ASND vs. HLN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and HLN, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
HLN’s market capitalization of 46.09 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 0.24 for HLN, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
ASND and HLN 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 | HLN |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Haleon plc |
| Country | DK | GB |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Brian James McNamara |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 10.25 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 46.09 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 0.24 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | July 25, 2022 |
| ADR | Yes | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and HLN 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.
HLN
8.73%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 51.32%
- Q3
- 9.89%
- Median
- -3.37%
- Q1
- -20.99%
- Min
- -36.07%
HLN’s Return on Equity of 8.73% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
5.68%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 22.54%
- Q3
- 8.45%
- Median
- 1.42%
- Q1
- -9.01%
- Min
- -28.41%
HLN’s Return on Invested Capital of 5.68% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
12.84%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 40.33%
- Q3
- 11.92%
- Median
- -0.45%
- Q1
- -13.07%
- Min
- -34.27%
A Net Profit Margin of 12.84% places HLN in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
19.64%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 46.91%
- Q3
- 19.02%
- Median
- 6.23%
- Q1
- -11.23%
- Min
- -51.89%
An Operating Profit Margin of 19.64% places HLN in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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 | HLN |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | 8.73% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 4.20% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 5.68% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 12.84% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 19.64% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 61.52% |
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.
HLN
0.98
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 5.74
- Q3
- 3.37
- Median
- 2.64
- Q1
- 1.73
- Min
- 0.88
HLN’s Current Ratio of 0.98 falls into the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
0.62
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 1.45
- Q3
- 1.06
- Median
- 0.62
- Q1
- 0.13
- Min
- 0.00
HLN’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.62 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
5.60
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 10.17
- Q3
- 3.39
- Median
- 0.85
- Q1
- -2.63
- Min
- -5.84
HLN’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 5.60 is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | HLN |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 0.98 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 0.78 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | 0.62 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.29 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 3.41 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 5.60 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and HLN. 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.
HLN
0.90%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 9.29%
- Q3
- 0.31%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
With a Dividend Yield of 0.90%, HLN offers a more attractive income stream than most of its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
0.00%
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 125.42%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
HLN 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 | HLN |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.90% |
| 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.
HLN
23.92
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 40.89
- Q3
- 28.12
- Median
- 23.94
- Q1
- 18.79
- Min
- 7.76
HLN’s P/E Ratio of 23.92 is within the middle range for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
-0.24
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 4.19
- Q3
- 2.94
- Median
- 1.47
- Q1
- 0.35
- Min
- 0.00
HLN has a negative Forward PEG Ratio of -0.24. This typically results from negative earnings or forecasts of declining future earnings, making the ratio not meaningful for valuation.
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.
HLN
3.03
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 7.49
- Q3
- 4.45
- Median
- 2.12
- Q1
- 1.21
- Min
- 0.25
HLN’s P/S Ratio of 3.03 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic 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.
HLN
2.13
Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic Industry
- Max
- 4.93
- Q3
- 3.95
- Median
- 2.14
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.13
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | HLN |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 23.92 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | -0.24 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 3.03 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | 2.13 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | -- |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 18.06 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 3.73 |