IONS vs IOVA Stock Comparison
Compare IONS and IOVA across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between IONS and IOVA?
IOVA leads the current stock comparison as Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc., with the clearest separation coming from momentum and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. vs Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.
IOVA leads
IOVA leads by 7 AIQ points, primarily on Momentum and Risk Resilience. Wall Street currently favors IONS on target upside.
Fragile: 4 of 6 evidence groups support IOVA, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors IOVA over IONS, 40 versus 33 as of Sep 11, 2026. IOVA's advantage is driven primarily by stronger momentum and risk resilience. IOVA also shows the stronger technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average, though analyst target upside currently favors IONS. 4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor IOVA today, and the comparison is rated Fragile on stability: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. IOVA lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 7 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. 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 IONS and IOVA against another ticker
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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.
- Momentum32 vs 51IOVA +19
- Risk Resilience41 vs 53IOVA +12
- Quality30 vs 30Even
- Value34 vs 34Even
4 of 6 evidence groups favor IOVA. IOVA’s edge is concentrated in momentum 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 +3
No new signals fired.
Largest factor move: Momentum -15
No new signals fired.
IOVA's lead narrowed by 4 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — IONS and IOVA both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
IOVA (Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by momentum and risk resilience.
IONS (Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.): the counter-case, on analyst expectations.
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
IOVAIOVA on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
IOVAIOVA on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
EvenThe two are level on Value.
Momentum
IOVAIOVA on the Momentum factor, by 19 points.
Lower downside
IOVAIOVA on Risk Resilience, by 12 points.
Analyst upside
IONSIONS on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
The model and the Street disagree here: AIQ favors IOVA, analyst targets favor IONS. That disagreement is the most useful thing on this page.
| Measure | IONS | IOVA | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +82.2% | -9% | IONS has more room |
| Target dispersion | +69.8% | +102.2% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 12 | 6 | 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
4 of 6 covered evidence groups favor IOVA. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | IOVA | 33 vs 40 |
| Fundamentals | IOVAon balance | revenue growth 8.9% vs 39%; EPS growth -23.2% vs 42.1%; TTM ROE -110.8% vs -40.5%; gross margin 98.2% vs 116.3%; operating margin -68.1% vs -92.7% — IOVA takes 4 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | Even | Value 34 vs 34 |
| Technicals | IOVA | Price vs 50-day -9.3% vs 39.8%; vs 200-day -23.9% vs 102.5% |
| Risk Resilience | IOVA | Risk Resilience 41 vs 53 |
| Analyst expectations | IONS | Target upside 82.2% vs -9% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of IONS and IOVA and are excluded from the count.
AIQ Decision Stability
The conclusion is sensitive to small changes. Treat the lead as provisional and watch the flip conditions below.
- The AIQ gap is moderate at 7 points.
- 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 IOVA.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10IOVA lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 7 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- IOVA +7
- 33 vs 40
- 7 sessions ago
- IOVA +10
- 36 vs 46
- 30 sessions ago
- IOVA +6
- 41 vs 47
- 90 sessions ago
- IONS +3
- 47 vs 44
The lead changed hands 4 times in this window, most recently on Jul 9 when IOVA moved ahead of IONS.
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.
0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (22.37%)
- Downtrend Structure Active — bearish, trend, long horizon
- ATR Expansion - Breakout Mode — neutral, volatility, short horizon (3.87%)
3 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted
- Golden Cross Active — bullish, trend, long horizon (53.00%)
- Bollinger Band Squeeze — neutral, volatility, short horizon
- EMA Ribbon Expansion Bullish — bullish, trend, medium horizon
IOVA 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.
Neither the price nor the AIQ Score moved enough in the latest session to confirm or contradict the other (price -2.59%, AIQ 0 points).
Price is up while the AIQ Score moved down 4 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price +5.65%, AIQ -4 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.
- 1IONS closes the Momentum gap — currently 19 points behind, the largest single contributor to IOVA's edge.
- 2IONS's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3IOVA's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once.
- 4A regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
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
IOVA leads on balance| Metric | IONS | IOVA |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 8.9% | 39% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -23.2% | 42.1% |
| Gross margin | 98.2% | 116.3% |
| Operating margin | -68.1% | -92.7% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -110.8% | -40.5% |
| Debt to equity | 5.5 | 0.06 |
Performance
IOVA leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | IONS | IOVA |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -9.3% | -5.6% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -1.6% | 20.8% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -24.1% | 115.3% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -25.6% | 68.2% |
| Year to date | -29.7% | 198.2% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -8.6% | 242% |
Technicals
IOVA has the stronger structure| Metric | IONS | IOVA |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 40.1 | 38 |
| ADX (14) | 21.2 | 50.1 |
| Price vs 50-day | -9.3% | 39.8% |
| Price vs 200-day | -23.9% | 102.5% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 37.3% | 85.7% |
Risk
IOVA is the more resilient| Metric | IONS | IOVA |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.37 | 1.31 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.25 | 1.66 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.26 | 3.84 |
| Max drawdown | -40.1% | -39% |
| Current drawdown | -35.7% | -9.4% |
| Annualized volatility | 39.9% | 100.1% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.2% | -6.9% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, IONS or IOVA?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, IOVA is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 40 against IONS's 33. The edge comes from momentum 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 IONS or IOVA the better buy right now?
IOVA carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Fragile — 4 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. A Fragile rating means the conclusion is sensitive: the leader is throwing conflicting signals. Treat the lead as provisional.
Why does the AIQ Score favor IOVA over IONS?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. IOVA leads Momentum by 19 points; IOVA leads Risk Resilience by 12 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, IONS or IOVA?
Analyst price targets imply +82.2% upside for IONS and -9% for IOVA, so the Street currently favors IONS. That points the opposite way to the AIQ Score, which favors IOVA. 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, IONS or IOVA?
Neither name separates on the peer-relative Value factor. The two are level on Value. 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, IONS or IOVA?
IOVA 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, IONS or IOVA?
IOVA on the Momentum factor, by 19 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, IONS or IOVA?
IOVA is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. IOVA on Risk Resilience, by 12 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 IONS more profitable than IOVA?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 98.2% vs 116.3%; operating margin -68.1% vs -92.7%; ttm roe -110.8% vs -40.5%. IONS leads on one measure and IOVA on two measures, 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 IOVA's lead over IONS getting stronger or weaker?
IOVA lead: Stable — the AIQ differential has held near 7 points over 30 sessions. This is measured from 119 daily comparison snapshots between 2026-05-04 and 2026-09-10. The lead has changed hands 4 times in that window, most recently on 2026-07-09, when IOVA moved ahead of IONS.
What would change the IONS vs IOVA verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: IONS closes the Momentum gap — currently 19 points behind, the largest single contributor to IOVA's edge; IONS's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; IOVA's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 3 bullish and 1 bearish rules at once; a regime shift changes factor weighting — Quality and Value carry the heaviest weights in the composite, so a rotation toward either would move the result most.
What do the current signals say about IONS and IOVA?
IONS: 0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral. IOVA: 3 bullish / 1 bearish / 2 neutral, conflicted. 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 IONS is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon). On IOVA it is Golden Cross Active (bullish, long horizon).
Compare IONS and IOVA with others
Continue your research
This page answers which of the two. These answer the questions on either side of it.
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.