ASND vs. GSK: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and GSK, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
GSK’s market capitalization of 78.18 billion USD is significantly greater than ASND’s 10.52 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
With betas of 0.36 for ASND and 0.27 for GSK, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
ASND and GSK are both American Depositary Receipts (ADRs). This provides U.S. investors with straightforward access to investing in these foreign-listed companies without directly engaging with overseas stock exchanges.
| Symbol | ASND | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | GSK plc |
| Country | DK | GB |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Emma Natasha Walmsley |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 38.18 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 78.18 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 0.27 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | March 28, 1980 |
| ADR | Yes | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and GSK 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.
GSK
22.44%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
GSK’s Return on Equity of 22.44% 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.
GSK
10.47%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
GSK’s Return on Invested Capital of 10.47% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, reflecting a standard level of efficiency in generating profits from its capital base.
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.
GSK
10.00%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
Falling into the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, GSK’s Net Profit Margin of 10.00% indicates weaker profitability. This means the company retains a smaller portion of each dollar in sales as profit compared to its competitors.
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.
GSK
16.13%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
GSK’s Operating Profit Margin of 16.13% is in the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This indicates weaker profitability from core operations, which may stem from inefficiencies or competitive pressures on pricing.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | 22.44% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 5.19% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 10.47% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 10.00% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 16.13% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 71.61% |
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.
GSK
0.87
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
GSK’s Current Ratio of 0.87 aligns with the median group of the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector 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.
GSK
1.30
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
GSK’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 1.30 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
GSK
7.65
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
GSK’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 7.65 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 | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 0.87 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 0.58 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | 1.30 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.30 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 1.70 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 7.65 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and GSK. 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.
GSK
4.10%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 4.10%, GSK offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
GSK
78.91%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
GSK’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 78.91% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 4.10% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 78.91% |
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.
GSK
18.22
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
GSK’s P/E Ratio of 18.22 is within the middle range for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
GSK
2.59
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
GSK’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.59 is within the middle range of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests a reasonable balance between the stock’s price and its expected growth, aligning with sector valuation norms.
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.
GSK
1.80
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
In the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, GSK’s P/S Ratio of 1.80 indicates its revenue is valued more conservatively than most of its peers. This could present a compelling opportunity if the market has overlooked its sales-generating capabilities.
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.
GSK
4.06
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 | GSK |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 18.22 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | 2.59 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 1.80 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | 4.06 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | 15.61 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 8.60 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 2.25 |