MetaCap

Denali Therapeutics (DNLI) vs Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS)

Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.

Summary

Denali Therapeutics (DNLI) has outperformed Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) over the past year, gaining 28.6% versus a loss of 35.9%. Over five years, IONS leads with a +25.8% price change compared with -57.9% for DNLI. Ionis Pharmaceuticals is the larger company by market cap ($7.19 billion vs $2.98 billion), about 2.4 times the size.

Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology

Relative performance

DNLI+28.59%IONS-35.94%
+89%+23%-43%
Oct 7, 20251 yearOct 7, 2026
DNLI-62.36%IONS+29.54%
+165%+38%-88%
Oct 4, 20215 yearsOct 5, 2026

Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.

Head-to-head

DNLI versus IONS key metrics
MetricDNLIIONS
Share price$18.67$43.27
Market cap$2.98B$7.19B
1-day change-2.57%-2.02%
YTD return+16.05%-44.18%
1-year return+28.59%-35.94%
5-year return-57.95%+25.81%
EPS (TTM)$-2.84$-3.48
Dividend yield0.00%0.00%
Annual dividend$0.00$0.00
Revenue (latest FY)$0$943.71M
Revenue growth (YoY)—+33.83%
Net income (latest FY)$-512.54M$-381.39M
Gross margin—98.31%
Operating margin—-40.45%
Net margin—-40.41%
52-week high$27.30$86.74
52-week low$13.75$42.63
Distance from 52-week high-31.62%-50.12%
Analyst consensusstrong_buybuy
Avg. price target upside+93.16%+93.30%
Average volume1.61M3.78M
Shares outstanding159.85M166.18M
Employees5031,480
SectorHealth CareHealth Care
IndustryBiotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances)Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations

Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.

Key differences

  • Ionis Pharmaceuticals is about 2.4 times larger than Denali Therapeutics by market value ($7.19B vs $2.98B).
  • DNLI has outperformed IONS by 64.5 percentage points over the past year.

About Denali Therapeutics

DNLI stock →

Denali Therapeutics Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers and develops therapeutics to treat neurodegenerative and lysosomal storage diseases. The company develops Eclitasertib (SAR443122/DNL758) RIPK1 inhibitor program for peripheral inflammatory diseases; BIIB122/DNL151 LRRK2 inhibitor program for Parkinson's disease; TAK-594/DNL593 program for frontotemporal dementia-granulin; DNL126 program for MPS IIIA (Sanfilippo Syndrome A); and DNL310 Tividenofusp alfa, an enzyme replacement therapy program for MPS II (Hunter Syndrome).

Health Care · Biotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances) · 503 employees

About Ionis Pharmaceuticals

IONS stock →

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).

Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 1,480 employees

DNLI vs IONS FAQ

Which is bigger, Denali Therapeutics or Ionis Pharmaceuticals?

Ionis Pharmaceuticals (IONS) is larger, with a market capitalization of $7.19B compared with $2.98B for Denali Therapeutics (DNLI).

Which stock has performed better over the past year, DNLI or IONS?

DNLI returned +28.59% over the past 12 months, compared with -35.94% for IONS (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.

Are Denali Therapeutics and Ionis Pharmaceuticals in the same industry?

Both are in the Health Care sector, but in different industries: Biotechnology: Biological Products (No Diagnostic Substances) for Denali Therapeutics and Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations for Ionis Pharmaceuticals.

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