ASTRAZENECA PLC vs VERTEX PHARMACEUTICALS INC / MA, two Drug Manufacturers stocks. A side-by-side on valuation, growth, margins, returns, and what each price is betting.
Where AZN and VRTX diverge most: on current ratio, AZN reads 0.94 and VRTX reads 3.02; on altman z (solvency), AZN reads 3.44 and VRTX reads 7.73. The rest of the comparable metrics sit closer together. What VRTX's price implies is a bet that sits within the historical range (whole-company basis). The bull and bear cases for each are in their full reports below.
| Metric | AZN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $169.61 | $477.02 |
| Market cap | $262.9B | $122.3B |
| Sector | Drug Manufacturers | Drug Manufacturers |
| Stage | Mature | Mature |
| Implied growth (priced in) | — | +20.7% |
| P/E | 25.7 | 28.3 |
| P/B | 5.40 | 6.31 |
| P/S | 4.48 | 10.01 |
| EV/EBITDA | 18.7 | 23.8 |
| Revenue growth | +12.1% | +10.1% |
| Gross margin | 81.9% | — |
| Operating margin | 23.4% | 38.1% |
| Net margin | 17.4% | 35.5% |
| Return on equity | 21.0% | 22.4% |
| Return on assets | 9.0% | 16.4% |
| Return on invested capital | 23.3% | 19.9% |
| FCF yield | 4.5% | 3.0% |
| Debt / equity | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Current ratio | 0.94 | 3.02 |
| Altman Z (solvency) | 3.44 | 7.73 |
| Piotroski F (quality) | 8 / 9 | 6 / 9 |
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The stronger value is highlighted per metric where one is strictly better on that single number; it is not an overall verdict on either company. For informational and research purposes only. Not investment advice. Not a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security. boothcheck is not a registered investment adviser. Past performance does not guarantee future results.