ASND vs. BIIB: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and BIIB, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
BIIB’s market capitalization of 19.47 billion USD is significantly greater than ASND’s 10.52 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
ASND’s beta of 0.36 points to significantly higher volatility compared to BIIB (beta: 0.15), suggesting ASND has greater potential for both gains and losses relative to market movements.
ASND trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, BIIB is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Biogen Inc. |
| Country | DK | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Christopher A. Viehbacher |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 132.87 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 19.47 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 0.15 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NASDAQ |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | September 17, 1991 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and BIIB by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ASND
191.42%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.39%
- Q3
- -6.30%
- Median
- -32.82%
- Q1
- -68.26%
- Min
- -147.61%
ASND’s Return on Equity of 191.42% is exceptionally high, placing it well beyond the typical range for the Biotechnology industry. This demonstrates a superior ability to generate profit from shareholder investments, though it could also be inflated by high financial leverage.
BIIB
8.97%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
BIIB’s Return on Equity of 8.97% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating its profitability relative to shareholder equity is typical for the sector.
Return on Invested Capital
ASND
-50.64%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 48.74%
- Q3
- -10.68%
- Median
- -31.65%
- Q1
- -52.92%
- Min
- -113.69%
ASND has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -50.64%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
BIIB
7.84%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
BIIB’s Return on Invested Capital of 7.84% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates a less efficient conversion of invested capital into profit compared to most of its competitors.
Net Profit Margin
ASND
-92.67%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -5.05%
- Median
- -103.44%
- Q1
- -1,032.77%
- Min
- -2,366.07%
ASND has a negative Net Profit Margin of -92.67%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
BIIB
15.07%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
BIIB’s Net Profit Margin of 15.07% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ASND
-90.54%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 87.75%
- Q3
- -3.28%
- Median
- -115.26%
- Q1
- -1,188.86%
- Min
- -2,943.30%
ASND has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -90.54%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
BIIB
23.17%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
BIIB’s Operating Profit Margin of 23.17% is around the midpoint for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | 8.97% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 5.28% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 7.84% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 15.07% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 23.17% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 75.58% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ASND
1.04
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 28.73
- Q3
- 13.97
- Median
- 6.31
- Q1
- 3.60
- Min
- 0.02
ASND’s Current Ratio of 1.04 falls into the lower quartile for the Biotechnology industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
BIIB
1.44
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
BIIB’s Current Ratio of 1.44 is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This signifies a strong liquidity position, suggesting the company is well-equipped to cover its immediate liabilities compared to its peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ASND
-4.46
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.46
- Q3
- 0.22
- Median
- 0.06
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
ASND has a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of -4.46, which indicates negative shareholder equity where liabilities exceed assets. This is a critical sign of financial distress.
BIIB
0.39
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
Falling into the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, BIIB’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.39 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ASND
-3.72
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 108.32
- Q3
- -0.55
- Median
- -8.49
- Q1
- -74.83
- Min
- -168.36
ASND has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -3.72. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
BIIB
9.43
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
BIIB’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.43 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 1.44 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 1.01 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | 0.39 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.24 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 1.49 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 9.43 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and BIIB. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ASND
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASND currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
BIIB
0.00%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
BIIB currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ASND
0.00%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASND has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
BIIB
0.00%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
BIIB has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ASND
-25.98
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 78.44
- Q3
- 48.98
- Median
- 20.50
- Q1
- 12.64
- Min
- 2.14
ASND has a negative P/E Ratio of -25.98. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
BIIB
13.12
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
In the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, BIIB’s P/E Ratio of 13.12 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ASND
-2.36
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 2.29
- Q3
- 1.10
- Median
- 0.49
- Q1
- 0.16
- Min
- 0.02
ASND has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -2.36. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
BIIB
3.21
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
BIIB’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.21 is exceptionally high for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ASND
24.22
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 110.90
- Q3
- 59.76
- Median
- 11.33
- Q1
- 4.45
- Min
- 0.17
ASND’s P/S Ratio of 24.22 aligns with the market consensus for the Biotechnology industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
BIIB
1.98
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
BIIB’s P/S Ratio of 1.98 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ASND
-46.77
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 15.78
- Q3
- 7.44
- Median
- 3.31
- Q1
- 1.58
- Min
- 0.31
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Biotechnology industry.
BIIB
1.14
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | BIIB |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 13.12 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | 3.21 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 1.98 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | 1.14 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | 8.48 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 8.69 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 2.39 |