ALNY vs IONS Stock Comparison: AI Score, Valuation, Performance and Upside
ALNY and IONS are the two foundational RNA drug companies, using different molecular mechanisms — RNAi (Alnylam) versus ASO (Ionis) — to silence disease-causing genes. Both compete directly in ATTR amyloidosis and share the broader RNA therapeutics space with multiple programs, but differ in their commercial maturity and pipeline monetization strategies.
ALNY vs IONS compares the two pioneering RNA drug companies, both targeting genetic diseases through RNA-based mechanisms but with different platform technologies, commercial portfolios, and business models.
ALNY holds the edge across 4 of 5 key metrics in this comparison. IONS has delivered stronger 1-year price return (-23.75% vs -46.77%), though ALNY has the better forward P/E setup (19.94x vs -56.24x for IONS). ALNY leads on both revenue growth (66.90%) and operating margin (17.93%), suggesting a stronger fundamental setup on both dimensions. Analyst consensus implies meaningfully more upside for ALNY (+49.33%) than for IONS (+43.92%).
Human Wall Street analysts' price targets, typically implying a ~12-month view — a separate signal from this site's own AI Prediction Signal further down the page, which is a 5-/30-day machine-learning forecast based on price history alone.
- Want exposure to the commercial leader in RNAi therapeutics with multiple approved drugs
- Believe Amvuttra and Leqvio will build into large, durable commercial franchises
- Value Alnylam's direct commercialization track record across its approved product portfolio
- Want exposure to the pioneer of antisense oligonucleotide technology with the broadest RNA pipeline
- Value the royalty and milestone income from Ionis's many partnered programs
- See opportunity as Ionis transitions toward greater proprietary drug commercialization
| Metric | ALNY | IONS |
|---|---|---|
| AI scorei | 53.1 | 35.9 |
| AI ranki | #356 | #1637 |
| Latest closei | $245.51 | $46.75 |
| 1M returni | +7.39% | -21.59% |
| 6M returni | -21.08% | -34.45% |
| 1Y returni | -46.77% | -23.75% |
How much would $10,000 be worth today if invested at the start of each period, with all dividends reinvested?
| Period | ALNY | IONS |
|---|---|---|
| 1Y ago | $5.43K (-45.7%) started 2025-09-17 | $7.64K (-23.6%) started 2025-09-17 |
| 5Y ago | $12.9K (+29.0%) started 2021-09-17 | $12.56K (+25.6%) started 2021-09-17 |
| 10Y ago | $31.84K (+218.4%) started 2016-09-19 | $14.78K (+47.8%) started 2016-09-19 |
Hypothetical — past performance does not guarantee future results.
| Metric | ALNY | IONS |
|---|---|---|
| Market capi | $33.28B | $10.16B |
| Trailing P/Ei | 43.32 | N/A |
| Forward P/Ei | 19.94 | -56.24 |
| Price/Salesi | N/A | N/A |
| EV/Revenuei | 6.86 | 11.48 |
| Analyst targeti | $371.35 | $88.00 |
| Target upsidei | +49.33% | +43.92% |
| Metric | ALNY | IONS |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growthi | 66.90% | -40.70% |
| Earnings growthi | N/A | N/A |
| EPS growthi | N/A | N/A |
| FCF margini | +5.65% | -39.67% |
| Operating margini | 17.93% | -38.18% |
| Profit margini | 16.13% | -64.66% |
| ROIC proxyi | 96.56% | -105.50% |
| Return on equityi | 96.56% | -105.50% |
| Dividend yieldi | N/A | N/A |
| Payout ratioi | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend growth streaki | N/A | N/A |
| Betai | 0.30 | 0.40 |
| Debt/equityi | 220.62 | 497.80 |
| Current ratioi | 3.06 | 7.89 |
| Quick ratioi | 2.79 | 6.85 |
Over the past year, ALNY and IONS have moved weakly in the same direction (correlation of 0.32), based on daily returns.
Lower drawdown and smaller single-period drops generally indicate a smoother ride, though they do not guarantee lower future risk.
| Period | Metric | ALNY | IONS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Y | Growthi | -45.65% | -23.57% |
| CAGRi | -45.70% | -23.60% | |
| Volatilityi | 47.05% | 41.39% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | -1.14 | -0.54 | |
| Sortino ratioi | -1.35 | -0.64 | |
| Max drawdowni | 58.17% | 48.16% | |
| Current drawdowni | 50.02% | 45.95% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 29.70% | 12.48% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 33.88% | 17.67% | |
| Max daily dropi | 28.31% | 23.90% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 24.38% | 36.37% | |
| 5Y | Growthi | +28.98% | +25.64% |
| CAGRi | +5.22% | +4.67% | |
| Volatilityi | 50.94% | 44.16% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.26 | 0.22 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.41 | 0.32 | |
| Max drawdowni | 58.17% | 52.36% | |
| Current drawdowni | 50.02% | 45.95% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 20.17% | 17.09% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 24.41% | 20.78% | |
| Max daily dropi | 28.31% | 23.90% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 24.38% | 36.37% | |
| 10Y | Growthi | +218.43% | +47.76% |
| CAGRi | +12.29% | +3.98% | |
| Volatilityi | 54.27% | 45.75% | |
| Sharpe ratioi | 0.40 | 0.22 | |
| Sortino ratioi | 0.61 | 0.31 | |
| Max drawdowni | 59.78% | 70.39% | |
| Current drawdowni | 50.02% | 45.95% | |
| Avg drawdowni | 22.90% | 36.60% | |
| Ulcer Indexi | 27.76% | 41.09% | |
| Max daily dropi | 48.49% | 23.90% | |
| Max wkly dropi | 49.44% | 36.37% |
| Category | ALNY | IONS |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. |
| Sector | Healthcare | Healthcare |
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Core business | Alnylam pioneered RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutics, using small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence disease-causing genes, with an approved commercial portfolio including Onpattro, Givlaari, Oxlumo, Leqvio, and Amvuttra for rare genetic diseases and cardiovascular conditions. | Ionis is a pioneer in antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) technology, having developed one of the largest portfolios of RNA-targeted medicines, including approved drugs for spinal muscular atrophy (through partner Biogen) and ATTR amyloidosis, plus dozens of partnered and proprietary clinical programs. |
| Investor focus | Investors track Amvuttra's growth in ATTR amyloidosis, Leqvio's revenue ramp in cardiovascular cholesterol reduction, and the advancement of new siRNA programs into clinical development. | Investors track Ionis's proprietary product revenue from Wainua (eplontersen, ATTR amyloidosis), royalties from partnered drugs, and the breadth of its clinical pipeline spanning neurology, cardiology, and rare diseases. |
- Pioneer and leader in RNAi therapeutics with multiple approved drugs across rare and cardiometabolic disease
- Amvuttra and Leqvio represent potentially large commercial opportunities in ATTR amyloidosis and cardiovascular disease
- siRNA technology platform enables efficient creation of new drug candidates from validated genetic targets
- One of the longest-established RNA drug pioneers with decades of ASO platform expertise
- Broad partnered pipeline across major pharmaceutical companies generates royalties and milestone payments
- Proprietary programs provide upside beyond royalties as Ionis transitions to direct drug commercialization
- ATTR amyloidosis market is contested with competition from BridgeBio and others
- Leqvio's commercial ramp in cardiovascular has been slower than initially expected
- RNAi drugs require specialized delivery systems and ongoing clinical safety monitoring
- Ionis is transitioning from a partner-dependent royalty model toward direct drug commercialization, which requires significant investment
- Wainua competes directly with Alnylam's Amvuttra in ATTR amyloidosis
- Large pipeline creates complexity in prioritizing investor focus across dozens of programs
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