Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (IRWD) vs Pacira BioSciences (PCRX)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 9, 2026.
Summary
Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (IRWD) has outperformed Pacira BioSciences (PCRX) over the past year, gaining 144.9% versus a gain of 55.4%. Over five years, PCRX leads with a -31.6% price change compared with -71.7% for IRWD. Pacira BioSciences is the larger company by market cap ($1.45 billion vs $646.6 million), about 2.2 times the size.
On valuation, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals trades at a lower forward P/E (2.6x vs 10.5x for Pacira BioSciences).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | IRWD | PCRX |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $3.91 | $36.32 |
| Market cap | $646.58M | $1.45B |
| 1-day change | +1.11% | -0.19% |
| YTD return | +14.84% | +40.61% |
| 1-year return | +144.94% | +55.45% |
| 5-year return | -71.67% | -31.60% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 5.08 | 103.77 |
| Forward P/E | 2.61 | 10.50 |
| EPS (TTM) | $0.77 | $0.35 |
| Dividend yield | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Annual dividend | $0.00 | $0.00 |
| Revenue (latest FY) | — | $726.41M |
| Revenue growth (YoY) | — | +3.63% |
| Net income (latest FY) | — | $7.03M |
| Gross margin | — | 79.39% |
| Operating margin | — | 2.64% |
| Net margin | — | 0.97% |
| 52-week high | $5.78 | $36.46 |
| 52-week low | $1.41 | $18.80 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -32.30% | -0.38% |
| Analyst consensus | none | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +55.89% | -17.10% |
| Average volume | 2.02M | 1.03M |
| Shares outstanding | 165.24M | 39.91M |
| Employees | 100 | 825 |
| Sector | Health Care | Health Care |
| Industry | Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations | 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
- Pacira BioSciences is about 2.2 times larger than Ironwood Pharmaceuticals by market value ($1.45B vs $646.58M).
- IRWD has outperformed PCRX by 89.5 percentage points over the past year.
- Pacira BioSciences trades at a higher earnings multiple (103.8x vs 5.1x trailing P/E).
About Ironwood Pharmaceuticals
IRWD stock →Ironwood Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on the development and commercialization of therapies for gastrointestinal (GI) and rare diseases in the United States and internationally. It sells linaclotide, a guanylate cyclase type-C (GC-C) agonist for the treatment of adults suffering from irritable bowel syndrome with constipation or chronic idiopathic constipation, as well as for pediatric patients suffering from functional constipation under the LINZESS and CONSTELLA names.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 100 employees
About Pacira BioSciences
PCRX stock →Pacira BioSciences, Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, marketing, distribution, and sale of non-opioid pain management and regenerative health solutions to healthcare practitioners in the United States.
Health Care · Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations · 825 employees
IRWD vs PCRX FAQ
Which is bigger, Ironwood Pharmaceuticals or Pacira BioSciences?
Pacira BioSciences (PCRX) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.45B compared with $646.58M for Ironwood Pharmaceuticals (IRWD).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, IRWD or PCRX?
IRWD returned +144.94% over the past 12 months, compared with +55.45% for PCRX (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, IRWD or PCRX?
IRWD has the lower trailing P/E at 5.1, versus 103.8 for PCRX. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Are Ironwood Pharmaceuticals and Pacira BioSciences in the same industry?
Yes. Both are classified in the Biotechnology: Pharmaceutical Preparations industry within the Health Care sector.