ASND vs. IQV: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and IQV, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
IQV’s market capitalization of 28.41 billion USD is significantly greater than ASND’s 10.52 billion USD, highlighting its more substantial market valuation.
IQV carries a higher beta at 1.29, 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, IQV is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASND | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | IQVIA Holdings Inc. |
| Country | DK | US |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Medical - Diagnostics & Research |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Ari Bousbib |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 164.24 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 28.41 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 1.29 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | May 9, 2013 |
| ADR | Yes | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and IQV 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.
IQV
20.74%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 57.35%
- Q3
- 18.17%
- Median
- 2.69%
- Q1
- -16.72%
- Min
- -48.78%
In the upper quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, IQV’s Return on Equity of 20.74% 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.
IQV
8.14%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 42.99%
- Q3
- 11.55%
- Median
- 3.02%
- Q1
- -11.49%
- Min
- -40.79%
IQV’s Return on Invested Capital of 8.14% is in line with the norm for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research 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.
IQV
8.61%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 22.76%
- Q3
- 15.19%
- Median
- 1.64%
- Q1
- -22.25%
- Min
- -78.24%
IQV’s Net Profit Margin of 8.61% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
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.
IQV
13.85%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 36.06%
- Q3
- 20.26%
- Median
- 6.15%
- Q1
- -21.89%
- Min
- -82.21%
IQV’s Operating Profit Margin of 13.85% is around the midpoint for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | 20.74% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 4.88% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 8.14% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 8.61% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 13.85% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 34.72% |
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.
IQV
0.82
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 6.91
- Q3
- 4.11
- Median
- 2.46
- Q1
- 1.44
- Min
- 0.73
IQV’s Current Ratio of 0.82 falls into the lower quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research 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.
IQV
2.43
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 1.10
- Q3
- 0.82
- Median
- 0.39
- Q1
- 0.21
- Min
- 0.01
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 2.43, IQV operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
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.
IQV
3.21
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.07
- Q3
- 5.62
- Median
- 1.76
- Q1
- -38.78
- Min
- -57.46
IQV’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 3.21 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 0.82 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 0.82 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | 2.43 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.53 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 3.76 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 3.21 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and IQV. 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.
IQV
0.00%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 2.76%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
IQV 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.
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.
IQV
0.00%
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 37.46%
- Q3
- 0.00%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
IQV 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 | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| 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.
IQV
21.63
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 48.28
- Q3
- 44.64
- Median
- 29.13
- Q1
- 22.34
- Min
- 15.59
In the lower quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, IQV’s P/E Ratio of 21.63 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
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.
IQV
2.04
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 4.18
- Q3
- 3.64
- Median
- 2.40
- Q1
- 0.57
- Min
- 0.04
IQV’s Forward PEG Ratio of 2.04 is within the middle range of its peers in the Medical - Diagnostics & Research 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.
IQV
1.83
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 12.53
- Q3
- 6.19
- Median
- 3.58
- Q1
- 1.95
- Min
- 0.58
In the lower quartile for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry, IQV’s P/S Ratio of 1.83 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.
IQV
4.83
Medical - Diagnostics & Research Industry
- Max
- 10.67
- Q3
- 5.74
- Median
- 2.95
- Q1
- 1.30
- Min
- 0.39
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Medical - Diagnostics & Research industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | IQV |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 21.63 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | 2.04 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 1.83 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | 4.83 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | 13.14 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 12.13 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 2.66 |