Head-To-Head Analysis: Cocrystal Pharma (NASDAQ:COCP) vs. Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN)

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

Insider and Institutional Ownership

6.7% of Cocrystal Pharma shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 61.5% of Agenus shares are held by institutional investors. 28.1% of Cocrystal Pharma shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.5% of Agenus shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

Cocrystal Pharma has a beta of 1.18, indicating that its share price is 18% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Agenus has a beta of 1.6, indicating that its share price is 60% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for Cocrystal Pharma and Agenus, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Cocrystal Pharma	1	0	1	0	2.00
Agenus	1	1	2	1	2.60

Cocrystal Pharma currently has a consensus target price of $6.00, suggesting a potential upside of 300.00%. Agenus has a consensus target price of $14.50, suggesting a potential upside of 200.21%. Given Cocrystal Pharma’s higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Cocrystal Pharma is more favorable than Agenus.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Cocrystal Pharma and Agenus”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Cocrystal Pharma	N/A	N/A	-$8.83 million	($0.79)	-1.90
Agenus	$114.20 million	1.62	$120,000.00	($0.46)	-10.50

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

Profitability

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

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Cocrystal Pharma	N/A	-132.61%	-89.83%
Agenus	-2.67%	-7.65%	11.01%

Summary

Agenus beats Cocrystal Pharma on 10 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Cocrystal Pharma

Cocrystal Pharma, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on the discovery and development of antiviral therapeutic treatments for serious and/or chronic viral diseases. It employs structure-based technologies to create antiviral drugs primarily to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza virus, coronavirus, norovirus, and respiratory virus infections. The company develops CC-31244, a HCV non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor that has completed Phase II a clinical trial to treat HCV infection; and CC-42344, a PB2 inhibitor that has completed Phase I clinical trial for treating influenza infection. It is also involved in identifying and developing non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors for norovirus infections. Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. has a license and research collaboration agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. to discover and develop proprietary influenza A/B antiviral agents; and a license agreement with Kansas State University Research Foundation to develop antiviral compounds for the treatment of norovirus and coronavirus infections. The company is headquartered in Bothell, Washington.

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.