IONS vs KPTI Stock Comparison
Compare IONS and KPTI across AIQ Score, fundamentals, valuation, momentum, risk, analyst expectations and current market evidence.
What is the main difference between IONS and KPTI?
KPTI leads the current stock comparison as Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc., with the clearest separation coming from quality and the broader AIQ evidence mix.
AlgovestIQ AIQ Comparison
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. vs Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
KPTI leads
KPTI leads by 30 AIQ points, primarily on Quality and Value, and the lead has widened from 20 points over 30 sessions.
Competitive: 3 of 6 evidence groups support KPTI, its lead is widening, and its current signal state is conflicted.
Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.
The Algovestiq AIQ Score currently favors KPTI over IONS, 63 versus 33 as of Sep 11, 2026. KPTI's advantage is driven primarily by stronger quality and value, while IONS holds the stronger risk resilience profile. KPTI also shows the weaker technical structure relative to its 50-day moving average. 3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor KPTI today, and the comparison is rated Competitive on stability: only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. KPTI lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 20 to 30 points over 30 sessions.
Compare Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Karyopharm Therapeutics 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 KPTI 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.
- Quality30 vs 100KPTI +70
- Value34 vs 65KPTI +31
- Risk Resilience41 vs 32IONS +9
- Momentum32 vs 35Even
3 of 6 evidence groups favor KPTI. KPTI’s edge is concentrated in quality and value; IONS keeps a meaningful risk resilience edge.
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 +3
New signals
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
KPTI's lead widened by 1 AIQ points in the latest snapshot.
Deeper signal detail for each name lives on its own signals page — IONS and KPTI both carry a full feed there.
The central trade-off
KPTI (Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc.): the stronger current systematic profile, led by quality and value.
IONS (Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.): the counter-case, on risk resilience, fundamentals, technicals.
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
KPTIKPTI on the overall AIQ Score, which weights Quality and Value most heavily.
Growth
IONSIONS on combined revenue and EPS growth.
Value
KPTIKPTI on the peer-relative Value factor, by 31 points.
Momentum
EvenThe two are level on Momentum.
Lower downside
IONSIONS on Risk Resilience, by 9 points.
Analyst upside
KPTIKPTI on implied upside to the consensus price target.
AIQ vs Wall Street
Where the systematic read and the analyst consensus line up — and where they do not.
| Measure | IONS | KPTI | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implied upside to target | +82.2% | +533.5% | KPTI has more room |
| Target dispersion | +69.8% | +127.5% | Lower is tighter analyst agreement |
| Consensus | Buy | Buy | Context, not a primary driver |
| Analysts covering | 12 | 4 | Higher coverage generally improves confidence |
Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions. Dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
AIQ Agreement Matrix
3 of 6 covered evidence groups favor KPTI. A wide gap backed by one group is a weaker case than a narrow gap backed by five.
| Evidence group | Favors | Reading |
|---|---|---|
| AIQ Score | KPTI | 33 vs 63 |
| Fundamentals | IONSon balance | revenue growth 8.9% vs -4.7%; EPS growth -23.2% vs -127.5%; TTM ROE -110.8% vs 77.6%; gross margin 98.2% vs 95.9%; operating margin -68.1% vs -56.2% — IONS takes 3 of 5 decided legs, not all of them |
| Valuation | KPTI | Value 34 vs 65 |
| Technicals | IONS | Price vs 50-day -9.3% vs -66.3%; vs 200-day -23.9% vs -76.1% |
| Risk Resilience | IONS | Risk Resilience 41 vs 32 |
| Analyst expectations | KPTI | Target upside 82.2% vs 533.5% |
✓ agrees with the overall verdict · ✕ points the other way. Groups marked “not covered” lack data on one or both of IONS and KPTI 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 30 points. (supports the conclusion holding)
- Only 3 of 6 covered evidence groups agree. (argues the conclusion is provisional)
- The leader's advantage has been widening. (supports the conclusion holding)
- 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 KPTI.
How the comparison changed
119 daily snapshots · May 4 – Sep 10KPTI lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 20 to 30 points over 30 sessions.
- Today
- KPTI +30
- 33 vs 63
- 7 sessions ago
- KPTI +29
- 36 vs 65
- 30 sessions ago
- KPTI +20
- 41 vs 61
- 90 sessions ago
- KPTI +24
- 47 vs 71
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.
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%)
2 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral, conflicted
- Death Cross Active — bearish, trend, long horizon (48.07%)
- BB Lower Band Breach — bullish, volatility, short horizon
- 52-Week Low Proximity — bearish, risk, long horizon (0.0%)
KPTI 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 down while the AIQ Score moved up 1 points over the same session — price and model disagree (price -0.62%, AIQ +1 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 Quality gap — currently 70 points behind, the largest single contributor to KPTI's edge.
- 2IONS's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it.
- 3KPTI's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 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
IONS leads on balance| Metric | IONS | KPTI |
|---|---|---|
| Revenue growth (YoY) | 8.9% | -4.7% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | -23.2% | -127.5% |
| Gross margin | 98.2% | 95.9% |
| Operating margin | -68.1% | -56.2% |
| Return on equity (TTM) | -110.8% | 77.6% |
| Debt to equity | 5.5 | -0.65 |
Performance
IONS leads 6 of 6 windows| Metric | IONS | KPTI |
|---|---|---|
| 1 week (5 sessions) | -9.3% | -9.5% |
| 1 month (20 sessions) | -1.6% | -20.2% |
| 3 months (63 sessions) | -24.1% | -80.4% |
| 6 months (126 sessions) | -25.6% | -81.2% |
| Year to date | -29.7% | -75.9% |
| 1 year (252 sessions) | -8.6% | -74.1% |
Technicals
IONS has the stronger structure| Metric | IONS | KPTI |
|---|---|---|
| RSI (14) | 40.1 | 40.9 |
| ADX (14) | 21.2 | 51.6 |
| Price vs 50-day | -9.3% | -66.3% |
| Price vs 200-day | -23.9% | -76.1% |
| Volatility (1M, annualized) | 37.3% | 89.4% |
Risk
IONS is the more resilient| Metric | IONS | KPTI |
|---|---|---|
| Beta | 0.37 | 0.61 |
| Sharpe ratio | -0.25 | -0.41 |
| Sortino ratio | -0.26 | -0.42 |
| Max drawdown | -40.1% | -84.8% |
| Current drawdown | -35.7% | -84.8% |
| Annualized volatility | 39.9% | 113.6% |
| Value at risk (95%) | -3.2% | -8% |
Straight answers
Each answer is regenerated from the current snapshot, not written once and left to age.
Which is better, IONS or KPTI?
On the Algovestiq AIQ Score, KPTI is the stronger of the two as of Sep 11, 2026, scoring 63 against IONS's 33. The edge comes from quality and value. IONS is not without a case — it holds the better risk resilience profile, which matters more if that is the objective you are optimizing for. 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 KPTI the better buy right now?
KPTI carries the stronger systematic profile as of Sep 11, 2026, and the comparison is rated Competitive — 3 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 KPTI over IONS?
The composite weights Quality, Value, Momentum and Risk Resilience. KPTI leads Quality by 70 points; KPTI leads Value by 31 points; IONS leads Risk Resilience by 9 points. Where the two split, the factor with the larger weight carries the result.
Which has more analyst upside, IONS or KPTI?
Analyst price targets imply +82.2% upside for IONS and +533.5% for KPTI, so the Street currently favors KPTI. The model and the Street agree here, which is a broader base of evidence than either alone. Analyst targets are expectations, not predictions, and dispersion matters as much as the midpoint.
Which is better value, IONS or KPTI?
KPTI is the better-valued of the two on the peer-relative Value factor. KPTI on the peer-relative Value factor, by 31 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, IONS or KPTI?
IONS 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 KPTI?
The two are level on Momentum. 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 KPTI?
IONS is the more resilient of the two, so the other name carries the higher downside risk. IONS on Risk Resilience, by 9 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 KPTI?
The profitability evidence is mixed: gross margin 98.2% vs 95.9%; operating margin -68.1% vs -56.2%; ttm roe -110.8% vs 77.6%. IONS leads on one measure and KPTI 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 KPTI's lead over IONS getting stronger or weaker?
KPTI lead: Strengthening — the AIQ differential moved from 20 to 30 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 IONS vs KPTI verdict?
The result is a state, not a forecast, so it changes when the underlying evidence changes. Concretely: IONS closes the Quality gap — currently 70 points behind, the largest single contributor to KPTI's edge; IONS's Death Cross Active resolves — a bearish trend rule currently active against it; KPTI's conflicting signal state resolves bearish — it currently carries 2 bullish and 3 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 KPTI?
IONS: 0 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 neutral. KPTI: 2 bullish / 3 bearish / 1 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 KPTI it is Death Cross Active (bearish, long horizon).
Compare IONS and KPTI 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.