuvalent, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.65x | 1.09x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $85.25 | $113.02 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $38.51 | $63.56 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +75.0% | +90.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 46.5 | 52.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 495K | 544K |
Evenly matched — TARS and NUVL each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates TARS as "Buy" and NUVL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 41.0% upside for NUVL (target: $144) vs 39.7% for TARS (target: $89).
| Metric | TARSTarsus Pharmaceut… | NUVLNuvalent, Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $89.33 | $144.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 9 | 14 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Insufficient data to determine a leader in this category.
Key Takeaway
TARS leads in 2 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). NUVL leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Best OverallTarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TARS)Leads 2 of 6 categories
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TARS vs NUVL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is TARS or NUVL a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(TARS) a "Buy" — based on 9 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 — TARS or NUVL?
Over the past 5 years, Nuvalent, Inc.
(NUVL) delivered a total return of +446. 1%, compared to +113. 3% for Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (TARS). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: NUVL returned +446. 1% versus TARS's +210. 8%. 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 — TARS or NUVL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(TARS) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 65β versus Nuvalent, Inc. 's 1. 09β — meaning NUVL is approximately 68% more volatile than TARS relative to the S&P 500.
04Which is growing faster — TARS or NUVL?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
grew EPS 48. 2% year-over-year, compared to -48. 9% for Nuvalent, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — TARS or NUVL?
Nuvalent, Inc.
(NUVL) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 0% net margin versus -14. 7% for Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: NUVL leads at 0. 0% versus -15. 7% for TARS. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — TARS leads at 93. 2%, 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.
06Which pays a better dividend — TARS or NUVL?
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.
07Is TARS or NUVL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Tarsus Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
(TARS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 65), +210. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (TARS: +210. 8%, NUVL: +446. 1%), 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.
08What are the main differences between TARS and NUVL?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
In terms of investment character: TARS is a small-cap high-growth stock; NUVL is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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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