Nephros (NASDAQ:NEPH – Get Free Report) and Brainsway (NASDAQ:BWAY – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and earnings.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
41.1% of Nephros shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 30.1% of Brainsway shares are held by institutional investors. 6.7% of Nephros shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 19.0% of Brainsway shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Volatility and Risk
Nephros has a beta of 1.49, suggesting that its stock price is 49% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Brainsway has a beta of 1.22, suggesting that its stock price is 22% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Nephros | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2.25 |
| Brainsway | 0 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 3.17 |
Nephros presently has a consensus target price of $5.00, suggesting a potential upside of 37.36%. Brainsway has a consensus target price of $15.67, suggesting a potential downside of 1.90%. Given Nephros’ higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Nephros is more favorable than Brainsway.
Profitability
This table compares Nephros and Brainsway’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Nephros | 4.06% | 7.66% | 5.86% |
| Brainsway | 15.68% | 12.28% | 7.75% |
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares Nephros and Brainsway”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Nephros | $18.79 million | 2.10 | $1.19 million | $0.07 | 52.00 |
| Brainsway | $56.22 million | 11.40 | $7.57 million | $0.35 | 45.63 |
Brainsway has higher revenue and earnings than Nephros. Brainsway is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Nephros, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Brainsway beats Nephros on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Nephros
Nephros, Inc., a commercial-stage company, develops and sells water solutions to the medical and commercial markets in the United States. It offers ultrafiltration products that are used in dialysis centers for the removal of biological contaminants from water and bicarbonate concentrate; and in hospitals for the prevention of infection from waterborne pathogens, such as legionella and pseudomonas, as well as in military and outdoor recreation, commercial, and other healthcare facilities. The company also manufactures and sells water filters that enhance the taste and odor of water, as well as reduce biofilm, cysts, particulates, and scale build-up in downstream equipment. It markets its products to food service, hospitality, convenience store, and health care markets, as well as medical institutions. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in South Orange, New Jersey.
About Brainsway
BrainsWay Ltd. develops and sells noninvasive neurostimulation treatments for mental health disorders in the United States and internationally. It offers Deep Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation platform technology for the treatment of major depressive disorders, anxious depression, obsessive-compulsive disorders, smoking addiction, bipolar disorders, post traumatic stress disorders, schizophrenia, Alzheimer's disease, autism, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, post stroke rehabilitation, and Parkinson's diseases. The company serves doctors, hospitals, and medical centers in the field of psychiatry. BrainsWay Ltd. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Jerusalem, Israel.
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