ASND vs. CRL: Ascendis Pharma vs. Charles River Laboratories Stock Comparison
How do Ascendis Pharma (ASND) and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) 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 Charles River Laboratories (CRL) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but ASND is classified in Biotechnology while CRL is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.
| Profile Item | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Charles River Laboratories International, 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 | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| GICS Sub-Industry | Biotechnology | Life Sciences Tools & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 16.90 billion USD | 16.17 billion USD |
| Currency | USD | USD |
| Exchange | Nasdaq | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 28, 2015 | June 23, 2000 |
| Security Type | Common Stock | Common Stock |
Price Performance
Cumulative Growth
Trailing Returns
Calendar-Year Returns
Performance Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Total Return (1Y) | 29.46% | 110.83% |
| Total Return (3Y, Annualized) | 40.62% | 27.87% |
| Total Return (5Y, Annualized) | 10.03% | -1.57% |
Risk Profile
Drawdown History
Return Distribution
Risk Metrics
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) has an aggressive beta of 1.33, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Ascendis Pharma (ASND) is defensive at 0.38 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Volatility (1Y, Annualized) | 38.62% | 47.81% |
| Beta (5Y) | 0.38 | 1.33 |
| Max Drawdown (5Y) | -55.93% | -74.73% |
| Avg. Volume (3M) | 698.39K | 1.05M |
Risk-Adjusted Performance
Risk-Return Positioning
Risk-Adjusted Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Sharpe Ratio (1Y) | 0.65 | 2.23 |
| Sortino Ratio (1Y) | 0.99 | 3.58 |
Profitability
ROE (TTM)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 118.78% clears its industry range for ROE, a sharper capital-efficiency signal than Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.27%, 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%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.27%
- Max
- 109.18%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- CRL
- 1.27%
- 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 Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.01% 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%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.01%
- Max
- 18.05%
- Q3
- 4.78%
- CRL
- 1.01%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -4.14%
- Min
- -17.05%
Operating Margin (TTM)
Both Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 64.98% and Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 23.42% 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%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
23.42%
- Max
- 83.12%
- CRL
- 23.42%
- Q3
- 14.77%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- -78.82%
- Min
- -207.40%
Profitability Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM) | 118.78% | 1.27% |
| ROA (TTM) | 9.58% | 4.74% |
| Net Margin (TTM) | 70.85% | 1.01% |
| Operating Margin (TTM) | 64.98% | 23.42% |
| Gross Margin (TTM) | 91.30% | 35.10% |
Growth
Revenue Growth
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 98.03% sits in the top revenue growth quartile, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at -0.85% is in the bottom quartile, showing a clear gap in revenue momentum.
EPS Growth
Only one side can be read here: Charles River Laboratories (CRL) reports EPS growth of -1,555.00%, ranked against its industry; Ascendis Pharma (ASND) has no EPS growth figure this period.
Growth Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue Growth (YoY) | 98.03% | -0.85% |
| Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR) | 141.43% | 0.33% |
| EPS Growth (YoY) | -- | -1,555.00% |
| EPS Growth (3Y CAGR) | -- | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 2.99 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 1.41 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for CRL.
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
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
1.41
- Max
- 25.13
- Q3
- 12.13
- Median
- 5.52
- Q1
- 2.47
- CRL
- 1.41
- Min
- 0.10
Debt / Equity (MRQ)
Ascendis Pharma (ASND) at 0.31 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 0.87 uses more debt funding than most peers.
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
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.87
- Max
- 1.42
- CRL
- 0.87
- Q3
- 0.65
- Median
- 0.15
- Q1
- 0.02
- Min
- 0.00
Financial Strength Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 2.99 | 1.41 |
| Debt / Equity (MRQ) | 0.31 | 0.87 |
| Net Debt / EBITDA | -1.37 | 2.92 |
Dividends
Dividend Yield (TTM)
Neither Ascendis Pharma (ASND) nor Charles River Laboratories (CRL) 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%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- CRL
- 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 Charles River Laboratories (CRL) 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%
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
0.00%
- CRL
- 0.00%
- Max
- 0.00%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
Dividend Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| 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 Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 366.87 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for CRL’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
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
366.87
- CRL
- 366.87
- 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 Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 4.07 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
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
4.07
- Max
- 58.18
- Q3
- 25.77
- Median
- 7.30
- CRL
- 4.07
- Q1
- 3.01
- Min
- 0.01
P/B Ratio (MRQ)
Charles River Laboratories (CRL) at 5.01 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
CRL
Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group
5.01
- Max
- 13.53
- Q3
- 6.54
- CRL
- 5.01
- Median
- 3.25
- Q1
- 1.69
- Min
- -5.59
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ASND | CRL |
|---|---|---|
| P/E Ratio (TTM) | 19.68 | 366.87 |
| P/S Ratio (TTM) | 16.14 | 4.07 |
| P/B Ratio (MRQ) | 10.45 | 5.01 |
| Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM) | 0.08% | 2.74% |