No connection

Search Results

IONS vs MRK

IONS
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
BEARISH
Price
$75.17
Market Cap
$12.42B
Sector
Healthcare
AI Confidence
85%
MRK
Merck & Co., Inc.
NEUTRAL
Price
$121.25
Market Cap
$299.79B
Sector
Healthcare
AI Confidence
90%

Valuation

P/E Ratio
IONS
--
MRK
16.66
Forward P/E
IONS
-120.83
MRK
12.42
P/B Ratio
IONS
25.1
MRK
5.7
P/S Ratio
IONS
13.16
MRK
4.61
EV/EBITDA
IONS
-33.45
MRK
11.46

Profitability

Gross Margin
IONS
1.29%
MRK
77.21%
Operating Margin
IONS
-105.47%
MRK
32.77%
Profit Margin
IONS
-40.41%
MRK
28.08%
ROE
IONS
-70.8%
MRK
36.88%
ROA
IONS
-7.31%
MRK
12.04%

Growth

Revenue Growth
IONS
-10.3%
MRK
5.0%
Earnings Growth
IONS
--
MRK
-19.3%

Financial Health

Debt/Equity
IONS
5.35
MRK
0.96
Current Ratio
IONS
3.83
MRK
1.54
Quick Ratio
IONS
3.51
MRK
0.96

Dividends

Dividend Yield
IONS
--
MRK
2.83%
Payout Ratio
IONS
0.0%
MRK
45.05%

AI Verdict

IONS BEARISH

IONS presents a significant disconnect between its market valuation and fundamental performance. While the Piotroski F-Score of 5/9 indicates stable financial health, the company is grappling with negative revenue growth (-10.30%) and a severe collapse in YoY EPS (-167.4%). Despite a massive 181% price surge over the last year, the valuation is extreme with a Price/Book of 25.10 and a Price/Sales of 13.16. Heavy insider selling by the CEO and CFO, combined with a bearish technical trend, suggests the current price is driven by speculative pipeline expectations rather than realized value.

Strengths
Strong short-term liquidity with a Current Ratio of 3.83
Consistent history of beating earnings estimates (3 of last 4 quarters)
Strong analyst consensus with a target price of $97.60
Risks
Extreme valuation premiums (P/B 25.10, P/S 13.16)
Negative revenue growth (-10.30% YoY) and declining Q/Q revenue
Severe profitability issues with an operating margin of -105.47%
MRK NEUTRAL

MRK shows neutral fundamentals based on deterministic rules. Financial strength is weak (F-Score 3/9). Mixed signals with both opportunities and risks present.

Strengths
Strong profitability (28.1% margin)
Strong ROE of 36.9%
Risks
Premium vs Graham Number ($59.01)
Weak financial trend (Piotroski F-Score: 3/9)

Compare Another Pair

IONS vs MRK: Head-to-Head Comparison

This page compares Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) and Merck & Co., Inc. (MRK) across key fundamental metrics including valuation ratios, profitability margins, growth rates, financial health indicators, and dividend metrics. Each metric highlights the better-performing stock so you can quickly identify relative strengths and weaknesses.

Our AI engine independently analyzes each company's financials, competitive position, and market conditions to produce a verdict (Bullish, Neutral, or Bearish) along with key strengths and risks. Use this comparison alongside your own research to make informed investment decisions.

Home
Terminal
AI
Markets
Profile