ASND vs. UHS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASND and UHS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Profile
ASND trades as an American Depositary Receipt (ADR), offering U.S. investors a convenient way to access its foreign-listed shares. In contrast, UHS is a standard domestic listing.
| Symbol | ASND | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | Ascendis Pharma A/S | Universal Health Services, Inc. |
| Country | Denmark | United States |
| GICS Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| GICS Industry | Biotechnology | Health Care Providers & Services |
| Market Capitalization | 11.67 billion USD | 11.75 billion USD |
| Exchange | NasdaqGS | NYSE |
| Listing Date | January 28, 2015 | July 9, 1981 |
| Security Type | ADR | Common Stock |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASND and UHS 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.
Historical Performance at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| 5-Day Price Return | 1.85% | 3.33% |
| 13-Week Price Return | 23.49% | -6.16% |
| 26-Week Price Return | 54.29% | 1.03% |
| 52-Week Price Return | 40.18% | -18.82% |
| Month-to-Date Return | 12.17% | 10.96% |
| Year-to-Date Return | 41.37% | 2.94% |
| 10-Day Avg. Volume | 0.65M | 0.73M |
| 3-Month Avg. Volume | 0.49M | 0.89M |
| 3-Month Volatility | 36.12% | 31.65% |
| Beta | 0.40 | 1.30 |
Profitability
Return on Equity (TTM)
ASND
-257.14%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 77.14%
- Q3
- 10.76%
- Median
- -20.08%
- Q1
- -42.71%
- Min
- -119.20%
ASND has a negative Return on Equity of -257.14%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
UHS
18.62%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 26.03%
- Q3
- 13.74%
- Median
- 8.26%
- Q1
- 4.13%
- Min
- -3.62%
In the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, UHS’s Return on Equity of 18.62% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Net Profit Margin (TTM)
ASND
-55.25%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 59.44%
- Q3
- 16.21%
- Median
- -11.49%
- Q1
- -167.42%
- Min
- -409.07%
ASND has a negative Net Profit Margin of -55.25%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
UHS
7.66%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 12.40%
- Q3
- 5.93%
- Median
- 1.96%
- Q1
- 0.93%
- Min
- -6.10%
A Net Profit Margin of 7.66% places UHS in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying strong profitability and more effective cost management than most of its peers.
Operating Profit Margin (TTM)
ASND
-51.66%
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 60.62%
- Q3
- 20.76%
- Median
- -12.41%
- Q1
- -181.14%
- Min
- -482.02%
ASND has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -51.66%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
UHS
10.99%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 19.05%
- Q3
- 10.21%
- Median
- 4.22%
- Q1
- 1.98%
- Min
- -4.27%
An Operating Profit Margin of 10.99% places UHS in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services 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 | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -257.14% | 18.62% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -24.52% | 8.60% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -55.25% | 7.66% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -51.66% | 10.99% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | 84.88% | -- |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio (MRQ)
ASND
1.02
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 19.31
- Q3
- 9.38
- Median
- 4.54
- Q1
- 2.45
- Min
- 0.76
ASND’s Current Ratio of 1.02 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.
UHS
1.29
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.01
- Q3
- 1.49
- Median
- 1.30
- Q1
- 0.94
- Min
- 0.17
UHS’s Current Ratio of 1.29 aligns with the median group of the Health Care Providers & Services industry, indicating that its short-term liquidity is in line with its sector peers.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ)
ASND
7.81
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 1.35
- Q3
- 0.64
- Median
- 0.09
- Q1
- 0.00
- Min
- 0.00
With a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 7.81, ASND operates with exceptionally high leverage compared to the Biotechnology industry norm. This suggests an aggressive reliance on debt financing, which can magnify returns but also significantly elevates financial risk.
UHS
0.65
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 2.17
- Q3
- 1.18
- Median
- 0.74
- Q1
- 0.45
- Min
- 0.00
UHS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.65 is typical for the Health Care Providers & Services 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 (TTM)
ASND
-4.54
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 72.37
- Q3
- 1.91
- Median
- -7.81
- Q1
- -63.90
- Min
- -153.80
ASND has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -4.54. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
UHS
9.05
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 14.47
- Q3
- 7.15
- Median
- 5.45
- Q1
- 2.04
- Min
- -4.44
UHS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 9.05 is in the upper quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, signifying a strong and healthy capacity to meet its interest payments from operating profits.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (MRQ) | 1.02 | 1.29 |
| Quick Ratio (MRQ) | 0.66 | 1.19 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (MRQ) | 7.81 | 0.65 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -4.54 | 9.05 |
Growth
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield (TTM)
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.
UHS
0.45%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 5.38%
- Q3
- 2.22%
- Median
- 0.55%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UHS’s Dividend Yield of 0.45% is consistent with its peers in the Health Care Providers & Services industry, providing a dividend return that is standard for its sector.
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)
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.
UHS
4.19%
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 186.69%
- Q3
- 74.82%
- Median
- 26.76%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
UHS’s Dividend Payout Ratio of 4.19% is within the typical range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, suggesting a balanced approach between shareholder payouts and company reinvestment.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.45% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 4.19% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM)
ASND
--
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 60.14
- Q3
- 38.17
- Median
- 29.01
- Q1
- 15.12
- Min
- 0.00
P/E Ratio data for ASND is currently unavailable.
UHS
9.33
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 55.89
- Q3
- 30.85
- Median
- 21.17
- Q1
- 12.63
- Min
- 0.00
In the lower quartile for the Health Care Providers & Services industry, UHS’s P/E Ratio of 9.33 suggests the stock may be undervalued compared to its peers, potentially presenting an attractive entry point for investors.
Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM)
ASND
20.60
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 76.98
- Q3
- 36.53
- Median
- 9.49
- Q1
- 4.49
- Min
- 0.00
ASND’s P/S Ratio of 20.60 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.
UHS
0.71
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 3.10
- Q3
- 1.74
- Median
- 0.67
- Q1
- 0.24
- Min
- 0.00
UHS’s P/S Ratio of 0.71 aligns with the market consensus for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ)
ASND
67.75
Biotechnology Industry
- Max
- 20.53
- Q3
- 9.76
- Median
- 4.77
- Q1
- 2.49
- Min
- 0.59
At 67.75, ASND’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Biotechnology industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
UHS
1.66
Health Care Providers & Services Industry
- Max
- 7.61
- Q3
- 4.32
- Median
- 2.53
- Q1
- 1.14
- Min
- 0.77
UHS’s P/B Ratio of 1.66 is within the conventional range for the Health Care Providers & Services industry. This shows a balanced market view, where the stock’s price is neither at a significant premium nor a discount to the book value of its peers.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASND | UHS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (TTM) | -- | 9.33 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (TTM) | 20.60 | 0.71 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (MRQ) | 67.75 | 1.66 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (TTM) | -- | 13.05 |