Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) vs Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | ASND | 90.2% revenue growth vs AGIO's 48.0% |
| Quality / Margins | ASND | -31.7% net margin vs AGIO's -9.0% |
| Stability / Safety | ASND | Beta 0.24 vs AGIO's 0.91 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ASND | +49.1% vs AGIO's -14.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ASND | -17.5% ROA vs AGIO's -29.0%, ROIC -69.1% vs -26.6% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Ascendis Pharma is a biopharmaceutical company developing innovative therapies using its proprietary TransCon technology platform. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its approved growth hormone therapy SKYTROFA and through strategic partnerships — with future revenue expected from its pipeline of endocrinology and oncology treatments. The company's key competitive advantage is its TransCon platform, which enables sustained release of therapeutics with improved pharmacokinetics and reduced dosing frequency.
Agios Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing treatments for rare genetic diseases related to cellular metabolism. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its lead drug PYRUKYND for pyruvate kinase deficiency — with additional income from research collaborations and milestone payments — while advancing a pipeline of other metabolic therapies. The company's competitive advantage lies in its deep expertise in cellular metabolism science and proprietary platform for targeting metabolic pathways in rare diseases.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
ASND leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). AGIO leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ASND is the larger business by revenue, generating $718M annually — 16.0x AGIO's $45M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from -31.7% (ASND) to -9.0% (AGIO).
| Metric | ASNDAscendis Pharma A… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $718M | $45M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$119M | -$470M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$228M | -$401M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $43M | -$414M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +86.3% | +84.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -19.0% | -10.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -31.7% | -9.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +6.0% | -9.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +41.0% | +43.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +15.6% | -111.0% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | ASNDAscendis Pharma A… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $14.3B | $2.25T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $14.6B | $2.25T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -54.69x | -4.25x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 49.09x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 17.57x | 9999.00x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | — | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 278.56x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ASND scores 5/9 vs AGIO's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | ASNDAscendis Pharma A… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | — | -31.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -17.5% | -29.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -69.1% | -26.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -51.9% | -33.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | — | 0.03x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $256M | -$49M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $616M | $89M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $871M | $40M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -0.62x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ASND five years ago would be worth $14,939 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $6,363 for AGIO. Over the past 12 months, ASND leads with a +49.1% total return vs AGIO's -14.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors ASND at 28.1% vs AGIO's 6.1% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ASNDAscendis Pharma A… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +9.5% | +11.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +49.1% | -14.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +110.2% | +19.4% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +49.4% | -36.4% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +1245.8% | -21.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +28.1% | +6.1% |
Risk & Volatility
ASND is the less volatile stock with a 0.24 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AGIO's 0.91 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. ASND currently trades 96.5% from its 52-week high vs AGIO's 65.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ASNDAscendis Pharma A… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.24x | 0.91x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $242.00 | $46.00 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $124.06 | $22.24 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.5% | +65.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.8 | 62.3 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 573K | 948K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates ASND as "Buy" and AGIO as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 37.3% upside for AGIO (target: $42) vs 22.7% for ASND (target: $287).
| Metric | ASNDAscendis Pharma A… | AGIOAgios Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $286.50 | $41.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 24 | 29 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) | 100 | 165.23 | +65.2% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | 100 | 57.07 | -42.9% |
Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) returned +49% over 5 years vs Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO)'s -36%. A $10,000 investment in ASND 5 years ago would be worth $14,939 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) | $5M | $692M | +14917.6% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | $70M | $54M | -22.7% |
Ascendis Pharma A/S's revenue grew from $5M (2016) to $692M (2025) — a 74.5% CAGR. Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $70M (2016) to $54M (2025) — a -2.8% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) | -14.9% | -31.7% | -112.9% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -2.8% | -7.6% | -169.0% |
Ascendis Pharma A/S's net margin went from -15% (2016) to -32% (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -3% (2016) to -8% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) | -2.58 | -3.62 | -40.3% |
| Agios Pharmaceutica… (AGIO) | -5.07 | -7.12 | -40.4% |
Ascendis Pharma A/S's EPS grew from $-2.58 (2016) to $-3.62 (2025). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.07 (2016) to $-7.12 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ascendis Pharma A/S generated $44M FCF in 2025 (+110% vs 2021). Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-377M FCF in 2025 (+9% vs 2021).
ASND vs AGIO: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is ASND or AGIO a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) a "Buy" — based on 24 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.
02Which is the better long-term investment — ASND or AGIO?
Over the past 5 years, Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) delivered a total return of +49.4%, compared to -36.4% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (AGIO). A $10,000 investment in ASND five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ASND returned +1246% versus AGIO's -21.2%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — ASND or AGIO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) is the lower-risk stock at 0.24β versus Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 0.91β — meaning AGIO is approximately 285% more volatile than ASND relative to the S&P 500.
04Which has better profit margins — ASND or AGIO?
Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) is the more profitable company, earning -31.7% net margin versus -764.0% for Agios Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — meaning it keeps -31.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ASND leads at -18.9% versus -873.9% for AGIO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AGIO leads at 88.3%, 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.
05Is ASND or AGIO more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGIO: 37.3% to $41.50.
06Which pays a better dividend — ASND or AGIO?
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.
07Is ASND or AGIO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ascendis Pharma A/S (ASND) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.24), +1246% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (ASND: +1246%, AGIO: -21.2%), 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.
08What are the main differences between ASND and AGIO?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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.
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