Reviewing Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) and Nutra Pharma (OTCMKTS:NPHC)

Nutra Pharma (OTCMKTS:NPHC) and Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, valuation, risk, institutional ownership, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for Nutra Pharma and Agenus, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Nutra Pharma	0	0	0	0	0.00
Agenus	1	2	2	0	2.20

Agenus has a consensus target price of $14.50, indicating a potential upside of 335.44%. Given Agenus’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Agenus is more favorable than Nutra Pharma.

Profitability

This table compares Nutra Pharma and Agenus’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Nutra Pharma	N/A	N/A	N/A
Agenus	-36.77%	N/A	-18.58%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

61.5% of Agenus shares are owned by institutional investors. 61.5% of Nutra Pharma shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 5.5% of Agenus shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility and Risk

Nutra Pharma has a beta of -0.27, meaning that its stock price is 127% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Agenus has a beta of 1.62, meaning that its stock price is 62% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Nutra Pharma and Agenus”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Nutra Pharma	$390,000.00	0.00	-$1.29 million	N/A	N/A
Agenus	$103.46 million	1.09	-$227.21 million	($2.13)	-1.56

Nutra Pharma has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Agenus.

Summary

Agenus beats Nutra Pharma on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Nutra Pharma

Nutra Pharma Corp., a biopharmaceutical company, acquires, licenses, and commercializes pharmaceutical products and technologies, and homeopathic and ethical drugs for the management of pain, neurological disorders, cancer, and autoimmune and infectious diseases primarily in the United States. The company offers Nyloxin and Nyloxin Extra Strength products, which are used as an oral spray for treating lower back pain, migraines, neck aches, shoulder pain, cramps, and neuropathic pain, as well as a topical gel for treating joint pain, and pain associated with arthritis and repetitive stress; Pet Pain-Away, a homeopathic, nonnarcotic, nonaddictive, and overthecounter pain reliever to treat chronic pain in companion animals; Luxury Feet, an over-the-counter pain reliever and antiinflammatory product to treat pain or discomfort due to high heels and stilettos; Nyloxin Military Strength for treating pain to the United States Military and Veteran's Administration; and Equine Pain-Away, an over-the-counter topical pain reliever to relieve pain in horses. It is also involved in developing RPI-78M to treat neurological diseases and autoimmune diseases, including multiple sclerosis, adrenomyeloneuropathy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and myasthenia gravis; RPI-MN to treat viral diseases comprising human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS and herpes, as well as for general anti-viral applications; RPI-78 for pain and arthritis; and RPI-70 for pain. The company was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Plantation, Florida.

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.