AZN vs VRTX Stock Comparison
AZN currently leads VRTX in this stock comparison, with AIQ scores of 61 vs 56. The clearest difference is value, while VRTX has the stronger risk resilience profile.
What is the main difference between AZN and VRTX?
AZN leads the current stock comparison as AstraZeneca PLC, with the clearest separation coming from value and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
AstraZeneca PLC vs Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
AZN leads
AZN leads by 5 AIQ points, primarily on Value and Momentum, and the lead has widened from 1 points over 30 sessions.
Fragile: 3 of 6 evidence groups support AZN, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
AstraZeneca PLC
Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors AZN over VRTX, 61 versus 56 as of Oct 21, 2026. AZN's advantage is driven primarily by stronger value and momentum, while VRTX holds the stronger risk resilience profile. AZN also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor AZN today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. AZN lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 1 to 5 points over 30 sessions.
Compare AstraZeneca PLC and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Total return with distributions reinvested, from daily closes.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000, distributions reinvested
Split-adjusted closes; each distribution is reinvested at the close on its ex-dividend date. Taxes and trading costs are not modeled.
Compare AZN and VRTX against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Value53 vs 32AZN +21
- Momentum68 vs 47AZN +21
- Risk Resilience45 vs 64VRTX +19
- Quality72 vs 82VRTX +10
3 of 6 evidence groups favor AZN. AZN’s edge is concentrated in value and momentum; VRTX keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-10-20, compared against the prior scored session 2026-10-19.
Largest factor move: Momentum +11
No signal started or stopped since the prior session; its 2 active signals are unchanged.
Largest factor move: Momentum +11
New signals
- MACD Bullish Crossover — bullish, momentum, short horizon
AZN's lead narrowed by 1 AIQ point in the latest session.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — AZN and VRTX both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
AZN (AstraZeneca PLC): the stronger current systematic profile, led by value and momentum.
VRTX (Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated): the counter-case, on risk resilience, quality, fundamentals.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
AZNAZN on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
VRTXVRTX on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
AZNAZN on the peer-relative Value factor, by 21 points.
Momentum
AZNAZN on the Momentum factor, by 21 points.
Lower downside
VRTXVRTX on Risk Resilience, by 19 points.
Analyst upside
AZNAZN on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | AZN | VRTX | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +28.2% | +7.3% | AZN has more room |
| Target dispersion | 0% | +56% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 1 | 14 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor AZN. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | AZN | 61 vs 56 |
| Fundamentals | VRTX | EPS growth -19.6% vs 6.7%; TTM ROE 21.7% vs 23.3%; gross margin 79.3% vs 86%; operating margin 22.7% vs 38.6% |
| Valuation | AZN | Value 53 vs 32 |
| Technicals | VRTX | Price vs 50-day 3.8% vs 0.4%; vs 200-day -6.6% vs 8% |
| Risk Resilience | VRTX | Risk Resilience 45 vs 64 |
| Analyst expectations | AZN | Target upside 28.2% vs 7.3% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of AZN and VRTX and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on AZN.
How the comparison changed
120 daily snapshots · Jun 21 – Oct 20AZN lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 1 to 5 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- AZN +5
- 61 vs 56
- 7 sessions ago
- AZN +6
- 59 vs 53
- 30 sessions ago
- AZN +1
- 62 vs 61
- 90 sessions ago
- VRTX +13
- 50 vs 63
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Oct 13 when AZN moved ahead of VRTX.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted
Only AZN
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (11.37%)
2 bullish / 0 bearish
Only VRTX
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (9.66%)
Both carry 1 more signal that do not separate them: MACD Bullish Crossover.
AZN leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price is down while the AIQ Score moved up 2 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.22%, AIQ +2 points).
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +1.92%, AIQ +3 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1VRTX closes the Value gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to AZN's edge.
- 2VRTX generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish or Uptrend Structure Active.
- 3AZN's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
VRTX leads on balance| Metric | AZN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 0.6% | 11.6% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -19.6% | 6.7% |
| Gross margin | 79.3% | 86% |
| Operating margin | 22.7% | 38.6% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 21.7% | 23.3% |
| Debt to equity | 0.64 | 0.1 |
Performance
VRTX leads 4 of 6 windows| Metric | AZN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | 8.3% | 6.1% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | 0.3% | -0.1% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -0.5% | 8.9% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -13.8% | 17.9% |
| Year to date | -8.2% | 13.5% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 0.7% | 26% |
Technicals
VRTX has the stronger structure| Metric | AZN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 61.4 | 46.1 |
| ADX (14) | 15.6 | 20.3 |
| Price vs 50-day | 3.8% | 0.4% |
| Price vs 200-day | -6.6% | 8% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 28.6% | 27% |
Risk
VRTX is the more resilient| Metric | AZN | VRTX |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.24 | 0.5 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.02 | 0.74 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.03 | 1.37 |
| Max drawdown | -25.7% | -15.2% |
| Current drawdown | -19.4% | -7.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 27.2% | 28.9% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -2.5% | -2.7% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, AZN or VRTX?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, AZN is the stronger of the two as of Oct 21, 2026, scoring 61 against VRTX's 56. The edge comes from value and momentum. VRTX is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is AZN or VRTX the better buy right now?
AZN carries the stronger systematic profile as of Oct 21, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the AIQ gap is narrow at 5 points. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor AZN over VRTX?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. AZN leads Value by 21 points; AZN leads Momentum by 21 points; VRTX leads Risk Resilience by 19 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, AZN or VRTX?
Analyst price targets imply +28.2% upside for AZN and +7.3% for VRTX, so the Street currently favors AZN. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, AZN or VRTX?
AZN is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. AZN on the peer-relative Value factor, by 21 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, AZN or VRTX?
VRTX on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, AZN or VRTX?
AZN on the Momentum factor, by 21 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, AZN or VRTX?
VRTX is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. VRTX on Risk Resilience, by 19 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is AZN more profitable than VRTX?
VRTX leads on the comparable margin measures — gross margin 79.3% vs 86%; operating margin 22.7% vs 38.6%; ttm roe 21.7% vs 23.3%.
Is AZN's lead over VRTX getting stronger or weaker?
AZN lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 1 to 5 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 120 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-06-21 and 2026-10-20. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-10-13, when AZN moved ahead of VRTX.
What would change the AZN vs VRTX verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: VRTX closes the Value gap — currently 21 points behind, the largest single contributor to AZN's edge; VRTX generates a confirmed bullish trend signal it does not currently carry, such as EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish or Uptrend Structure Active; AZN's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 1 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about AZN and VRTX?
AZN: 1 bullish / 1 bearish, conflicted. VRTX: 2 bullish / 0 bearish. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on AZN is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On VRTX it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare AZN and VRTX with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.