Seek Returns logo

ASND vs. HLN: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison

Updated

Here’s a clear look at ASND and HLN, comparing key factors like performance, valuation metrics, dividends, and financial strength. It’s built for investors or anyone curious to see how these two stocks match up.

Company Overview

HLN stands out with 50.06 billion USD in market value—about 5.25× ASND’s market cap of 9.55 billion USD.

ASND’s beta of 0.40 points to much larger expected swings compared to HLN’s calmer 0.20, suggesting both higher upside and downside potential.

ASND and HLN are both ADRs—easy access for U.S. investors to foreign shares without dealing with overseas exchanges.

SymbolASNDHLN
Company NameAscendis Pharma A/SHaleon plc
CountryDKGB
SectorHealthcareHealthcare
IndustryBiotechnologyDrug Manufacturers - Specialty & Generic
CEOMr. Jan Moller MikkelsenMr. Brian James McNamara
Price158.1 USD11.1 USD
Market Cap9.55 billion USD50.06 billion USD
Beta0.400.20
ExchangeNASDAQNYSE
IPO DateJanuary 28, 2015July 25, 2022
ADRYesYes

Performance Comparison

This chart compares the performance of ASND and HLN over the past year by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each (starting one year ago).

Hover over the lines to see the investment’s value and total return (%) at specific dates.

Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.

Valuation Metrics Comparison

The section examines key financial ratios to assess the valuation of ASND and HLN based on earnings, cash flow, sales, and book value. Pay attention to the following notable points where extreme values stand out.

  • ASND posts a negative P/E of -24.55, reflecting last year’s net loss, while HLN at 26.08 signals healthy earnings.
  • Analysts assign negative forward PEG ratios to both ASND (-2.23) and HLN (-0.26), suggesting expectation of shrinking or negative earnings in the upcoming period—a worrying sign for their profit outlook.
  • ASND has a negative P/B ratio of -44.20, indicating its liabilities exceed assets (negative equity). HLN, with a P/B of 2.33, maintains positive shareholder equity.
  • ASND has a negative Price-to-Free Cash Flow ratio of -27.43, signaling it consumed more cash than it produced over the last year—an important liquidity warning. In contrast, HLN (P/FCF 0.00) indicates positive free cash flow generation.
SymbolASNDHLN
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM)-24.5526.08
Forward PEG Ratio (TTM)-2.23-0.26
Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM)22.893.31
Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM)-44.202.33
Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM)-27.430.00
EV-to-EBITDA (TTM)-35.7419.43
EV-to-Sales (TTM)23.784.01
EV-to-Free Cash Flow (TTM)-28.500.00

Dividend Comparison

ASND offers a 0% dividend yield, suggesting it may be reinvesting available cash back into the business for future growth, while HLN provides a 1.60% dividend yield, giving investors a steady income stream.

SymbolASNDHLN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%1.60%

Financial Strength Metrics Comparison

This section dives into the financial resilience of ASND and HLN, spotlighting key metrics like liquidity, leverage, and debt coverage. Check out the standout observations below where notable differences or extremes pop up.

  • HLN’s current ratio of 0.98 indicates its assets may not cover near-term debts, whereas ASND at 1.04 maintains healthy liquidity.
  • Both ASND (quick ratio 0.71) and HLN (quick ratio 0.78) fall below 0.8, meaning their most liquid assets—excluding inventory—aren’t enough to meet short-term obligations. This could force them to rely on receivables, inventory turn, or external financing.
  • ASND has negative equity (debt-to-equity ratio -4.46), an unusual warning sign, while HLN at 0.62 maintains a conventional debt-to-equity balance.
  • With negative EBIT (-3.72), ASND cannot cover its interest payments. HLN, with an interest coverage of 5.60, meets its interest obligations.
SymbolASNDHLN
Current Ratio (TTM)1.040.98
Quick Ratio (TTM)0.710.78
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM)-4.460.62
Debt-to-Assets Ratio (TTM)0.800.29
Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM)-3.725.60