IONS vs. QBTS

Last updated Jun 4, 2026

IONS (Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) and QBTS (D-Wave Quantum Inc) are both stocks. IONS operates in Biotechnology (Healthcare), while QBTS operates in Computer Hardware (Technology). Over the past 3 years, IONS returned 20.92%/yr vs 162.11%/yr for QBTS. At a 0.15 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.

Performance

IONS vs. QBTS - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) and D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, IONS achieves a -6.69% return, which is significantly lower than QBTS's 5.35% 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%

QBTS

• 1D: -7.89%
• 1M: 31.69%
• YTD: 5.35%
• 6M: 9.85%
• 1Y: 55.83%
• 3Y*: 162.11%
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

IONS vs. QBTS - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.	-6.69%	126.29%	-30.90%	33.94%	-17.37%
QBTS D-Wave Quantum Inc	5.35%	211.31%	854.44%	-38.88%	-85.60%

Correlation

The correlation between IONS and QBTS is 0.20, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.20
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.18
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Aug 9, 2022	0.15

Fundamentals

Market Cap IONS : $12.17B QBTS : $10.12B
EPS IONS : -$1.95 QBTS : -$1.08
PS Ratio IONS : 11.69 QBTS : 751.08
PB Ratio IONS : 24.77 QBTS : 9.00
Total Revenue (TTM) IONS : $1.06B QBTS : $12.44M
Gross Profit (TTM) IONS : $1.04B QBTS : $8.25M
EBITDA (TTM) IONS : $4.54B QBTS : -$399.03M

Return for Risk

IONS vs. QBTS — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

IONS

IONS Risk / Return Rank: 93
IONS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 91
IONS Sortino Ratio Rank: 96
IONS Omega Ratio Rank: 94
IONS Calmar Ratio Rank: 93
IONS Martin Ratio Rank: 92

QBTS

QBTS Risk / Return Rank: 59
QBTS Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
QBTS Sortino Ratio Rank: 67
QBTS Omega Ratio Rank: 60
QBTS Calmar Ratio Rank: 57
QBTS Martin Ratio Rank: 54

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

IONS vs. QBTS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) and D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS). 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	QBTS	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	2.42	0.52	+1.90
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	4.38	1.59	+2.79
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.53	1.17	+0.36
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	5.81	0.79	+5.02
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	14.85	1.39	+13.45
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

IONS vs. QBTS - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current IONS Sharpe Ratio is 2.42, which is higher than the QBTS Sharpe Ratio of 0.52. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of IONS and QBTS, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	IONS	QBTS	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	2.42	0.52	+1.90
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.39	—	—
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	0.20	-0.10

Drawdowns

IONS vs. QBTS - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum IONS drawdown since its inception was -91.42%, smaller than the maximum QBTS drawdown of -96.67%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for IONS and QBTS.

Drawdown Indicators

	IONS	QBTS	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-91.42%	-96.67%	+5.25%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-19.45%	-71.01%	+51.56%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-52.36%	-79.17%	+26.81%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-52.36%	—	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-70.39%	—	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-14.66%	-38.48%	+23.82%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-52.39%	-65.87%	+13.48%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	7.60%	40.23%	-32.63%

Volatility

IONS vs. QBTS - Volatility Comparison

The current volatility for Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is 7.32%, while D-Wave Quantum Inc (QBTS) has a volatility of 41.14%. This indicates that IONS experiences smaller price fluctuations and is considered to be less risky than QBTS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	IONS	QBTS	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	7.32%	41.14%	-33.82%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	20.10%	77.15%	-57.05%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	46.80%	108.14%	-61.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	42.27%	151.20%	-108.93%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	46.39%	151.20%	-104.81%

Dividends

IONS vs. QBTS - Dividend Comparison

Neither IONS nor QBTS has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Financials

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both IONS and QBTS in my portfolio?

IONS and QBTS have a correlation of 0.20, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

Which is riskier, IONS or QBTS?

QBTS has higher volatility (41.14%) compared to IONS (7.32%). In terms of maximum drawdown, IONS dropped -91.42% vs QBTS's -96.67%.

Which has better risk-adjusted returns?

IONS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.42 vs 0.52), 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.