Stock analysis · Bull Rankings model

IONS analysis

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.Biotechnology. Scored on the same transparent model behind the daily rankings.

Biotech & Gene Editing
IONS
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. · Biotechnology
FCF-$561mF
Rev-7.4%D
D/E4.98D
P/S10.8xC
PEG27.33D
11.4Score
$56.94$9.5B
1Y Target$89.33Analyst consensus · 21 analysts
5Y Target$156.24Compound horizon
10Y Target$279.24Long-dated conviction
FCF-$561mTTM
F
FCF is negative (-$561m) — cash-burning phase; acceptable only for pre-profit spec names
Rev-7.4%TTM YoY
D
Revenue -7.4% — meaningful contraction
D/E4.98
D
D/E 4.98 — most levered decile in Healthcare (≈95th pctile)
P/S10.8x
C
P/S 10.8x — expensive vs Healthcare peers (≈90th pctile)
PEG27.33
D
PEG 27.33 — very expensive; pricing in best-case scenarios

Forward price target — the 1-year figure is the analyst consensus where the stock is covered; the 5- and 10-year figures compound our earnings estimate from there. The DCF below is a separate cross-check on intrinsic value (what it's worth today), not another target.

Quality-growth score · 11.4
Quality0.11
Growth0.26
Value0.04
Why this score
  • Diluting shareholders
Entry · Margin of safety
52-week rangeMid-range
34% off the 12-month high
Quality signals · context only
Gross profitability29% · Bgross profit ÷ total assets (Novy-Marx)
ROIC-21.3% · Freturn on invested capital — not score-weighted

Model-generatedGenerated by the Bull Rankings model from this company's reported fundamentals, and checked against the figures shown above.

Why now
Biotechnology · market cap $9.5b. Down 34% from 52-week high of $86.74 — deep drawdown territory. Revenue -7% — in contraction; any catalyst that reverses this triggers re-rating. 21 sell-side analysts rate this a Buy with a mean 1-yr target of $89.33 (implying +57% upside).
Moat
Pharma moat is patent runway + pipeline depth — a single approved molecule funds the next generation of bets. Late-stage trials carry binary readouts that swing valuation 30%+.
Risk
D/E 4.98 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$561m) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Revenue contracting -7% — the operational turn is not yet visible in the top line.
Horizon
1-3 yr $89.33 (21-analyst consensus) — catalyst-driven; binary events dominate. 5 yr $156.24 — requires the platform / technology to reach commercial scale. 10 yr $279.24 — return distribution heavily skewed.
Not investment advice. The Bull Rankings publishes a quantitative ranking model and accompanying analysis for general informational purposes only. Nothing on this page is a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold any security; nothing is personalized to your circumstances, risk tolerance, or tax situation. Investing carries the risk of loss — invest at your own risk and consider consulting a licensed financial professional before acting on anything you read here. See terms and methodology for full disclosures.

IONS vs the Top Picks average

PillarIONSBook avgDiff
Quality0.110.83-0.72
Growth0.260.92-0.66
Value0.040.75-0.71

Averaged across the 30 names in today's Top Picks (mean score 82.4). A name can beat these averages and still be absent from the book — it also applies concentration limits.

Trend
-5.3 over 36 daily scores
From 16.7 (Jun 22) → 11.4 (now)

One point per daily model run. The range autoscales, so a flat-looking line can still hide 1–2 point moves — read the From → To values for the actual range.

Shares to buy
35
Position size
$1,993
4.0% of portfolio
Stop price
$42.70
25% below $56.94
$ at risk if stopped
$498.22
budget $500.00 · 1% of portfolio

Math only — share count is floor(portfolio × risk% ÷ (price × stop%)). Doesn't account for commissions, slippage, gap risk, or position-correlation across your book. Inputs persist locally; never sent to the server. Not investment advice.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS): score, valuation & FAQ

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (IONS) is a Biotechnology company that scores 11.4 out of 100 on the Bull Rankings quality-growth model — a weak reading. The score blends three pillars — quality (durable returns, healthy margins, low leverage), growth (revenue and earnings), and value (valuation versus sector peers) — into one number, refreshed daily; it is a screen, not a buy recommendation.

The model flags PEG (D) and FCF (F) as weaker areas.

Is IONS a good stock to buy?

Bull Rankings scores IONS 11.4 out of 100 on its quality-growth model, which is a weak reading. A score is a quantitative screen of Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.'s fundamentals, not personalised financial advice — weigh it against your own time horizon and risk tolerance, and read the risk factors below before acting.

Why does IONS score 11.4 on Bull Rankings?

The quality-growth score blends three pillars — quality (returns on capital, margins, leverage, earnings quality), growth (revenue and earnings expansion), and value (valuation versus sector peers). IONS grades middle-of-pack across the strip, and is held back by PEG (D) and FCF (F). Each pillar is graded against sector-aware thresholds, then combined into the single 0–100 score.

Is IONS overvalued or undervalued?

We don't compute a reliable discounted-cash-flow value for IONS — typically because it is not yet consistently profitable or free-cash-flow positive — so its valuation rests on growth and price-to-sales rather than on earnings-based intrinsic value. Judge it on the trajectory of the business, not a single multiple.

What are the main risks of investing in IONS?

D/E 4.98 is elevated — limits strategic flexibility and raises refinancing exposure if rates stay higher for longer. Free cash flow is negative (-$561m) — capital raises or debt issuance likely required; dilution / leverage risk. Revenue contracting -7% — the operational turn is not yet visible in the top line.

New to these metrics? The guides explain free cash flow, how the score works, and more in the learn hub — or run another name through the screener.

Bull Rankings is an automated fundamentals screen for research and education. It is not investment advice, and nothing here is a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Do your own research and consider consulting a licensed financial adviser.

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