Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) vs Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) vs Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ARWR) vs CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) vs Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM) 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 | ARWR | 232.6% revenue growth vs CRSP's -90.0% |
| Value | ARWR | Better valuation composite |
| Quality / Margins | ARWR | 18.5% net margin vs CRSP's -13.3% |
| Stability / Safety | IONS | Beta 0.68 vs ARWR's 1.67 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | ARWR | +234.6% vs BEAM's +8.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | ARWR | 12.6% ROA vs CRSP's -21.7%, ROIC 7.2% vs -27.4% |
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
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.
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals is a biopharmaceutical company that develops and commercializes RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for rare genetic diseases. It generates revenue primarily from sales of its approved RNAi drugs — ONPATTRO, GIVLAARI, OXLUMO, and others — targeting conditions like hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis, acute hepatic porphyria, and primary hyperoxaluria. The company's key advantage is its pioneering RNAi technology platform and intellectual property estate, which creates a significant barrier to entry in the RNAi therapeutics space.
Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals is a biotechnology company that develops RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics for intractable diseases. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and licensing agreements with pharmaceutical partners — including upfront payments, milestone payments, and royalties on future sales — while advancing its own pipeline of clinical-stage candidates. The company's key advantage is its proprietary Targeted RNAi Molecule (TRiM™) platform, which enables precise delivery of RNAi therapeutics to specific tissues and cells.
CRISPR Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing transformative gene-editing therapies for serious diseases using its proprietary CRISPR/Cas9 platform. It generates revenue primarily through research collaborations and milestone payments from partners like Vertex Pharmaceuticals — with its lead therapy for sickle cell disease and beta-thalassemia now approved and generating product sales. The company's key advantage is its foundational CRISPR/Cas9 intellectual property and extensive expertise in developing ex vivo gene-edited cell therapies.
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.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
ARWR leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). ALNY leads in 1 (Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
ALNY is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.7B annually — 101.0x CRSP's $37M. ARWR is the more profitable business, keeping 18.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CRSP's -13.3%. On growth, ARWR holds the edge at +104.6% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… | ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceu… | ARWRArrowhead Pharmac… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $943M | $3.7B | $1.1B | $37M | $140M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$367M | $557M | $326M | -$556M | -$361M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$381M | $314M | $202M | -$488M | -$80M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $162.9B | $465M | $322M | -$303M | -$360M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +98.3% | +81.8% | +99.4% | -3.6% | +84.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -40.5% | +13.5% | +27.6% | -15.6% | -2.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -40.4% | +8.4% | +18.5% | -13.3% | -57.2% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +172.6% | +12.5% | +29.5% | -8.2% | -2.6% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -10.4% | +84.9% | +104.6% | — | +2.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -113.6% | +3.1% | +115.8% | -15.8% | +3.1% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, ARWR's 76.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than ALNY's 81.4x.
| Metric | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… | ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceu… | ARWRArrowhead Pharmac… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $13.3B | $44.1B | $8.7B | $5.6B | $2.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $15.7B | $45.4B | $9.3B | $5.5B | $2.8B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -34.10x | 142.88x | -5186.07x | -9.30x | -35.14x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 48.96x | — | — | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | 81.44x | 76.09x | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 14.04x | 11.87x | 10.48x | 1608.41x | 20.72x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 26.55x | 56.82x | 16.81x | 2.81x | 2.27x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 94.70x | 55.41x | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
ALNY delivers a 39.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $40 in annual profit, vs $-78 for IONS. CRSP carries lower financial leverage with a 0.11x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to IONS's 5.78x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), ALNY scores 6/9 vs CRSP's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… | ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceu… | ARWRArrowhead Pharmac… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -77.9% | +39.8% | +35.9% | -25.5% | -6.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -10.8% | +6.3% | +12.6% | -21.7% | -5.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -12.2% | +19.1% | +7.2% | -27.4% | -33.6% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -16.3% | +15.3% | +8.6% | -31.1% | -33.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 5.78x | 3.76x | 1.66x | 0.11x | 0.12x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | $1.3B | $611M | -$141M | -$141M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $372M | $1.7B | $227M | $348M | $295M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.8B | $3.0B | $838M | $207M | $154M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -3.53x | 7.20x | 3.83x | — | -9.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in ALNY five years ago would be worth $22,381 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $2,978 for BEAM. Over the past 12 months, ARWR leads with a +234.6% 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 | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… | ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceu… | ARWRArrowhead Pharmac… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.9% | -16.8% | -6.7% | +11.8% | +4.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +144.5% | +34.9% | +234.6% | +36.9% | +8.0% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +126.0% | +73.9% | +95.9% | +21.9% | -29.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +50.1% | +123.8% | -24.5% | -53.8% | -70.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +134.8% | +468.4% | +1522.3% | +326.8% | +51.8% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +31.2% | +20.3% | +25.1% | +6.8% | -10.9% |
Risk & Volatility
IONS is the less volatile stock with a 0.68 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than ARWR's 1.67 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 ALNY's 67.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… | ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceu… | ARWRArrowhead Pharmac… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.68x | 0.88x | 1.67x | 1.25x | 1.66x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $86.74 | $495.55 | $76.76 | $78.48 | $36.44 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $23.95 | $205.87 | $9.57 | $30.04 | $13.53 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.6% | +67.2% | +82.4% | +76.6% | +78.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 44.7 | 43.8 | 46.7 | 66.2 | 51.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 1.7M | 1.2M | 2.5M | 1.4M | 1.5M |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: IONS as "Buy", ALNY as "Buy", ARWR as "Buy", CRSP as "Buy", BEAM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 43.6% upside for BEAM (target: $41) vs 8.1% for CRSP (target: $65).
| Metric | IONSIonis Pharmaceuti… | ALNYAlnylam Pharmaceu… | ARWRArrowhead Pharmac… | CRSPCRISPR Therapeuti… | BEAMBeam Therapeutics… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $89.13 | $461.06 | $78.78 | $65.00 | $40.86 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 32 | 51 | 20 | 38 | 27 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | — | — | — | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — | — | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | +1.3% | 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | 100 | 158.83 | +58.8% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuti… (ALNY) | 100 | 295.44 | +195.4% |
| Arrowhead Pharmaceu… (ARWR) | 100 | 205.63 | +105.6% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | 100 | 96.18 | -3.8% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | 100 | 121.29 | +21.3% |
Alnylam Pharmaceuti… (ALNY) returned +124% over 5 years vs Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM)'s -70%. A $10,000 investment in ALNY 5 years ago would be worth $22,381 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | $373M | $944M | +153.2% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuti… (ALNY) | $47M | $3.7B | +7775.4% |
| Arrowhead Pharmaceu… (ARWR) | $158333.00 | $829M | +523763.0% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | $5M | $4M | -32.0% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | $0.00 | $140M | — |
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $373M (2016) to $944M (2025) — a 10.9% CAGR. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s revenue grew from $47M (2016) to $3.7B (2025) — a 62.4% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | -16.2% | -40.4% | -149.1% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuti… (ALNY) | -8.7% | 8.4% | +197.1% |
| Arrowhead Pharmaceu… (ARWR) | -516.1% | -0.2% | +100.0% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | -4.5% | -165.7% | -3587.9% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -4351.4% | -57.2% | +98.7% |
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -16% (2016) to -40% (2025). Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s net margin went from -9% (2016) to 8% (2025).
Chart 4EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ionis Pharmaceutica… (IONS) | -0.72 | -2.38 | -230.6% |
| Alnylam Pharmaceuti… (ALNY) | -4.79 | 2.33 | +148.6% |
| Arrowhead Pharmaceu… (ARWR) | -1.34 | -0.01 | +99.1% |
| CRISPR Therapeutics… (CRSP) | -1.89 | -6.47 | -242.3% |
| Beam Therapeutics I… (BEAM) | -0.62 | -0.81 | -30.6% |
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.72 (2016) to $-2.38 (2025). Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-4.79 (2016) to $2.33 (2025).
Chart 5Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $-320M FCF in 2025 (-2581% vs 2021). Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. generated $465M FCF in 2025 (+165% vs 2021).
IONS vs ALNY vs ARWR vs CRSP vs BEAM: Key Questions Answered
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM a better buy right now?
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) offers the better valuation at 142.9x trailing P/E (49.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) a "Buy" — based on 32 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 — IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM?
Over the past 5 years, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) delivered a total return of +123.8%, compared to -70.2% for Beam Therapeutics Inc. (BEAM). A $10,000 investment in ALNY five years ago would be worth approximately $22K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: ARWR returned +1522% 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 — IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.68β versus Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s 1.67β — meaning ARWR is approximately 145% more volatile than IONS relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, CRISPR Therapeutics AG (CRSP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 11% versus 6% for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM?
Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) is the more profitable company, earning 8.4% net margin versus -165.7% for CRISPR Therapeutics AG — meaning it keeps 8.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: ALNY leads at 13.5% versus -189.3% for CRSP. 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.
05Is IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BEAM: 43.6% to $40.86.
06Which pays a better dividend — IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM?
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 IONS or ALNY or ARWR or CRSP or BEAM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (ALNY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.88), +468.4% 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 (ALNY: +468.4%, 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.
08What are the main differences between IONS and ALNY and ARWR and CRSP and BEAM?
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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