Protalix BioTherapeutics (NYSE:PLX) versus Atara Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:ATRA) Critical Contrast

Atara Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:ATRA) and Protalix BioTherapeutics (NYSE:PLX) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability and risk.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Atara Biotherapeutics and Protalix BioTherapeutics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Atara Biotherapeutics	$8.57 million	8.19	-$276.13 million	($25.78)	-0.47
Protalix BioTherapeutics	$45.67 million	2.77	$8.31 million	($0.13)	-13.23

Protalix BioTherapeutics has higher revenue and earnings than Atara Biotherapeutics. Protalix BioTherapeutics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Atara Biotherapeutics, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Atara Biotherapeutics and Protalix BioTherapeutics, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Atara Biotherapeutics	1	1	2	1	2.60
Protalix BioTherapeutics	0	0	0	0	0.00

Atara Biotherapeutics presently has a consensus price target of $16.67, suggesting a potential upside of 36.84%. Given Atara Biotherapeutics’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Atara Biotherapeutics is more favorable than Protalix BioTherapeutics.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

70.9% of Atara Biotherapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 16.5% of Protalix BioTherapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. 3.7% of Atara Biotherapeutics shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 6.3% of Protalix BioTherapeutics shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Risk & Volatility

Atara Biotherapeutics has a beta of 0.5, suggesting that its stock price is 50% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Protalix BioTherapeutics has a beta of 0.67, suggesting that its stock price is 33% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Atara Biotherapeutics and Protalix BioTherapeutics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Atara Biotherapeutics	-132.58%	N/A	-90.16%
Protalix BioTherapeutics	-21.03%	-30.89%	-11.74%

Summary

Atara Biotherapeutics beats Protalix BioTherapeutics on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Atara Biotherapeutics

Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. engages in the development of transformative therapies for patients with solid tumors, hematologic cancers, and autoimmune diseases in the United States and the United Kingdom. Its lead product includes Tab-cel (tabelecleucel), a T-cell immunotherapy program that is in Phase 3 clinical trials for the treatment of epstein-barr virus (EBV) driven post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease, as well as nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Its CAR T immunotherapy pipeline products include ATA3219, currently in Phase 1 trials, as well as ATA3431, under preclinical trials for the treatment of B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases; and ATA188 that is in Phase 2 clinical trials to treat multiple sclerosis. The company has research collaboration agreements with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, and Council of the Queensland Institute of Medical Research. Atara Biotherapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in Thousand Oaks, California.

About Protalix BioTherapeutics

Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development, production, and commercialization of recombinant therapeutic proteins based on its proprietary ProCellEx plant cell-based protein expression system in the United States, Australia, Canada, Israel, Brazil, Russia, Turkey, and internationally. The company offers Elelyso for the treatment of Gaucher disease; and Elfabrio for the treatment of adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of Fabry disease. It is also developing PRX-115, a plant cell-expressed recombinant PEGylated Uricase which is in Phase I trial for the treatment of gout; and PRX-119, a plant cell-expressed PEGylated recombinant human DNase I product candidate that is in preclinical phase for the treatment of NETs-related diseases. The company has agreements and partnerships with Pfizer; Fundação Oswaldo Cruz; and Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A. The company was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Karmiel, Israel. Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. is a subsidiary of Protalix Ltd.