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BIIB vs. ILMN: Biogen vs. Illumina Stock Comparison

How do Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN) stack up? This page sets them side by side across company profile, performance and risk, profitability, growth, financial strength, dividends, and valuation, with selected fundamentals also measured against each stock's industry-group peers.

Company Profile

Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN) both fall under the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group, but BIIB is classified in Biotechnology while ILMN is classified in Life Sciences Tools & Services.

Company profile comparison for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
Profile ItemBIIBILMN
NameBiogen Inc.Illumina Inc.
Country/RegionUnited StatesUnited States
GICS SectorHealth CareHealth Care
GICS Industry GroupPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life SciencesPharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences
GICS IndustryBiotechnologyLife Sciences Tools & Services
GICS Sub-IndustryBiotechnologyLife Sciences Tools & Services
Market Capitalization36.71 billion USD32.23 billion USD
CurrencyUSDUSD
ExchangeNasdaqNasdaq
Listing DateSeptember 17, 1991July 28, 2000
Security TypeCommon StockCommon Stock

Price Performance

Cumulative Growth

BIIB
ILMN
GSPC
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Growth of a $10,000 investment over the past five years. Adjusted for dividends and splits.

Trailing Returns

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Trailing total returns for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN). Returns over one year are annualized.

Calendar-Year Returns

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Calendar-year total returns for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN). Each bar is that year's total return, measured year-end to year-end.

Performance Metrics

Price performance metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
Total Return (1Y)65.44%79.70%
Total Return (3Y, Annualized)4.62%28.16%
Total Return (5Y, Annualized)-0.96%-10.65%

Risk Profile

Drawdown History

BIIB
ILMN
GSPC
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN), with S&P 500 (GSPC) for reference: Drawdown from the running peak over the past five years. Each line shows the decline from its prior peak; 0% marks a new high.

Return Distribution

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Distribution of monthly total returns for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN). Each bar is the share of months whose return fell in that 5% bucket.

Risk Metrics

Illumina (ILMN) has an aggressive beta of 1.46, indicating higher sensitivity to broad-market moves, while Biogen (BIIB) is defensive at 0.08 and tends to be less market-sensitive — they sit on opposite ends of the beta spectrum.

Risk profile metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
Volatility (1Y, Annualized)34.58%48.47%
Beta (5Y)0.081.46
Max Drawdown (5Y)-64.35%-82.95%
Avg. Volume (3M)1.05M2.77M

Risk-Adjusted Performance

Risk-Return Positioning

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BIIB and ILMN are plotted by 1-year volatility (risk) and 1-year return. The dashed Capital Allocation Line runs from the risk-free rate through the shared industry median.

Risk-Adjusted Metrics

Risk-adjusted metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)1.771.56
Sortino Ratio (1Y)2.772.25

Profitability

ROE (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 32.39% sits in the top ROE quartile, while Biogen (BIIB) at 1.87% is closer to the peer norm — stronger capital efficiency for ILMN.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.87%

Max
109.18%
Q3
6.23%
BIIB
1.87%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

32.39%

Max
109.18%
ILMN
32.39%
Q3
6.23%
Median
-26.66%
Q1
-64.05%
Min
-167.77%
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their ROE against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Net Margin (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 19.72% converts revenue to bottom-line profit above its industry’s benchmark range, while Biogen (BIIB) at 3.38% keeps roughly the typical share for its industry.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.38%

Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
BIIB
3.38%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

19.72%

ILMN
19.72%
Max
18.05%
Q3
4.78%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-4.14%
Min
-17.05%
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their net margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Operating Margin (TTM)

Both Biogen (BIIB) at 24.12% and Illumina (ILMN) at 20.02% convert sales into operating profit at a top-quartile rate, pointing to tighter cost discipline before financing and tax.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

24.12%

Max
83.12%
BIIB
24.12%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

20.02%

Max
83.12%
ILMN
20.02%
Q3
14.77%
Median
0.00%
Q1
-78.82%
Min
-207.40%
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their operating margin against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Profitability Metrics

Profitability metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
ROE (TTM)1.87%32.39%
ROA (TTM)4.94%8.32%
Net Margin (TTM)3.38%19.72%
Operating Margin (TTM)24.12%20.02%
Gross Margin (TTM)75.77%67.68%

Growth

Revenue Growth

Biogen (BIIB) at 2.22% is around its peer norm for revenue growth, while Illumina (ILMN) at -0.66% drops into the bottom quartile, signaling weaker demand or pricing momentum.

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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their Revenue Growth across different time periods.

EPS Growth

Only one side can be read here: Biogen (BIIB) reports EPS growth of -21.38%, ranked against its industry; Illumina (ILMN) has no EPS growth figure this period.

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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their EPS Growth across different time periods.

Growth Metrics

Growth metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
Revenue Growth (YoY)2.22%-0.66%
Revenue Growth (3Y CAGR)-0.94%-1.78%
EPS Growth (YoY)-21.38%--
EPS Growth (3Y CAGR)-25.04%--

Financial Strength

Current Ratio (MRQ)

Illumina (ILMN) at 2.63 keeps current ratio within its industry’s typical mid-range, while Biogen (BIIB) at 1.95 runs in the tighter-liquidity quartile — a thinner cushion against current liabilities for BIIB.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.95

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
Q1
2.47
BIIB
1.95
Min
0.10

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

2.63

Max
25.13
Q3
12.13
Median
5.52
ILMN
2.63
Q1
2.47
Min
0.10
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their current ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Debt / Equity (MRQ)

Biogen (BIIB) at 0.41 carries an industry-typical debt-to-equity mix, while Illumina (ILMN) at 0.74 uses more debt funding than most peers.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.41

Max
1.42
Q3
0.65
BIIB
0.41
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.74

Max
1.42
ILMN
0.74
Q3
0.65
Median
0.15
Q1
0.02
Min
0.00
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their debt-to-equity ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Financial Strength Metrics

Financial strength metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
Current Ratio (MRQ)1.952.63
Debt / Equity (MRQ)0.410.74
Net Debt / EBITDA1.970.85

Dividends

Dividend Yield (TTM)

Neither Biogen (BIIB) nor Illumina (ILMN) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

BIIB
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

ILMN
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their dividend yield against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)

Neither Biogen (BIIB) nor Illumina (ILMN) pays a dividend this period — they may reinvest, use buybacks, or simply not return cash through dividends.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

BIIB
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

0.00%

ILMN
0.00%
Max
0.00%
Q3
0.00%
Median
0.00%
Q1
0.00%
Min
0.00%
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their payout ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Dividend Metrics

Dividend metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
Dividend Yield (TTM)0.00%0.00%
Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM)0.00%0.00%

Valuation

P/E Ratio (TTM)

Illumina (ILMN) at 36.68 is near its industry’s usual P/E ratio, while Biogen (BIIB) at 107.51 sits above its peer range — an unusually expensive price for BIIB’s trailing earnings.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

107.51

BIIB
107.51
Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

36.68

Max
85.34
Q3
43.46
ILMN
36.68
Median
26.69
Q1
13.30
Min
0.07
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their P/E ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/S Ratio (TTM)

On P/S ratio, both Biogen (BIIB) at 3.57 and Illumina (ILMN) at 7.10 are priced roughly in line with their industries — neither looks cheap nor rich on a sales basis.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

3.57

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
BIIB
3.57
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

7.10

Max
58.18
Q3
25.77
Median
7.30
ILMN
7.10
Q1
3.01
Min
0.01
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their P/S ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

P/B Ratio (MRQ)

Biogen (BIIB) at 1.94 is valued about in line with its industry on P/B ratio, while Illumina (ILMN) at 10.30 carries an above-peer premium to book — ILMN is pricier on assets.

BIIB

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

1.94

Max
13.53
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
BIIB
1.94
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59

ILMN

Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group

10.30

Max
13.53
ILMN
10.30
Q3
6.54
Median
3.25
Q1
1.69
Min
-5.59
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Biogen (BIIB) vs. Illumina (ILMN): A comparison of their P/B ratio against the Pharmaceuticals, Biotechnology & Life Sciences industry group benchmark.

Valuation Metrics

Valuation metrics for Biogen (BIIB) and Illumina (ILMN)
MetricBIIBILMN
P/E Ratio (TTM)107.5136.68
P/S Ratio (TTM)3.577.10
P/B Ratio (MRQ)1.9410.30
Free Cash Flow Yield (TTM)2.20%2.67%