AEON vs ALNY vs IQV vs CRL

For growth investors, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(ALNY) is the stronger pick with 65. 2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 9% for Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL). IQVIA Holdings Inc. (IQV) offers the better valuation at 23. 1x trailing P/E (14. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) a "Buy" — based on 52 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.

On trailing P/E, IQVIA Holdings Inc.

(IQV) is the cheapest at 23. 1x versus Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. at 121. 4x. On forward P/E, IQVIA Holdings Inc. is actually cheaper at 14. 2x.

Over the past 5 years, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(ALNY) delivered a total return of +69. 7%, compared to -99. 9% for AEON Biopharma, Inc. (AEON). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ALNY returned +366. 4% versus AEON's -99. 9%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), AEON Biopharma, Inc.

(AEON) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 11β versus Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. 's 1. 39β — meaning CRL is approximately 1214% more volatile than AEON relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 95% versus 2% for IQVIA Holdings Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(ALNY) is pulling ahead at 65. 2% versus -0. 9% for Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. (CRL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. grew EPS 206. 9% year-over-year, compared to -1555. 0% for Charles River Laboratories International, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, ALNY leads at 53. 0% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

(ALNY) is the more profitable company, earning 8. 4% net margin versus -3. 6% for Charles River Laboratories International, Inc. — meaning it keeps 8. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IQV leads at 14. 0% versus 0. 0% for AEON. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — ALNY leads at 81. 8%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.

On forward earnings alone, IQVIA Holdings Inc.

(IQV) trades at 14. 2x forward P/E versus 37. 7x for Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — 23. 6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for ALNY: 57. 6% to $445. 67.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, AEON Biopharma, Inc.

(AEON) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 11)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AEON: -99. 9%, CRL: +122. 4%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.

Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: AEON is a small-cap quality compounder stock; ALNY is a mid-cap high-growth stock; IQV is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; CRL is a small-cap quality compounder stock. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.