Aquestive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:AQST – Get Free Report) and Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS – Get Free Report) are both medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, earnings and risk.
Volatility & Risk
Aquestive Therapeutics has a beta of 1.79, indicating that its stock price is 79% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Zoetis has a beta of 0.9, indicating that its stock price is 10% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Aquestive Therapeutics and Zoetis, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Aquestive Therapeutics | 1 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 3.00 |
| Zoetis | 0 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 2.50 |
Profitability
This table compares Aquestive Therapeutics and Zoetis’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Aquestive Therapeutics | -158.95% | N/A | -59.86% |
| Zoetis | 27.83% | 56.90% | 19.54% |
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Aquestive Therapeutics and Zoetis”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Aquestive Therapeutics | $57.56 million | 12.80 | -$44.14 million | ($0.70) | -8.63 |
| Zoetis | $9.40 billion | 5.67 | $2.49 billion | $5.94 | 20.24 |
Zoetis has higher revenue and earnings than Aquestive Therapeutics. Aquestive Therapeutics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Zoetis, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
32.5% of Aquestive Therapeutics shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 92.8% of Zoetis shares are owned by institutional investors. 8.4% of Aquestive Therapeutics shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Zoetis shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
Zoetis beats Aquestive Therapeutics on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Aquestive Therapeutics
Aquestive Therapeutics, Inc. operates as a pharmaceutical company in the United States and internationally. The company markets Sympazan, an oral soluble film formulation of clobazam for the treatment of lennox-gastaut syndrome; Suboxone, a sublingual film formulation of buprenorphine and naloxone for the treatment of opioid dependence; Zuplenz, an oral soluble film formulation of ondansetron for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy and post-operative recovery; and Azstarys, a once-daily product for the treatment of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Its proprietary product candidates comprise Libervant, a buccal soluble film formulation of diazepam for the treatment of seizures; KYNMOBI, a sublingual film formulation of apomorphine for the treatment of episodic off-periods in Parkinson's disease; and Exservan, an oral soluble film formulation of riluzole for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The company's proprietary pipeline of complex molecule product includes AQST-108, a sublingual film formulation delivering systemic epinephrine for the treatment of conditions other than anaphylaxis; and Anaphylm, an epinephrine sublingual film for the emergency treatment of allergic reactions, including anaphylaxis. In addition, it develops Adrenaverse, an epinephrine prodrug platform. The company was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Warren, New Jersey.
About Zoetis
Zoetis Inc. engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses. It also offers parasiticides, vaccines, dermatology, other pharmaceutical, anti-infectives, animal health diagnostics, and medicated feed additives. In addition, the company provides animal health diagnostics, including point-of-care diagnostic products, instruments and reagents, rapid immunoassay tests, reference laboratory kits and services, and blood glucose monitors; and other non-pharmaceutical products, which include nutritionals, as well as products and services in biodevices, genetic tests, and precision animal health. It markets its products to veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners. The company has collaboration Blacksmith Medicines, Inc. to discover and develop novel antibiotics for animal health. Zoetis Inc. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.
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