ASND vs. EHC: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and EHC, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ASND’s market capitalization stands at 10.52 billion USD, while EHC’s is 12.00 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
EHC carries a higher beta at 0.77, indicating it’s more sensitive to market moves, while ASND (beta: 0.36) exhibits greater stability.
ASND trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, EHC is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASND | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Encompass Health Corporation |
| Country | DK | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Care Facilities |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Mark J. Tarr |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 119.04 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 12.00 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 0.77 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | September 24, 1986 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and EHC 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.
EHC
24.66%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 37.16%
- Q3
- 13.80%
- Median
- 6.51%
- Q1
- -11.55%
- Min
- -43.55%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, EHC’s Return on Equity of 24.66% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
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.
EHC
12.58%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 20.36%
- Q3
- 9.05%
- Median
- 5.41%
- Q1
- -1.08%
- Min
- -9.00%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, EHC’s Return on Invested Capital of 12.58% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
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.
EHC
8.97%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- 3.17%
- Q1
- -3.80%
- Min
- -13.43%
A Net Profit Margin of 8.97% places EHC in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
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.
EHC
16.76%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 17.86%
- Q3
- 10.40%
- Median
- 6.40%
- Q1
- 0.40%
- Min
- -10.86%
An Operating Profit Margin of 16.76% places EHC in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This signals a strong ability to translate revenue into operating profit, outperforming most of its competitors in core business efficiency.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | 24.66% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 7.45% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 12.58% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 8.97% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 16.76% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 36.45% |
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.
EHC
1.06
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.67
- Q3
- 1.76
- Median
- 1.35
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.57
EHC’s Current Ratio of 1.06 falls into the lower quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
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.
EHC
1.25
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.55
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- 0.01
EHC’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.25 is typical for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, indicating its use of leverage is in line with the sector norm. This suggests a balanced approach to its capital structure.
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.
EHC
6.90
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 16.29
- Q3
- 6.85
- Median
- 2.93
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- -7.11
EHC’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 6.90 is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 1.06 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 1.06 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | 1.25 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.41 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 2.09 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 6.90 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and EHC. 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.
EHC
0.57%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.79%
- Q3
- 0.08%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.57%, EHC offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Medical - Care Facilities industry, signaling a strong commitment to shareholder returns.
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.
EHC
13.12%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 56.48%
- Q3
- 4.48%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
EHC’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 13.12% is in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This indicates a strong commitment to shareholder returns but also suggests that a smaller portion of earnings is retained for reinvestment compared to many peers.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.57% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 13.12% |
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.
EHC
24.18
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 40.40
- Q3
- 28.24
- Median
- 24.89
- Q1
- 13.53
- Min
- 8.53
EHC’s P/E Ratio of 24.18 is within the middle range for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
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.
EHC
4.12
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 4.23
- Q3
- 3.06
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- 0.04
A Forward PEG Ratio of 4.12 places EHC in the upper quartile for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This suggests the stock is potentially expensive compared to its peers relative to its growth forecast, which may warrant caution.
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.
EHC
2.18
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.38
- Q3
- 1.50
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.04
EHC’s P/S Ratio of 2.18 is in the upper echelon for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This means the company is valued richly on its revenue stream compared to its peers, suggesting the stock is priced for a high level of future performance.
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.
EHC
5.54
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 7.73
- Q3
- 4.07
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.66
EHC’s P/B Ratio of 5.54 is in the upper tier for the Medical - Care Facilities industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | EHC |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 24.18 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | 4.12 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 2.18 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | 5.54 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | 31.05 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 11.71 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 2.65 |