Analyzing Cypherpunk Technologies (NASDAQ:CYPH) and Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN)

Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) and Cypherpunk Technologies (NASDAQ:CYPH) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, valuation, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends.

Volatility and Risk

Agenus has a beta of 1.58, suggesting that its stock price is 58% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Cypherpunk Technologies has a beta of -0.19, suggesting that its stock price is 119% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

61.5% of Agenus shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 30.5% of Cypherpunk Technologies shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.5% of Agenus shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.3% of Cypherpunk Technologies shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Agenus and Cypherpunk Technologies, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Agenus	1	2	2	0	2.20
Cypherpunk Technologies	1	3	0	0	1.75

Agenus currently has a consensus price target of $14.50, suggesting a potential upside of 291.89%. Cypherpunk Technologies has a consensus price target of $3.38, suggesting a potential upside of 206.82%. Given Agenus’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Agenus is more favorable than Cypherpunk Technologies.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Agenus and Cypherpunk Technologies”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Agenus	$103.46 million	1.22	-$227.21 million	($2.13)	-1.74
Cypherpunk Technologies	N/A	N/A	-$67.56 million	($1.22)	-0.90

Cypherpunk Technologies has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Agenus. Agenus is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Cypherpunk Technologies, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Agenus and Cypherpunk Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Agenus	-36.77%	N/A	-18.58%
Cypherpunk Technologies	N/A	-316.09%	-176.06%

Summary

Agenus beats Cypherpunk Technologies on 9 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Agenus

Agenus Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, discovers and develops immuno-oncology products in the United States and internationally. The company offers Retrocyte Display, an antibody expression platform for the identification of fully human and humanized monoclonal antibodies; and display technologies. It develops QS-21 Stimulon adjuvant, a saponin-based vaccine adjuvant. The company also develops Balstilimab, an anti-PD-1 antagonist that has completed Phase II clinical trial to treat second line cervical cancer; AGEN1181, an antigen 4 (CTLA-4) blocking antibody that is in Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of pancreatic cancer and and melanoma; AGEN2373, a CD137 monospecific antibody that is in Phase 1b clinical trial; AGEN1423, a CD73/TGFß TRAP antibody; AGEN1571, an ILT2 monospecific antibody that is in Phase 1 clinical trial; and BMS-986442, a TIGIT bispecific antibodies. In addition, it develops INCAGN1876, a GITR agonist; INCAGN2390, a TIM-3 monospecific antibody; INCAGN2385, a LAG-3 monospecific antibody; MK-4830, a monospecific antibody targeting ILT4 that is in Phase 2 clinical trial; UGN-301, a zalifrelimab intravesical solution for the treatment of cancers of the urinary tract that is in a Phase 1 clinical trial; and AGEN1884, a first-generation anti-CTLA-4 monospecific antibody. The company operates under Agenus, MiNK, Prophage, Retrocyte Display, and Stimulon trademarks. It has collaborations with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Betta Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd., Incyte Corporation, Merck Sharpe & Dohme, and Gilead Sciences, Inc. The company was formerly known as Antigenics Inc. and changed its name to Agenus Inc. in January 2011. Agenus Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Lexington, Massachusetts.

About Cypherpunk Technologies

Leap Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, acquires and develops antibody therapies for the treatment of cancer. Its lead product candidates include DKN-01, a monoclonal antibody that inhibits Dickkopf-related protein 1, which is in multiple ongoing clinical trials for treating esophagogastric and gynecologic cancers; and FL-301, a monoclonal antibody that targets cells that express Claudin18.2 on their cell surface and is in phase II clinical trial, as well as two preclinical antibody programs, FL-302 and FL-501. Leap Therapeutics, Inc. has an option and license agreement with NovaRock, Adimab, and BeiGene, Ltd. to develop and commercialize DKN-01 in Asia (excluding Japan), Australia, and New Zealand. The company was formerly known as HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to Leap Therapeutics, Inc. in November 2015. Leap Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.