IONS vs. APP
IONS (Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and APP (AppLovin Corporation) are both stocks. IONS operates in Biotechnology (Healthcare), while APP operates in Software - Application (Technology). Over the past 5 years, IONS returned 16.40%/yr vs 50.33%/yr for APP. At a 0.19 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
IONS vs. APP - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, IONS achieves a -6.69% return, which is significantly higher than APP's -15.28% return.
IONS
- 1D
- 1.16%
- 1M
- -2.16%
- YTD
- -6.69%
- 6M
- -9.80%
- 1Y
- 112.37%
- 3Y*
- 20.92%
- 5Y*
- 16.40%
- 10Y*
- 12.39%
APP
- 1D
- -5.75%
- 1M
- 20.17%
- YTD
- -15.28%
- 6M
- -13.80%
- 1Y
- 43.24%
- 3Y*
- 184.42%
- 5Y*
- 50.33%
- 10Y*
- —
IONS vs. APP - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | -6.69% | 126.29% | -30.90% | 33.94% | 24.12% | -25.83% |
APP AppLovin Corporation | -15.28% | 108.08% | 712.62% | 278.44% | -88.83% | 44.57% |
Correlation
The correlation between IONS and APP is -0.05, meaning there is essentially no relationship between their price movements. Each responds to its own set of market drivers, making them strong candidates for combining in a diversified portfolio.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | -0.05 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.05 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.19 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Apr 16, 2021 | 0.19 |
The correlation between IONS and APP shifts across timeframes, from -0.05 (1 year) to 0.19 (all time), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.
Fundamentals
IONS:
$12.17B
APP:
$193.36B
IONS:
-$1.95
APP:
$11.64
IONS:
11.69
APP:
31.53
IONS:
24.77
APP:
81.81
IONS:
$1.06B
APP:
$6.16B
IONS:
$1.04B
APP:
$5.45B
IONS:
$4.54B
APP:
$4.87B
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Return for Risk
IONS vs. APP — Risk / Return Rank
IONS
APP
IONS vs. APP - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) and AppLovin Corporation (APP). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.
| IONS | APP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 2.42 | 0.61 | +1.80 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 4.38 | 1.20 | +3.18 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.53 | 1.16 | +0.37 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 5.81 | 0.87 | +4.94 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 14.85 | 1.72 | +13.12 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| IONS | APP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 2.42 | 0.61 | +1.80 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.39 | 0.65 | -0.26 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.27 | — | — |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.10 | 0.68 | -0.58 |
Drawdowns
IONS vs. APP - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum IONS drawdown since its inception was -91.42%, roughly equal to the maximum APP drawdown of -91.90%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IONS and APP.
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Drawdown Indicators
| IONS | APP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -91.42% | -91.90% | +0.48% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -19.45% | -49.99% | +30.54% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -52.36% | -57.00% | +4.64% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -52.36% | -91.90% | +39.54% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -70.39% | — | — |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -14.66% | -22.19% | +7.53% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -52.39% | -42.51% | -9.88% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 7.60% | 25.17% | -17.57% |
Volatility
IONS vs. APP - Volatility Comparison
The current volatility for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is 7.32%, while AppLovin Corporation (APP) has a volatility of 21.08%. This indicates that IONS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than APP based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| IONS | APP | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 7.32% | 21.08% | -13.76% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 20.10% | 58.50% | -38.40% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 46.80% | 70.82% | -24.02% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 42.27% | 77.78% | -35.51% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 46.39% | 77.55% | -31.16% |
Dividends
IONS vs. APP - Dividend Comparison
Neither IONS nor APP has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
IONS vs. APP - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AppLovin Corporation. You can select fields from income statements, balance sheets, and cash flow statements to easily visualize and compare the financial health of both companies.
Total Revenue: Total amount of money received from sales and other business activities
IONS vs. APP - Profitability Comparison
IONS - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported a gross profit of 243.11M and revenue of 246.09M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 98.8%.
APP - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, AppLovin Corporation reported a gross profit of 1.64B and revenue of 1.84B. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 89.0%.
IONS - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported an operating income of -117.42M and revenue of 246.09M, resulting in an operating margin of -47.7%.
APP - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, AppLovin Corporation reported an operating income of 1.44B and revenue of 1.84B, resulting in an operating margin of 78.2%.
IONS - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. reported a net income of -92.53M and revenue of 246.09M, resulting in a net margin of -37.6%.
APP - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, AppLovin Corporation reported a net income of 1.21B and revenue of 1.84B, resulting in a net margin of 65.4%.
Frequently Asked Questions
IONS and APP have a correlation of -0.05, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
APP has higher volatility (21.08%) compared to IONS (7.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IONS dropped -91.42% vs APP's -91.90%.
IONS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs 0.61), meaning it's delivered slightly more return per unit of risk over the trailing 12 months. However, this ranking shifts over time - use the Risk/Return Score above for a more comprehensive view that combines Sharpe, Sortino, and other measures used by quantitative funds.
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