ASND vs. NVS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and NVS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
NVS’s market capitalization of 240.76 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 0.53 for NVS, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
ASND and NVS 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 | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Novartis AG |
| Country | DK | CH |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Drug Manufacturers - General |
| CEO | Jan Moller Mikkelsen | Vasant Narasimhan |
| Price | 174.18 USD | 121.9 USD |
| Market Cap | 10.52 billion USD | 240.76 billion USD |
| Beta | 0.36 | 0.53 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | January 28, 2015 | November 7, 1996 |
| ADR | Yes | Yes |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and NVS 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.
NVS
30.71%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 95.59%
- Q3
- 76.92%
- Median
- 30.71%
- Q1
- 8.97%
- Min
- -14.85%
NVS’s Return on Equity of 30.71% is on par with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
17.87%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 25.72%
- Q3
- 17.89%
- Median
- 11.47%
- Q1
- 9.39%
- Min
- 2.87%
NVS’s Return on Invested Capital of 17.87% is in line with the norm for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
24.16%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 34.51%
- Q3
- 23.04%
- Median
- 14.73%
- Q1
- 11.78%
- Min
- 2.18%
A Net Profit Margin of 24.16% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
29.75%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 40.70%
- Q3
- 28.90%
- Median
- 23.41%
- Q1
- 19.05%
- Min
- 16.13%
An Operating Profit Margin of 29.75% places NVS in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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 | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | 191.42% | 30.71% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -32.19% | 12.87% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -50.64% | 17.87% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -92.67% | 24.16% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -90.54% | 29.75% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 85.30% | 75.65% |
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.
NVS
0.79
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 1.67
- Q3
- 1.37
- Median
- 1.26
- Q1
- 0.87
- Min
- 0.39
NVS’s Current Ratio of 0.79 falls into the lower quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
0.81
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 2.95
- Q3
- 2.44
- Median
- 0.86
- Q1
- 0.68
- Min
- 0.09
NVS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.81 is typical for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
20.17
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.46
- Q3
- 14.40
- Median
- 7.80
- Q1
- 4.07
- Min
- 1.67
NVS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 20.17 is in the upper quartile for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 1.04 | 0.79 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 0.71 | 0.61 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | -4.46 | 0.81 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.80 | 0.31 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | -1.34 | 1.11 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -3.72 | 20.17 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASND and NVS. 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.
NVS
3.57%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 8.72%
- Q3
- 4.10%
- Median
- 3.34%
- Q1
- 1.89%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Yield of 3.57% is consistent with its peers in the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
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.
NVS
60.27%
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 266.46%
- Q3
- 78.91%
- Median
- 60.27%
- Q1
- 43.74%
- Min
- 0.00%
NVS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 60.27% is within the typical range for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 3.57% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 60.27% |
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.
NVS
18.91
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 27.96
- Q3
- 25.84
- Median
- 18.32
- Q1
- 16.65
- Min
- 3.39
NVS’s P/E Ratio of 18.91 is within the middle range for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
3.18
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 3.09
- Median
- 2.72
- Q1
- 2.18
- Min
- 1.02
NVS’s Forward PEG Ratio of 3.18 is exceptionally high for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry. This suggests its stock price is very high relative to its expected earnings growth, signaling significant overvaluation risk.
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.
NVS
4.40
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 6.47
- Q3
- 4.47
- Median
- 3.53
- Q1
- 1.96
- Min
- 0.41
NVS’s P/S Ratio of 4.40 aligns with the market consensus for the Drug Manufacturers - General 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.
NVS
6.34
Drug Manufacturers - General Industry
- Max
- 7.80
- Q3
- 7.80
- Median
- 5.30
- Q1
- 4.06
- Min
- 1.08
The P/B Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric for the Drug Manufacturers - General industry.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | NVS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -25.98 | 18.91 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | -2.36 | 3.18 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 24.22 | 4.40 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | -46.77 | 6.34 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -29.03 | 14.57 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -37.74 | 11.86 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 25.11 | 4.86 |