Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) vs Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | BEAM | 120.0% revenue growth vs IONS's 33.9% |
| Quality / Margins | IONS | -40.4% net margin vs BEAM's -57.2% |
| Stability / Safety | IONS | Beta 0.68 vs BEAM's 1.66 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | IONS | +144.5% vs BEAM's +8.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BEAM | -5.4% ROA vs IONS's -10.8%, ROIC -33.6% vs -12.2% |
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
Beam Therapeutics is a biotechnology company developing precision genetic medicines using base editing technology to treat serious diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners — with potential future income from clinical-stage programs targeting sickle cell disease, T-cell cancers, and metabolic disorders. The company's key advantage is its proprietary base editing platform, which enables more precise DNA modifications than traditional CRISPR approaches — potentially offering safer and more effective genetic therapies.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals is a biotech company that discovers and develops RNA-targeted therapeutics for rare diseases and other serious conditions. It generates revenue primarily through royalties from partnered drugs like SPINRAZA for spinal muscular atrophy — which contributed over 70% of total revenue in recent years — plus milestone payments and research funding from pharmaceutical partners. Its key competitive advantage is its proprietary antisense technology platform, which enables precise targeting of disease-causing RNA and has produced multiple FDA-approved therapies.
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
IONS leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). BEAM leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
IONS is the larger business by revenue, generating $943M annually — 6.8x BEAM's $140M. IONS is the more profitable business, keeping -40.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BEAM's -57.2%. On growth, BEAM holds the edge at +2.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $140M | $943M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$361M | -$367M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$80M | -$381M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$360M | $162.9B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +84.0% | +98.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -2.7% | -40.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -57.2% | -40.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -2.6% | +172.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.8% | -10.4% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.1% | -113.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.9B | $13.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $2.8B | $15.7B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -35.14x | -34.10x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 20.72x | 14.04x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.27x | 26.55x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BEAM delivers a -6.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-6 in annual profit, vs $-78 for IONS. BEAM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.12x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to IONS's 5.78x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BEAM scores 5/9 vs IONS's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -6.5% | -77.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -5.4% | -10.8% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -33.6% | -12.2% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -33.3% | -16.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.12x | 5.78x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$141M | $2.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $295M | $372M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $154M | $2.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -9.14x | -3.53x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in IONS five years ago would be worth $15,014 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,978 for BEAM. Over the past 12 months, IONS leads with a +144.5% total return vs BEAM's +8.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors IONS at 31.2% vs BEAM's -10.9% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +4.9% | +1.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +8.0% | +144.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -29.3% | +126.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -70.2% | +50.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +51.8% | +134.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -10.9% | +31.2% |
Risk & Volatility
IONS is the less volatile stock with a 0.68 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BEAM's 1.66 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. IONS currently trades 93.6% from its 52-week high vs BEAM's 78.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.66x | 0.68x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $36.44 | $86.74 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $13.53 | $23.95 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +78.1% | +93.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.4 | 44.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.5M | 1.7M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates BEAM as "Buy" and IONS as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 43.6% upside for BEAM (target: $41) vs 9.8% for IONS (target: $89).
| Metric | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $40.86 | $89.13 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 32 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | 100 | 121.29 | +21.3% |
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | 100 | 158.83 | +58.8% |
Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) returned +50% over 5 years vs Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM)'s -70%. A $10,000 investment in IONS 5 years ago would be worth $15,014 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | $0.00 | $140M | — |
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | $373M | $944M | +153.2% |
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $373M (2016) to $944M (2025) — a 10.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -4351.4% | -57.2% | +98.7% |
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | -16.2% | -40.4% | -149.1% |
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -16% (2016) to -40% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -0.62 | -0.81 | -30.6% |
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | -0.72 | -2.38 | -230.6% |
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.72 (2016) to $-2.38 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Beam Therapeutics Inc. generated $-360M FCF in 2025 (-218% vs 2021). Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-320M FCF in 2025 (-2581% vs 2021).
BEAM vs IONS: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BEAM or IONS a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) a "Buy" — based on 27 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 — BEAM or IONS?
Over the past 5 years, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) delivered a total return of +50.1%, compared to -70.2% for Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM). A $10,000 investment in IONS five years ago would be worth approximately $15K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: IONS returned +134.8% versus BEAM's +51.8%. 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 — BEAM or IONS?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.68β versus Beam Therapeutics Inc.'s 1.66β — meaning BEAM is approximately 143% more volatile than IONS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 12% versus 6% for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — BEAM or IONS?
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is the more profitable company, earning -40.4% net margin versus -57.2% for Beam Therapeutics Inc. — meaning it keeps -40.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: IONS leads at -40.5% versus -274.6% for BEAM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — IONS leads at 98.3%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — BEAM or IONS?
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.
06Is BEAM or IONS better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.68), +134.8% 10Y return). Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) carries a higher beta of 1.66 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (IONS: +134.8%, BEAM: +51.8%), 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.
07What are the main differences between BEAM and IONS?
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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.