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Apellis Pharmaceuticals Inc(APLS)
Advisory History & Simulated Performance *
*as per simulation (see disclosures)- ALL
- 1Y
- 1M
- 1W
- BUY Advisory
- SELL Advisory (Profit)
- SELL Advisory (Loss)
- Profit
- Loss
- PASS (Skip)
Stock price based on last close Advisory Performance History (Simulated)
Upturn Advisory & Investor View for APLS
09/04/2026: APLS (1-star) is currently NOT-A-BUY. Pass it for now.
Apellis Pharmaceuticals is a commercial-stage biotechnology company focused on developing targeted therapies for rare diseases and high-burden retinal conditions like geographic atrophy. Its primary strength is the first-to-market status of its flagship retinal drug, which has provided a significant growth trajectory. While the company holds a leading position in complement science, it faces intense competition from larger pharmaceutical firms and ongoing regulatory and safety scrutiny. The investment story centers on successfully scaling commercial operations while managing high R&D costs. The stock is best suited for growth-oriented investors willing to accept volatility, and stakeholders should closely monitor clinical trial updates and long-term commercial efficacy data.
How to Read the Upturn Advisory
The Upturn Star Rating and the current BUY, SELL, or PASS advisory are generated by Upturn’s AI advisory engine based on proprietary signal analysis, price behavior, advisory history, and historical signal performance.
Company fundamentals, valuation, risks, and news provide supporting context about the business.
Investor Fit
| Investor style | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth investor | Strong fit | Apellis offers high growth potential through its early-stage dominance in a large geographic atrophy market. |
| Momentum investor | Mixed fit | This style is conditional on sustained positive clinical news or market share expansion signals. |
| Value investor | Weak fit | The company's reliance on future earnings and high R&D spend makes it unattractive for traditional value metrics. |
| Dividend investor | Weak fit | Apellis does not pay a dividend and is not expected to in the near future. |
| Low-risk investor | Weak fit | The binary risks of regulatory and clinical outcomes result in high stock price volatility. |
Risk Profile
| Risk factor | Level | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Price volatility | High | Biotech stocks often experience sharp price swings due to clinical trial data and regulatory decisions. |
| Valuation risk | Medium / high | The stock is priced for high growth, leaving little room for error in commercial execution. |
| Competition risk (Immunology/Ophthalmology) | Medium / high | The entry of better-tolerated or cheaper drugs from larger pharma competitors poses a continuous threat. |
| Business quality | Medium | While the product pipeline is innovative, the company is still in the early phases of proving long-term financial stability. |
| Dividend income | Low / none | Investors should not rely on this stock for income generation. |
| Execution risk | Medium | Successfully scaling commercial distribution for Syfovre is critical to meeting analyst growth expectations. |
Price Behavior
Steep Decline
The stock price has dropped sharply with strong downward pressure.
Extreme Price Shocks
The stock has experienced exceptionally large and disruptive price movements during the period.
Analysis of Past Performance
Type Stock | Historic Profit -44.62% | Avg. Invested days 27 | Today’s Advisory PASS |
Upturn Advisory Rating  | Upturn Advisory Performance  1.0 | Stock Returns Performance  1.0 |
| Profits based on simulation | Last Close 09/04/2026 |
Upturn Scorecard
Upturn Star Rating 
Company Fundamentals
Financial Health Rating
Growth Momentum Score
Ownership
Top 5 Institutional Investors
Unit Economics (Per $1K Revenue)
Economic Dimensions
Quantitative Style Profile
Style Classification
Quality Focused
Key Highlights
Company Size Mid-Cap Stock | Market Capitalization 5.25B USD | Price to earnings Ratio 38.35 | 1Y Target Price 40.92 |
Price to earnings Ratio 38.35 | 1Y Target Price 40.92 | ||
Volume (30-day avg) - shares | Beta -0.25 | 52 Weeks Range 3.05 - 41.14 | Updated Date 08/30/2026 |
52 Weeks Range 3.05 - 41.14 | Updated Date 08/30/2026 | ||
Dividends yield (FY) - | Basic EPS (TTM) 1.07 |
How Company Makes Money
| Business area | What it includes | Retail investor read |
|---|---|---|
| Retinal Therapy | Revenue generated from the sale of Syfovre to treat geographic atrophy. | The main driver of current growth and potential future revenue. |
| Rare Disease | Revenue generated from the sale of Empaveli for PNH. | Provides a secondary, established revenue stream in a rare disease market. |
Analyzing Revenue: Products, Geography and Growth
Revenue by Products
Product revenue - Year on Year
Valuation
Trailing PE 38.35 | Forward PE 46.3 | Enterprise Value 5.32B | Price to Sales(TTM) 4.75 |
Enterprise Value 5.32B | Price to Sales(TTM) 4.75 | ||
Enterprise Value to Revenue 4.82 | Enterprise Value to EBITDA 29.55 | Shares Outstanding 128.02M | Shares Floating 83.22M |
Shares Outstanding 128.02M | Shares Floating 83.22M | ||
Percent Insiders 11.37 | Percent Institutions 110.43 |
Upturn AI Summary
AI Summarization is directionally correct and might not be accurate.
Summarized information shown could be a few years old and not current.
Fundamental Rating based on AI could be based on old data.
AI-generated summaries may have inaccuracies (hallucinations). Please verify the information before taking action.
Financial Metrics
🧭 Investment Snapshot
Total Revenue (Scale)
Total money earned from selling products or services before any costs. It is needed to understand the scale of the business and its ability to generate income.
Net Income (Profit)
Final profit after all expenses, interest, and taxes are deducted. It is needed to determine the overall profitability available to shareholders.
Free Cash Flow (Cash Strength)
Cash remaining after operating activities and capital expenditures, showing cash available for growth. It is needed to evaluate the company’s ability to invest, pay dividends, or reduce debt.
📈 Growth & Strength
Operating Income (Core Profit)
Profit from core operations after deducting all operating expenses. It is needed to measure how efficiently the company runs its primary business activities.
EBITDA (Cash Earnings)
Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, indicating operating cash potential. It is needed to compare operating performance across companies without accounting or financing differences.
Gross Profit (Unit Profitability)
Revenue minus cost of revenue, showing profit after direct production costs. It is needed to evaluate core business profitability before overhead expenses.
🛡️ Financial Safety
Cash (Liquidity Buffer)
Total cash and cash equivalents on hand. It is needed to evaluate immediate liquidity and financial flexibility.
Total Debt (Leverage Risk)
Total debt including both short-term and long-term components. It is needed to assess the company’s leverage and financial risk.
Net Working Capital (Short-Term Health)
Current assets minus current liabilities, indicating short-term liquidity strength. It is needed to assess whether the company can meet its short-term obligations.
🧱 Balance Sheet Strength
Stockholder Equity (Net Worth)
Total equity value held by shareholders. It is needed to understand the net worth of the company from the owners’ perspective.
Total Assets (Asset Base)
The full value of everything the company owns, including cash, inventory, equipment, and investments. It is needed to understand the resource base used to generate revenue.
Income Before Tax (Pre-Tax Earnings)
Income before provision for income taxes. It is needed to analyze profitability independent of tax structures.
⚙️ Cost & Drag Factors
Cost of Revenue (Production Cost)
Direct costs required to produce and deliver the products or services sold. It is needed to assess efficiency in production and service delivery.
Total Operating Expenses (Operating Cost)
Indirect costs of running the business such as salaries, marketing, and administration. It is needed to understand how much it costs to sustain ongoing business operations.
Income Tax Expense (Tax Drag)
Amount of taxes paid or payable to the government. It is needed to evaluate the impact of taxation on overall profitability.
About Apellis Pharmaceuticals Inc
Exchange NASDAQ | Headquarters Waltham, MA, United States | ||
IPO Launch date 2017-11-09 | Co-Founder, President, CEO & Director Dr. Cedric Francois M.D., Ph.D. | ||
Sector Healthcare | Industry Biotechnology | Full time employees 733 | Website https://apellis.com |
Full time employees 733 | Website https://apellis.com | ||
Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel therapeutic compounds to treat diseases with high unmet needs. It offers EMPAVELI for the treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria; and SYFOVRE for treating geographic atrophy secondary to age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy (GA). The company also develops EMPAVELI to treat C3 glomerulopathy and immune complex membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, and delayed graft function; and APL-3007, a small interfering RNA, or siRNA for the treatment of GA. In addition, it conducts preclinical studies for APL-9099, a treatment targeting the neonatal Fc receptor, or FcRn, which has the potential to be a first-in-class gene editing treatment for future target indications with one-time dosing; and developing other programs with its proprietary in-house capabilities and under its Beam collaboration. It has a collaboration and license agreement with Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB (publ) for development and commercialization of pegcetacoplan; and a collaboration with Beam Therapeutics, Inc. focused on the use of Beam's base editing technology to discover new treatments for complement-driven diseases. Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. As of May 14, 2026, Apellis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Biogen Inc.
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