Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN – Get Free Report) and Altimmune (NASDAQ:ALT – Get Free Report) are both small-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership and risk.
Profitability
This table compares Agenus and Altimmune’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Agenus | 69.33% | -47.68% | 57.73% |
| Altimmune | N/A | -31.41% | -26.96% |
Volatility and Risk
Agenus has a beta of 1.54, indicating that its stock price is 54% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Altimmune has a beta of 0.16, indicating that its stock price is 84% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Agenus and Altimmune, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Agenus | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Altimmune | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2.70 |
Agenus presently has a consensus target price of $24.50, suggesting a potential upside of 275.19%. Altimmune has a consensus target price of $14.33, suggesting a potential upside of 609.57%. Given Altimmune’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Altimmune is more favorable than Agenus.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
61.5% of Agenus shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 78.0% of Altimmune shares are held by institutional investors. 6.5% of Agenus shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.6% of Altimmune shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Agenus and Altimmune”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Agenus | $114.20 million | 2.58 | $120,000.00 | $2.58 | 2.53 |
| Altimmune | $40,000.00 | 9,823.26 | -$88.09 million | ($0.78) | -2.59 |
Agenus has higher revenue and earnings than Altimmune. Altimmune is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Agenus, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Agenus beats Altimmune on 8 of the 14 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 Altimmune
Altimmune, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing treatments for obesity and liver diseases. The company's lead product candidate, pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist that is in Phase 2 trial for the treatment of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. It is also developing HepTcell, an immunotherapeutic product candidate, which is in Phase 2 clinical trial for patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus. The company was formerly known as Vaxin Inc. and changed its name to Altimmune, Inc. in September 2015. Altimmune, Inc. was founded in 1997 is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
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