Avadel Pharmaceuticals plc (NASDAQ:AVDL) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing innovative medicines. The company's primary focus is on sleep disorders, with its lead product being a treatment for narcolepsy. Avadel operates in a competitive landscape alongside other biopharmaceutical companies like Eyenovia, Aquestive Therapeutics, Clearside Biomedical, and Intra-Cellular Therapies.

In evaluating Avadel's financial performance, the Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) is a key metric. Avadel's ROIC stands at 0.86%, which is significantly lower than its Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) of 10.91%. This indicates that Avadel is not currently generating returns that exceed its cost of capital, which is a concern for investors looking for efficient capital use.

Comparing Avadel to its peers, Eyenovia, Inc. (EYEN) has a ROIC of -33.32% and a WACC of 17.12%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of -1.94. Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. (AQST) shows an even more challenging scenario with a ROIC of -69.51% against a WACC of 13.24%, leading to a ROIC to WACC ratio of -5.25. These figures highlight the difficulties these companies face in generating returns above their cost of capital.

Clearside Biomedical, Inc. (CLSD) presents a ROIC of -177.13% and a WACC of 18.30%, resulting in a ROIC to WACC ratio of -9.67. Intra-Cellular Therapies, Inc. (ITCI) has a ROIC of -8.23% and a WACC of 5.90%, with a ROIC to WACC ratio of -1.39. Despite being negative, ITCI's ratio is the closest to breaking even among the peers, indicating a slightly better capital efficiency.

Overall, the analysis of Avadel and its peers reveals a challenging environment for these biopharmaceutical companies. None of the companies are currently generating sufficient returns to cover their cost of capital, as indicated by their negative or low ROIC to WACC ratios. This suggests that these companies may need to improve their capital efficiency to enhance investor confidence.