ASND vs. HCA: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and HCA, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
HCA’s market capitalization of 90.60 billion USD is significantly greater than ASND’s 10.52 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
HCA carries a higher beta at 1.50, 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, HCA is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASND | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | HCA Healthcare, Inc. |
| Country | DK | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Care Facilities |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Samuel N. Hazen |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 376.58 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 90.60 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 1.50 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | March 10, 2011 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and HCA 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.
HCA
-235.88%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 37.16%
- Q3
- 13.80%
- Median
- 6.51%
- Q1
- -11.55%
- Min
- -43.55%
HCA has a negative Return on Equity of -235.88%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
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.
HCA
16.94%
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, HCA’s Return on Invested Capital of 16.94% 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.
HCA
8.07%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 6.23%
- Median
- 3.17%
- Q1
- -3.80%
- Min
- -13.43%
A Net Profit Margin of 8.07% places HCA 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.
HCA
15.15%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 17.86%
- Q3
- 10.40%
- Median
- 6.40%
- Q1
- 0.40%
- Min
- -10.86%
An Operating Profit Margin of 15.15% places HCA 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 | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | -235.88% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 9.66% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 16.94% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 8.07% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 15.15% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 67.91% |
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.
HCA
1.19
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.67
- Q3
- 1.76
- Median
- 1.35
- Q1
- 1.12
- Min
- 0.57
HCA’s Current Ratio of 1.19 aligns with the median group of the Medical - Care Facilities 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.
HCA
-13.20
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.55
- Q3
- 1.40
- Median
- 0.76
- Q1
- 0.26
- Min
- 0.01
HCA has a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of -13.20, which indicates negative shareholder equity where liabilities exceed assets. This is a critical sign of financial distress.
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.
HCA
5.17
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 16.29
- Q3
- 6.85
- Median
- 2.93
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- -7.11
HCA’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.17 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Medical - Care Facilities industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 1.19 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 1.06 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | -13.20 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.78 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 3.23 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 5.17 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and HCA. 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.
HCA
0.73%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.79%
- Q3
- 0.08%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.73%, HCA 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.
HCA
11.85%
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 56.48%
- Q3
- 4.48%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HCA’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 11.85% 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 | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.73% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 11.85% |
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.
HCA
16.25
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 40.40
- Q3
- 28.24
- Median
- 24.89
- Q1
- 13.53
- Min
- 8.53
HCA’s P/E Ratio of 16.25 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.
HCA
1.21
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 4.23
- Q3
- 3.06
- Median
- 1.16
- Q1
- 0.77
- Min
- 0.04
HCA’s Forward PEG Ratio of 1.21 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Care Facilities 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.
HCA
1.27
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 2.38
- Q3
- 1.50
- Median
- 0.79
- Q1
- 0.49
- Min
- 0.04
HCA’s P/S Ratio of 1.27 aligns with the market consensus for the Medical - Care Facilities 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.
HCA
-26.69
Medical - Care Facilities Industry
- Max
- 7.73
- Q3
- 4.07
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.66
HCA has a negative P/B Ratio of -26.69, indicating its liabilities exceed its assets and result in negative shareholder equity. This is a critical warning sign of financial distress.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | HCA |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 16.25 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | 1.21 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 1.27 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | -26.69 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | 18.31 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 9.67 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 1.90 |