ACAD vs WVE Stock Comparison
Compare ACAD and WVE across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between ACAD and WVE?
ACAD leads the current stock comparison as ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. vs Wave Life Sciences Ltd.
ACAD leads
ACAD leads by 28 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Risk Resilience, but the lead has narrowed from 31 points over 30 sessions. Wall Street currently favors WVE on target upside.
Competitive: 5 of 6 evidence groups support ACAD, its lead is narrowing, and its current signal state is conflicted.
ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.
Wave Life Sciences Ltd.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors ACAD over WVE, 68 versus 40 as of Sep 11, 2026. ACAD's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and risk resilience. ACAD also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors WVE. 5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor ACAD today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: the leader's advantage has been narrowing. ACAD lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 31 to 28 points over 30 sessions. ACAD leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so a sweep is not explained by valuation alone — it deserves additional scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, expectations or event risk.
Compare ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Wave Life Sciences Ltd. across the Algovestiq AIQ Score, valuation, quality, momentum, risk, technicals and analyst expectations.
Performance over time
Price-return comparison using available daily close history.
Total return comparison
Growth of $10,000
Based on available close-price history. Distribution reinvestment is not added unless already reflected in the source series.
Compare ACAD and WVE against another ticker
Open a multi-ticker workspace without changing this focused pair page.
AIQ Factor Divergence
Where the two separate, on the four dimensions behind the AIQ Score. Bars read outward from a shared zero: further from the centre is a wider gap.
- Quality92 vs 59ACAD +33
- Risk Resilience69 vs 40ACAD +29
- Momentum50 vs 25ACAD +25
- Value57 vs 34ACAD +23
5 of 6 evidence groups favor ACAD. ACAD’s edge is concentrated in quality and risk resilience.
What changed since the last close
Latest scored session 2026-09-10, compared against the prior scored session 2026-09-09.
Largest factor move: Momentum +6
No new signals fired.
No factor moved materially.
No new signals fired.
ACAD's lead widened by 2 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — ACAD and WVE both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
ACAD (ACADIA Pharmaceuticals Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and risk resilience.
WVE (Wave Life Sciences Ltd.): the counter-case, on analyst expectations — but at materially higher volatility, 45.1% against 35.5%.
The AIQ Score and Wall Street therefore point in different directions on this pair.
Which one fits your objective
The same two names rank differently depending on what you are optimizing for. All six reads are shown at once — none of them is hidden behind a toggle.
Balanced
ACADACAD on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
ACADACAD on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
ACADACAD on the peer-relative Value factor, by 23 points.
Momentum
ACADACAD on the Momentum factor, by 25 points.
Lower downside
ACADACAD on Risk Resilience, by 29 points.
Analyst upside
WVEWVE on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors ACAD, analyst targets favor WVE. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | ACAD | WVE | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +21.1% | +212.2% | WVE has more room |
| Target dispersion | +102.3% | +41.9% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 9 | 7 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
The two are measuring different things. The AIQ Score reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; analyst targets price forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something already priced in — it is worth resolving before acting on either.
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
5 of 6 covered evidence groups favor ACAD. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | ACAD | 68 vs 40 |
| Fundamentals | ACADon balance | revenue growth 14.9% vs -94.1%; EPS growth 8% vs -161.5%; TTM ROE 32.4% vs -50.1%; gross margin 91.1% vs 96.5%; operating margin 7.6% vs -3.3% — ACAD takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | ACAD | Value 57 vs 34 |
| Technicals | ACAD | Price vs 50-day 1.5% vs -17.6%; vs 200-day 13.1% vs -49.5% |
| Risk Resilience | ACAD | Risk Resilience 69 vs 40 |
| Analyst expectations | WVE | Target upside 21.1% vs 212.2% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of ACAD and WVE and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
- The AIQ gap is wide at 28 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- 5 of 6 covered evidence groups point the same way. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader's advantage has been narrowing. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The lead has been steady session to session. (supports the conclusion holding)
- The leader is throwing conflicting signals. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- Analyst targets on the leader are widely dispersed. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
Stability combines the score gap, how broadly the evidence agrees, how steady the lead has been across daily snapshots, the current signal state on both names, and analyst dispersion on ACAD.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10ACAD lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 31 to 28 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- ACAD +28
- 68 vs 40
- 7 sessions ago
- ACAD +26
- 69 vs 43
- 30 sessions ago
- ACAD +31
- 74 vs 43
- 90 sessions ago
- ACAD +27
- 74 vs 47
The lead has not changed hands in this window.
AIQ Signal Divergence
Only the signals that bear on the head-to-head. A conflicted name is carrying bullish and bearish rules at the same time — the technical evidence is not pointing one way.
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (11.82%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
0 bullish / 4 bearish / 1 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (66.61%)
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (0.0%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
ACAD leads the comparison while carrying a conflicted signal state, which is one reason the stability rating is not higher.
Price vs model alignment
Whether the latest session's price move confirms what the model did over the same session, or contradicts it.
Price and the AIQ Score both moved up over the latest session (price +0.32%, AIQ +2 points).
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -1.71%, AIQ 0 points).
What would flip this result
A state, not a forecast. These are the specific, observable changes that would reverse the verdict — not a price prediction.
- 1WVE closes the Quality gap — currently 33 points behind, the largest single contributor to ACAD's edge.
- 2WVE's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3ACAD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4The narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 3 points over 30 sessions, and a further 28-point move would eliminate ACAD's advantage entirely.
The full evidence
Every number behind the verdict. The leader is called above each group so you are not left to solve it from the table.
Fundamentals
ACAD leads on balance| Metric | ACAD | WVE |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 14.9% | -94.1% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | 8% | -161.5% |
| Gross margin | 91.1% | 96.5% |
| Operating margin | 7.6% | -3.3% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | 32.4% | -50.1% |
| Debt to equity | 0.06 | 0.1 |
Performance
ACAD leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | ACAD | WVE |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -4.1% | -4.3% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -5.8% | -10.9% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | 30.5% | -17.5% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | 26.3% | -66.8% |
| Year to date | 3.9% | -71.4% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | 9.3% | -38.4% |
Technicals
ACAD has the stronger structure| Metric | ACAD | WVE |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 37.9 | 30.4 |
| ADX (14) | 25.9 | 35.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | 1.5% | -17.6% |
| Price vs 200-day | 13.1% | -49.5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 35.5% | 45.1% |
Risk
ACAD is the more resilient| Metric | ACAD | WVE |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.84 | 1.35 |
| Sharpe ratio | 0.38 | 0.27 |
| Sortino ratio | 0.61 | 0.57 |
| Max drawdown | -27.6% | -78.1% |
| Current drawdown | -9.3% | -78.1% |
| Annualized volatility | 38% | 168.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.5% | -5.9% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, ACAD or WVE?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, ACAD is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 68 against WVE's 40. The edge comes from quality and risk resilience. This is a systematic score, not a recommendation: it ranks the two on the same evidence, it does not know your holding period or tax position.
Is ACAD or WVE the better buy right now?
ACAD carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 5 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Competitive rating means the two are close enough that your objective, not the score, should decide.
Why does the AIQ Score favor ACAD over WVE?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. ACAD leads Quality by 33 points; ACAD leads Risk Resilience by 29 points; ACAD leads Momentum by 25 points. ACAD leads on all four AIQ factor dimensions. Value is itself one of those four, so the sweep is not explained by WVE simply being cheaper — it warrants extra scrutiny for unmodeled catalysts, forward expectations or event risk the factors do not capture.
Which has more analyst upside, ACAD or WVE?
Analyst price targets imply +21.1% upside for ACAD and +212.2% for WVE, so the Street currently favors WVE. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors ACAD. The two are measuring different things: the model reads current fundamentals, valuation, trend and risk; the Street is pricing forward expectations. A divergence of this kind is either a contrarian opportunity or a sign the model is missing something the analysts have already priced — it is the single most useful row on this page to investigate. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, ACAD or WVE?
ACAD is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. ACAD on the peer-relative Value factor, by 23 points. The Value factor reads valuation relative to sector peers and to the company's own fundamental quality, so it is not the same as simply having the lower multiple.
Which has stronger growth, ACAD or WVE?
ACAD on combined revenue and EPS growth. Growth here is measured on reported revenue and earnings, not on forward estimates — it describes what the businesses have delivered, not what the Street expects next.
Which has stronger momentum, ACAD or WVE?
ACAD on the Momentum factor, by 25 points. Momentum is one of the four weighted factors in the AIQ composite. It has documented persistence over three- to twelve-month horizons, which makes it a timing input rather than a reason to hold something indefinitely.
Which is riskier, ACAD or WVE?
ACAD is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. ACAD on Risk Resilience, by 29 points. Risk Resilience is a weighted factor in the composite; position sizing usually responds to it more usefully than the buy/avoid decision does.
Is ACAD more profitable than WVE?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 91.1% vs 96.5%; operating margin 7.6% vs -3.3%; ttm roe 32.4% vs -50.1%. ACAD leads on two measures and WVE on one measure, and there is no single profitability composite that resolves the split — which of the two reads as "more profitable" depends on whether you weight pricing power or operating leverage.
Is ACAD's lead over WVE getting stronger or weaker?
ACAD lead: Weakening — the AIQ differential moved from 31 to 28 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has not changed hands in that window.
What would change the ACAD vs WVE verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: WVE closes the Quality gap — currently 33 points behind, the largest single contributor to ACAD's edge; WVE's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; ACAD's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; the narrowing continues — the lead has already given back 3 points over 30 sessions, and a further 28-point move would eliminate ACAD's advantage entirely.
What do the current signals say about ACAD and WVE?
ACAD: 3 bullish / 1 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted. WVE: 0 bullish / 4 bearish / 1 neutral. A conflicted state means bullish and bearish rules are active on the same name at once — the technical evidence is not pointing one way, and a decision taken on it carries more timing risk. The most decision-relevant rule on ACAD is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon). On WVE it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare ACAD and WVE with others
Continue your research
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How this comparison is scored
The Algovestiq AIQ Score composites four factors — Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk, each carrying a fixed weight. Sentiment is reported separately as SentimentPulse and is not folded into the composite. Scores refresh every trading day, and this page regenerates from the latest snapshot rather than being written once.
The verdict names a leader, states how broadly six independent evidence groups agree, and rates how durable that conclusion is given the score gap, its recent trajectory and the current signal state on both names.
How to use side-by-side comparison →This comparison is informational and educational, not investment advice. AIQ scores update daily; re-check after earnings, guidance or macro data that materially changes either name’s factor profile.