Which Is a Better Investment, AbCellera Biologics Inc or Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc Stock?

By Jenna Brashear
July 31, 2026
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Sifting through countless of stocks in the Biotechnology industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or AbCellera Biologics Inc. because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc. compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a commercial-stage biotechnology company, provides RNA-targeted medicines in the United States. The company offers TRYNGOLZA reduces triglyceride levels in adults with familial chylomicronemia syndrome (FCS) and acute pancreatitis; DAWNZERA for prophylaxis to prevent attacks of hereditary angioedema in adults; WAINUA for the treatment of the polyneuropathy of hereditary transthyretin-medicated amyloidosis (ATTRv-PN) in adults; and SPINRAZA for pediatric and adult patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). It also provides QALSODY for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS); TEGSEDI for the treatment of ATTRv-PN in adults; and WAYLIVRA for treatment for FCS and familial partial lipodystrophy. It also develops products under Phase 3 clinical trials, such as Olezarsen for patients with hypertriglyceridemia (SHTG) and cardiovascular disease (CVD); and Zilganerse, a potential treatment for people with genetically confirmed Alexander disease, as well as ION582 which is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the potential treatment of AS, a rare genetic neurological disease. In addition, the company develops Eplontersen to degrade mutant and wild-type TTR mRNA through binding to the TTR mRNA; Pelacarsen to inhibit the production of apolipoprotein(a) in the liver to offer a direct approach for reducing lipoprotein(a); Bepirovirsen to inhibit the production of viral proteins associated with hepatitis B virus; Sefaxersen to reduce the production of complement factor B and lower activation of the alternative complement pathway; and Ulefnersen to reduce the production of the fused in sarcoma, as well as other mid-stage pipeline investigational medicines. It has a strategic collaboration with Biogen for the treatment of neurological disorders; and collaboration and license agreement with GSK, AstraZeneca, Novartis, and Roche, as well as with Metagenomi. The company was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Carlsbad, California.

AbCellera Biologics Inc. engages in discovering and developing antibody-based medicines for indications with unmet medical need in the United States. Its lead product is ABCL635, an non-hormonal medicine, which is in Phase 2 clinical trial to treat moderate-to-severe vasomotor symptoms; and ABCL575, a fully human, half-life extended monoclonal antibody, which is in in a Phase 1 clinical trial for treating T-cell-mediated autoimmune conditions, such as atopic dermatitis. The company has a research collaboration and license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company; AbbVie Inc.; Jazz Pharmaceuticals plc to develop T-cell engaging (TCE) multispecific antibodies; partnership agreement with Viking Global Investors & ArrowMark Partners and Biogen Inc.; and Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. AbCellera Biologics Inc. was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Latest Biotechnology and Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., AbCellera Biologics Inc. Stock News

As of July 30, 2026, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. had a $8.9 billion market capitalization, compared to the Biotechnology median of $251.9 million. Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s stock is down 34.6% in 2026, down 8.5% in the previous five trading days and up 28.42% in the past year.

Currently, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. does not have a price-earnings ratio. Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $1.1 billion with a -64.7% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 87.0%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $-2.653 per share for the current fiscal year. Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

As of July 30, 2026, AbCellera Biologics Inc. had a $1.7 billion market cap, putting it in the 52nd percentile of all stocks. AbCellera Biologics Inc.’s stock is up 67% in 2026, up 7.5% in the previous five trading days and up 21.32% in the past year.

Currently, AbCellera Biologics Inc. does not have a price-earnings ratio. AbCellera Biologics Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $79.2 million with a -181.7% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 97.6%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $-0.650 per share for the current fiscal year. AbCellera Biologics Inc. does not currently pay a dividend.

How We Compare Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc. Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc.’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

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Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc. Stock Value Grades

Company Ticker Value
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. IONS F
AbCellera Biologics Inc. ABCL F

Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection.

Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade derives from a stock’s value score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are a good value and so on.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a Value Score of 5, which is Ultra Expensive. AbCellera Biologics Inc. has a Value Score of 20, which is Ultra Expensive.

The Value Stock Winner: No Clear Winner

Neither Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or AbCellera Biologics Inc. has a high enough value grade to be considered a “winner.” Investors who are considering these companies should do additional due diligence and research to see if either could be a good addition to their portfolio. It’s important to look at a wide range of financial metrics in order to determine if Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or AbCellera Biologics Inc. is the better investment when it comes to value.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc.’s Momentum Grades

Company Ticker Momentum
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. IONS C
AbCellera Biologics Inc. ABCL A

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a Momentum Score of 47, which is Average. AbCellera Biologics Inc. has a Momentum Score of 82, which is Very Strong.

The Momentum Grade Winner: AbCellera Biologics Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Momentum Grade breakdown above, AbCellera Biologics Inc. is considered to have stronger momentum compared to Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.. For those specifically looking for companies that have stronger momentum compared to other companies in the same industry, AbCellera Biologics Inc. could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc.’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company Ticker Earnings Estimate
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. IONS B
AbCellera Biologics Inc. ABCL B

Earnings estimate revisions scores consider the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, positive surprises beget further positive surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

Estimate revisions offer an indication of what analysts are thinking about the short-term prospects of a firm. Estimate revisions are based on the statistical significance of a firm’s last two quarterly earnings surprises and the percentage change in its consensus estimate for the current fiscal year over the past month and past three months.

Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 65, which is Positive. AbCellera Biologics Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 68, which is Positive.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: It’s a Tie!

Looking at the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, both Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc. have a grade of B. For those focusing solely on a company’s estimate revisions, other financial metrics will need to be evaluated to determine whether Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or AbCellera Biologics Inc. is a better fit.

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Other Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc. Grades

In addition to Value, Momentum and Estimate Revisions, A+ Investor also provides grades for Growth and Quality.

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Growth investing builds on the idea that stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth outperform those of slower-growth companies. AAII measures growth through consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations.

AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the ranking of key metrics. Specifically, the quality grade is the percentile rank of the composite of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and F-Score.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc. pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. or AbCellera Biologics Inc. Stock?

Overall, Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. stock has a Value Score of 5, Momentum Score of 47 and Estimate Revisions Score of 65.

AbCellera Biologics Inc. stock has a Value Score of 20, Momentum Score of 82 and Estimate Revisions Score of 68.

Comparing Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and AbCellera Biologics Inc.’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

A+ Investor adds to our qualitative teaching with a powerful data suite to help you whittle down investment choices to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

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AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith, and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.



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