ALNY vs. ASND: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals vs. Ascendis Pharma Stock Comparison
How do Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.
Company Profile
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) are both classified in the Biotechnology sub-industry within the broader Biotechnology industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Ascendis Pharma A/S |
| Country/Region | United States | Denmark |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry Group | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences | Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences |
| GICS Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Capitalization | 20.89 billion USD | 16.90 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | June 1, 2004 | January 28, 2015 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | -64.57% | 29.46% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | -1.58% | 40.62% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | -3.13% | 10.03% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 54.08% | 38.62% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.45 | 0.38 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -68.25% | -55.93% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 1.90M | 698.39K |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | -1.27 | 0.65 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | -1.45 | 0.99 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 138.07% and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 118.78% turn shareholders’ equity into profit at rates above their industry benchmark ranges for ROE. That is a strong capital-efficiency signal, though leverage and the equity base still matter.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
138.07%
- ALNY
- 138.07%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
118.78%
- ASND
- 118.78%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 52.85% and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 70.85% keep an unusually large share of revenue as bottom-line profit — each net margin clears its industry’s benchmark range.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
52.85%
- ALNY
- 52.85%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
70.85%
- ASND
- 70.85%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 23.72% and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 64.98% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
23.72%
- Max
- 83.12%
- ALNY
- 23.72%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
64.98%
- Max
- 83.12%
- ASND
- 64.98%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 138.07% | 118.78% |
| ROA (TTM) | 9.51% | 9.58% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 52.85% | 70.85% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 23.72% | 64.98% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 77.28% | 91.30% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 65.19% and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 98.03% sit in the top peer quartile for revenue growth, so each is growing its top line faster than typical industry peers.
EPS Growth
Neither Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) nor Ascendis Pharma (ASND) reports a EPS growth value for this period, so a direct comparison isn't possible.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 65.19% | 98.03% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 52.98% | 141.43% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -- |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 2.48 and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 2.99 carry current ratio within their industries’ typical mid-ranges, suggesting balanced short-term liquidity relative to peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.48
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- ALNY
- 2.48
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
2.99
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- ASND
- 2.99
- Q1
- 2.47
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 0.31 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 0.83 uses more debt funding than most peers.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.83
- Max
- 1.42
- ALNY
- 0.83
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.31
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- ASND
- 0.31
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.48 | 2.99 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.83 | 0.31 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -0.57 | -1.37 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) nor Ascendis Pharma (ASND) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ALNY
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ASND
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) nor Ascendis Pharma (ASND) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ALNY
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- ASND
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 7.88 sits in the cheaper P/E ratio quartile, while Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 19.68 is closer to its industry’s usual earnings multiple — a discount for ALNY, though growth and earnings durability still matter.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
7.88
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- ALNY
- 7.88
- Min
- 0.07
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
19.68
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- ASND
- 19.68
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 4.17 and Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 16.14 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.17
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- ALNY
- 4.17
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
16.14
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- ASND
- 16.14
- Median
- 7.30
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) at 5.79 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 10.45 carries an above-peer premium to book — ASND is pricier on assets.
ALNY
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.79
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- ALNY
- 5.79
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
ASND
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
10.45
- Max
- 13.53
- ASND
- 10.45
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ALNY | ASND |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 7.88 | 19.68 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 4.17 | 16.14 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 5.79 | 10.45 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 1.57% | 0.08% |