Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Valneva SE (VALN) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | VALN | 10.3% revenue growth vs AAPL's 6.4% |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs VALN's -34.1% |
| Stability / Safety | VALN | Beta 1.24 vs AAPL's 1.28, lower leverage |
| Dividends | AAPL | 0.4% yield; 14-year raise streak; VALN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | VALN | +64.3% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs VALN's -14.2%, ROIC 64.5% vs 4.5% |
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
Valneva is a specialty vaccine company developing and commercializing prophylactic vaccines for infectious diseases with unmet medical needs. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its commercial travel vaccines — IXIARO for Japanese encephalitis and DUKORAL for cholera — while advancing a pipeline of late-stage candidates including a chikungunya vaccine and a Lyme disease vaccine in partnership with Pfizer. The company's competitive advantage lies in its focus on niche infectious diseases often overlooked by larger pharmaceutical companies and its strategic partnerships that provide development funding and commercialization expertise.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
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
AAPL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Total Returns). VALN leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 2218.8x VALN's $196M. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to VALN's -34.1%. On growth, VALN holds the edge at +27.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | VALNValneva SE | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $196M | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$36M | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$67M | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$34M | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +49.0% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -25.6% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -34.1% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -17.5% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +27.0% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +60.5% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, VALN's 26.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AAPL's 27.5x.
| Metric | VALNValneva SE | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $963M | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.0B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -55.31x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.27x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.82x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 3.64x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $-36 for VALN. VALN carries lower financial leverage with a 1.19x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs VALN's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | VALNValneva SE | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -36.0% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -14.2% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +4.5% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.9% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.19x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $48M | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $168M | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $216M | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -1.75x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth $21,049 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,199 for VALN. Over the past 12 months, VALN leads with a +64.3% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs VALN's -1.8% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VALNValneva SE | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +23.8% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +64.3% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -5.3% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -58.0% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -58.0% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -1.8% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
VALN is the less volatile stock with a 1.24 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AAPL's 1.28 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | VALNValneva SE | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.24x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $12.25 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $5.43 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +90.5% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.9 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 14K | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VALN as "Buy" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 65.3% upside for VALN (target: $18) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). AAPL is the only dividend payer here at 0.39% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | VALNValneva SE | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $18.33 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +2.3% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | May 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valneva SE (VALN) | 100 | 34.65 | -65.4% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 217.26 | +117.3% |
Apple Inc. (AAPL) returned +110% over 5 years vs Valneva SE (VALN)'s -58%. A $10,000 investment in AAPL 5 years ago would be worth $21,049 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valneva SE (VALN) | $94M | $170M | +80.3% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valneva SE (VALN) | -52.3% | -7.2% | +86.2% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valneva SE (VALN) | -1.32 | -0.17 | +87.1% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Valneva SE generated $-84M FCF in 2024 (-414% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
VALN vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VALN or AAPL a better buy right now?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) offers the better valuation at 35.4x trailing P/E (31.1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Valneva SE (VALN) 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 — VALN or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Apple Inc. (AAPL) delivered a total return of +110.5%, compared to -58.0% for Valneva SE (VALN). A $10,000 investment in AAPL five years ago would be worth approximately $21K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus VALN's -58.0%. 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 — VALN or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Valneva SE (VALN) is the lower-risk stock at 1.24β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 4% more volatile than VALN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Valneva SE (VALN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 119% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — VALN or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus -7.2% for Valneva SE — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 7.9% for VALN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL leads at 46.9%, 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.
05Is VALN or AAPL more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VALN: 65.3% to $18.33.
06Which pays a better dividend — VALN or AAPL?
In this comparison, AAPL (0.4% yield) pays a dividend. VALN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is VALN or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.28), +1027% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AAPL: +1027%, VALN: -58.0%), 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 VALN and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (VALN (Healthcare) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. 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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