ASND vs. BIIB: Ascendis Pharma vs. Biogen Stock Comparison
How do Ascendis Pharma (ASND) and Biogen (BIIB) 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
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) and Biogen (BIIB) are both classified in the Biotechnology sub-industry within the broader Biotechnology industry, placing them in the closest GICS peer bucket.
| Profile Item | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Biogen Inc. |
| Country/Region | Denmark | United States |
| 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 | 16.90 billion USD | 36.71 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | Nasdaq |
| Listing Date | January 28, 2015 | September 17, 1991 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 29.46% | 65.44% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 40.62% | 4.62% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 10.03% | -0.96% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 38.62% | 34.58% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.38 | 0.08 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -55.93% | -64.35% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 698.39K | 1.05M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.65 | 1.77 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.99 | 2.77 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 118.78% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Biogen (BIIB) at 1.87%, which is closer to a typical peer reading.
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%
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.87%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- BIIB
- 1.87%
- Median
- -26.66%
- Q1
- -64.05%
- Min
- -167.77%
Net Margin (TTM)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 70.85% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Biogen (BIIB) at 3.38% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.
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%
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.38%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- BIIB
- 3.38%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 64.98% and Biogen (BIIB) at 24.12% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.
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%
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
24.12%
- Max
- 83.12%
- BIIB
- 24.12%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 118.78% | 1.87% |
| ROA (TTM) | 9.58% | 4.94% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 70.85% | 3.38% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 64.98% | 24.12% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 91.30% | 75.77% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 98.03% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Biogen (BIIB) at 2.22% is closer to the peer norm — faster top-line expansion for ASND.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Biogen (BIIB) reports EPS growth of -21.38%, ranked against its industry; Ascendis Pharma (ASND) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 98.03% | 2.22% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 141.43% | -0.94% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -21.38% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -25.04% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 2.99 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Biogen (BIIB) at 1.95 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for BIIB.
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
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.95
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- BIIB
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Both Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 0.31 and Biogen (BIIB) at 0.41 fund their balance sheets with roughly industry-typical debt-to-equity mixes.
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
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.41
- Max
- 1.42
- Q3
- 0.65
- BIIB
- 0.41
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.99 | 1.95 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.31 | 0.41 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -1.37 | 1.97 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Ascendis Pharma (ASND) nor Biogen (BIIB) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- BIIB
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
Neither Ascendis Pharma (ASND) nor Biogen (BIIB) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.
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%
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- BIIB
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
P/E Ratio (TTM)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 19.68 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Biogen (BIIB) at 107.51 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for BIIB’s trailing earnings.
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
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
107.51
- BIIB
- 107.51
- Max
- 85.34
- Q3
- 43.46
- Median
- 26.69
- Q1
- 13.30
- Min
- 0.07
P/S Ratio (TTM)
On P/S ratio, both Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 16.14 and Biogen (BIIB) at 3.57 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.
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
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
3.57
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- BIIB
- 3.57
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Biogen (BIIB) at 1.94 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.
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
BIIB
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.94
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- Median
- 3.25
- BIIB
- 1.94
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 19.68 | 107.51 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 16.14 | 3.57 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 10.45 | 1.94 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 0.08% | 2.20% |