Xeris Biopharma (NASDAQ:XERS – Get Free Report) and Nkarta (NASDAQ:NKTX – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, profitability, analyst recommendations and dividends.
Risk & Volatility
Xeris Biopharma has a beta of 2.68, indicating that its stock price is 168% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Nkarta has a beta of 0.87, indicating that its stock price is 13% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Xeris Biopharma and Nkarta’s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Xeris Biopharma | $171.36 million | 1.89 | -$62.26 million | ($0.47) | -4.64 |
| Nkarta | N/A | N/A | -$117.50 million | ($2.35) | -2.41 |
Profitability
This table compares Xeris Biopharma and Nkarta’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Xeris Biopharma | -37.58% | -16,662.63% | -19.58% |
| Nkarta | N/A | -34.13% | -25.96% |
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Xeris Biopharma and Nkarta, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Xeris Biopharma | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3.00 |
| Nkarta | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 3.00 |
Xeris Biopharma presently has a consensus target price of $4.63, suggesting a potential upside of 112.16%. Nkarta has a consensus target price of $17.83, suggesting a potential upside of 214.52%. Given Nkarta’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Nkarta is more favorable than Xeris Biopharma.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
42.8% of Xeris Biopharma shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 80.5% of Nkarta shares are held by institutional investors. 4.6% of Xeris Biopharma shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 8.7% of Nkarta shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
Nkarta beats Xeris Biopharma on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Xeris Biopharma
Xeris Biopharma Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in developing and commercializing therapies in Illinois. The company offers Gvoke, a ready-to-use liquid-stable glucagon for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia pediatric and adult patients; Keveyis, a therapy for the treatment of hyperkalemic, hypokalemic, and related variants of primary periodic paralysis; and Recorlev, a cortisol synthesis inhibitor proved for the treatment of endogenous hypercortisolemia in adult patients with Cushing's syndrome. It is also developing XP-8121, a once-weekly subcutaneous injection of levothyroxine that is in phase I clinical trial for the treatment of hypothyroidism; and non-aqueous XeriSol and XeriJect technologies for various therapies. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
About Nkarta
Nkarta, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops and commercializes natural killer cell therapies for cancer and autoimmune disease treatment. The company's lead product candidate is NKX019, a chimeric antigen receptor-natural killer (CAR NK) targeting the CD19 antigen that is in Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of relapsed/refractory (r/r) non-hodgkin lymphoma, as well as for lupus nephritis. It also develops NKX101, a CAR NK product candidate targeting cells that display NKG2D ligands, which is in Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of r/r acute myeloid leukemia or higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes, as well as for solid tumors. In addition, the company develops NKX070, targeting the CD70 tumor antigen to treat solid and liquid tumors; and NK+T cell therapy for use in the treatment of oncology, autoimmune disease, or infectious disease. It has a research collaboration agreement with CRISPR Therapeutics AG. Nkarta, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is based in South San Francisco, California.
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