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

Company Overview

MRK stands out with 193.30 billion USD in market value—about 20.25× ASND’s market cap of 9.55 billion USD.

With betas of 0.40 for ASND and 0.44 for MRK, both show similar volatility profiles relative to the overall market.

ASND trades as an ADR, giving U.S. investors a simple on-ramp to its foreign shares, while MRK remains a standard domestic listing.

Performance Comparison

This chart compares the performance of ASND and MRK 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 MRK 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 MRK at 11.18 signals healthy earnings.
• ASND posts a negative forward PEG of -2.23, hinting at anticipated earnings decline, whereas MRK at 4.93 has projections for stable or growing earnings.
• ASND has a negative P/B ratio of -44.19, indicating its liabilities exceed assets (negative equity). MRK, with a P/B of 4.03, 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, MRK (P/FCF 11.34) indicates positive free cash flow generation.

Dividend Comparison

ASND offers a 0% dividend yield, suggesting it may be reinvesting available cash back into the business for future growth, while MRK provides a 4.10% dividend yield, giving investors a steady income stream.

Financial Strength Metrics Comparison

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

• ASND’s quick ratio of 0.71 suggests it may struggle to cover immediate liabilities without selling inventory or raising cash, whereas MRK at 1.16 maintains a comfortable buffer of liquid assets.
• ASND has negative equity (debt-to-equity ratio -4.46), an unusual warning sign, while MRK at 0.72 maintains a conventional debt-to-equity balance.
• Both ASND and MRK report negative interest coverage ratios (-3.72, -75.48), meaning EBIT itself is negative—neither can cover interest, a critical solvency warning.