Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) and Precision BioSciences (NASDAQ:DTIL) Critical Comparison

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

Institutional and Insider Ownership

61.5% of Agenus shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 38.0% of Precision BioSciences shares are owned by institutional investors. 4.6% of Agenus shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.0% of Precision BioSciences shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Agenus and Precision BioSciences”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Agenus	$156.31 million	0.57	-$245.76 million	($11.36)	-0.37
Precision BioSciences	$48.73 million	1.26	-$61.32 million	$0.21	40.69

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

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Agenus and Precision BioSciences, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Agenus	0	5	1	0	2.17
Precision BioSciences	0	0	2	0	3.00

Agenus currently has a consensus price target of $10.50, suggesting a potential upside of 153.01%. Precision BioSciences has a consensus price target of $39.50, suggesting a potential upside of 366.90%. Given Precision BioSciences’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Precision BioSciences is more favorable than Agenus.

Profitability

This table compares Agenus and Precision BioSciences’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Agenus	-144.94%	N/A	-77.23%
Precision BioSciences	19.36%	-7.64%	-1.81%

Risk & Volatility

Agenus has a beta of 1.39, meaning that its share price is 39% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Precision BioSciences has a beta of 1.71, meaning that its share price is 71% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Precision BioSciences beats Agenus on 10 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 Precision BioSciences

Precision BioSciences, Inc., an advanced gene editing company, develops in vivo gene editing therapies for gene edits, including gene elimination, insertion, and excision in the United States. The company offers ARCUS, a genome editing platform to DNA genome insertion, deletion, and repair. It also provides PBGENE-HBV for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) to eliminate covalently closed circular DNA with direct cuts and edits as well as to inactivate integrated HBV DNA with the goal of long-lasting reductions in hepatitis B surface antigen; PBGENE-PMM for the treatment of m.3243 associated primary mitochondrial myopathy (PMM) which is expected to submit an IND and/or CTA. In addition, it develops PBGENE-NVS for sickle cell disease/beta thalassemia for insertion; PBGENE-DMD (excision) for duchenne muscular dystrophy; PBGENE-LL2 (insertion), a liver directed target; PBGENE-LL3, a central nervous system directed target; and iECURE-OTC (insertion) for ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency. The company has license and collaboration agreement with Caribou Biosciences, Inc.; license agreement with TG Cell Therapy, Inc. to develop, manufacture, and commercialize azer-cel for autoimmune diseases and other indications outside of cancer; development and license agreement with Eli Lilly and Company for the research and development of potential in vivo therapies for genetic disorders; Cellectis S.A.; iECURE, Inc. to develop ARCUS-based gene-insertion therapies; Duke University; and Novartis Pharma AG to discover and develop in vivo gene editing products. Precision BioSciences, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.