Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) vs PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | PTCT | 114.5% revenue growth vs VRTX's 8.9% |
| Value | PTCT | Lower P/E (8.8x vs 25.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | PTCT | 42.3% net margin vs VRTX's 31.3% |
| Stability / Safety | VRTX | Beta 0.44 vs PTCT's 0.91 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | PTCT | +23.4% vs VRTX's +3.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PTCT | 28.4% ROA vs VRTX's 14.8% |
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
Vertex Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing transformative medicines for serious diseases, with its flagship franchise targeting cystic fibrosis. It generates nearly all its revenue from CF therapies — primarily Trikafta/Kaftrio — while building a pipeline in pain, kidney disease, and type 1 diabetes. Its moat stems from deep scientific expertise in CFTR biology and a dominant, near-monopoly position in the CF treatment market.
PTC Therapeutics is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes treatments for rare genetic disorders. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its approved therapies for Duchenne muscular dystrophy and spinal muscular atrophy — with additional income from collaborations and licensing agreements. The company's competitive advantage lies in its proprietary RNA-targeting and splicing technologies that enable it to address previously untreatable genetic mutations.
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
PTCT leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). VRTX leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
VRTX is the larger business by revenue, generating $11.7B annually — 6.6x PTCT's $1.8B. PTCT is the more profitable business, keeping 42.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to VRTX's 31.3%. On growth, VRTX holds the edge at +11.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $11.7B | $1.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $4.2B | $809M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3.7B | $752M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $3.3B | $699M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +86.3% | +91.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +34.1% | +43.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +31.3% | +42.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +28.5% | +39.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +11.0% | +7.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +4.7% | +114.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 8.8x trailing earnings, PTCT trades at a 73% valuation discount to VRTX's 32.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PTCT's 5.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than VRTX's 26.6x.
| Metric | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $126.2B | $5.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $124.8B | $4.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 32.43x | 8.76x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 25.66x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 3.91x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 26.63x | 5.61x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 10.52x | 3.15x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 6.87x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 39.51x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), VRTX scores 5/9 vs PTCT's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +21.2% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +14.8% | +28.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +22.8% | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +23.0% | +56.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.20x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.7B | -$586M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5.1B | $985M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.7B | $399M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 348.55x | 6.37x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth $23,616 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $11,725 for PTCT. Over the past 12 months, PTCT leads with a +23.4% total return vs VRTX's +3.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors VRTX at 19.6% vs PTCT's 16.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +9.9% | -11.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +3.6% | +23.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +71.1% | +56.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +136.2% | +17.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +481.2% | +754.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +19.6% | +16.0% |
Risk & Volatility
VRTX is the less volatile stock with a 0.44 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PTCT's 0.91 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. VRTX currently trades 95.6% from its 52-week high vs PTCT's 77.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.44x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $519.68 | $87.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $362.50 | $35.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.6% | +77.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.6 | 35.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.2M | 994K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VRTX as "Buy" and PTCT as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 23.9% upside for PTCT (target: $85) vs 9.7% for VRTX (target: $545).
| Metric | VRTXVertex Pharmaceut… | PTCTPTC Therapeutics,… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $545.08 | $84.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 55 | 26 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.6% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 100 | 210.69 | +110.7% |
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | 100 | 136.54 | +36.5% |
Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) returned +136% over 5 years vs PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT)'s +17%. A $10,000 investment in VRTX 5 years ago would be worth $23,616 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | $1.7B | $12.0B | +605.1% |
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | $83M | $1.7B | +1992.6% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's revenue grew from $1.7B (2016) to $12.0B (2025) — a 24.2% CAGR. PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s revenue grew from $83M (2016) to $1.7B (2025) — a 40.2% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -6.6% | 32.9% | +600.4% |
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | -171.8% | 39.4% | +123.0% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's net margin went from -7% (2016) to 33% (2025). PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s net margin went from -172% (2016) to 39% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | 144.1 | 29.6 | -79.5% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has traded in a 21x–144x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~32x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vertex Pharmaceutic… (VRTX) | -0.46 | 15.32 | +3430.4% |
| PTC Therapeutics, I… (PTCT) | -4.17 | 7.78 | +286.6% |
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated's EPS grew from $-0.46 (2016) to $15.32 (2025). PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.17 (2016) to $7.78 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+33% vs 2021). PTC Therapeutics, Inc. generated $0M FCF in 2025 (+100% vs 2021).
VRTX vs PTCT: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VRTX or PTCT a better buy right now?
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) offers the better valuation at 8.8x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) a "Buy" — based on 55 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 has the better valuation — VRTX or PTCT?
On trailing P/E, PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) is the cheapest at 8.8x versus Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated at 32.4x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — VRTX or PTCT?
Over the past 5 years, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) delivered a total return of +136.2%, compared to +17.2% for PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT). A $10,000 investment in VRTX five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PTCT returned +754.5% versus VRTX's +481.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — VRTX or PTCT?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the lower-risk stock at 0.44β versus PTC Therapeutics, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning PTCT is approximately 107% more volatile than VRTX relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — VRTX or PTCT?
PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (PTCT) is the more profitable company, earning 39.4% net margin versus 32.9% for Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated — meaning it keeps 39.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PTCT leads at 50.1% versus 39.1% for VRTX. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PTCT leads at 91.2%, 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.
06Is VRTX or PTCT more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PTCT: 23.9% to $84.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — VRTX or PTCT?
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.
08Is VRTX or PTCT better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (VRTX) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.44), +481.2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (VRTX: +481.2%, PTCT: +754.5%), 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.
09What are the main differences between VRTX and PTCT?
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: VRTX is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; PTCT is a small-cap deep-value 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.