WVE vs. IONS
WVE (Wave Life Sciences Ltd.) and IONS (Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.) are both stocks. Both operate in the Biotechnology industry within the Healthcare sector. Over the past 10 years, WVE returned -11.39%/yr vs 13.21%/yr for IONS. At a 0.26 correlation, their price movements are largely independent.
Performance
WVE vs. IONS - Performance Comparison
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Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, WVE achieves a -64.47% return, which is significantly lower than IONS's -3.94% return. Over the past 10 years, WVE has underperformed IONS with an annualized return of -11.39%, while IONS has yielded a comparatively higher 13.21% annualized return.
WVE
- 1D
- -2.11%
- 1M
- -5.33%
- YTD
- -64.47%
- 6M
- -65.45%
- 1Y
- -13.22%
- 3Y*
- 17.32%
- 5Y*
- -3.43%
- 10Y*
- -11.39%
IONS
- 1D
- 0.13%
- 1M
- 0.57%
- YTD
- -3.94%
- 6M
- -5.40%
- 1Y
- 101.73%
- 3Y*
- 24.22%
- 5Y*
- 14.60%
- 10Y*
- 13.21%
WVE vs. IONS - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WVE Wave Life Sciences Ltd. | -64.47% | 37.43% | 144.95% | -27.86% | 122.93% | -60.10% | -1.81% | -80.93% | 19.77% | 34.23% |
IONS Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. | -3.94% | 126.29% | -30.90% | 33.94% | 24.12% | -46.18% | -6.41% | 11.75% | 7.48% | 5.16% |
Correlation
The correlation between WVE and IONS is 0.34, which is low. Their price movements are largely independent, making them effective diversification partners.
| Correlation | |
|---|---|
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 0.34 |
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period | 0.33 |
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.29 |
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.28 |
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 11, 2015 | 0.26 |
Fundamentals
WVE:
$1.21B
IONS:
$12.53B
WVE:
-$1.03
IONS:
-$1.95
WVE:
14.98
IONS:
12.03
WVE:
2.36
IONS:
25.50
WVE:
$71.80M
IONS:
$1.06B
WVE:
$29.09M
IONS:
$1.04B
WVE:
-$184.40M
IONS:
$4.54B
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Return for Risk
WVE vs. IONS — Risk / Return Rank
WVE
IONS
WVE vs. IONS - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (WVE) and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS). 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.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| WVE | IONS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -2.27 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | -2.89 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.19 | 1.49 | -0.30 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | -0.18 | 5.26 | -5.44 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | -0.32 | 12.39 | -12.71 |
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Drawdowns
WVE vs. IONS - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum WVE drawdown since its inception was -97.77%, which is greater than IONS's maximum drawdown of -91.42%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for WVE and IONS.
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Drawdown Indicators
| WVE | IONS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -97.77% | -91.42% | -6.35% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -73.44% | -19.45% | -53.99% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -73.44% | -52.36% | -21.08% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -82.72% | -52.36% | -30.36% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -97.77% | -70.39% | -27.38% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -89.06% | -12.15% | -76.91% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -64.88% | -52.35% | -12.53% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 40.94% | 8.24% | +32.70% |
Volatility
WVE vs. IONS - Volatility Comparison
Wave Life Sciences Ltd. (WVE) has a higher volatility of 16.53% compared to Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) at 6.42%. This indicates that WVE's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than IONS based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| WVE | IONS | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 16.53% | 6.42% | +10.11% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 79.20% | 20.05% | +59.15% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 168.70% | 46.63% | +122.07% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 114.67% | 42.20% | +72.47% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 98.97% | 46.17% | +52.80% |
Dividends
WVE vs. IONS - Dividend Comparison
Neither WVE nor IONS has paid dividends to shareholders.
Financials
WVE vs. IONS - Financials Comparison
This section allows you to compare key financial metrics between Wave Life Sciences Ltd. and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. 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
WVE vs. IONS - Profitability Comparison
WVE - Gross Margin
Gross margin is calculated as gross profit divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Wave Life Sciences Ltd. reported a gross profit of 0.00 and revenue of 38.25M. Therefore, the gross margin over that period was 0.0%.
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%.
WVE - Operating Margin
Operating margin is calculated as operating income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Wave Life Sciences Ltd. reported an operating income of -31.30M and revenue of 38.25M, resulting in an operating margin of -81.8%.
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%.
WVE - Net Margin
Net margin is calculated as net income divided by revenue. For the three months ending on Jun 2026, Wave Life Sciences Ltd. reported a net income of -26.09M and revenue of 38.25M, resulting in a net margin of -68.2%.
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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
WVE and IONS have a correlation of 0.34, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.
WVE has higher volatility (16.53%) compared to IONS (6.42%). In terms of maximum drawdown, WVE dropped -97.77% vs IONS's -91.42%.
IONS currently has the higher Sharpe Ratio (2.19 vs -0.08), 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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