Critical Analysis: Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) vs. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BCLI)

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

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Agenus and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Agenus	$156.31 million	0.53	-$245.76 million	($11.24)	-0.31
Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics	N/A	N/A	-$17.19 million	($4.80)	-0.36

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

Institutional & Insider Ownership

61.5% of Agenus shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 14.3% of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. 4.6% of Agenus shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 6.7% of Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Agenus and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Agenus	-145.89%	N/A	-85.68%
Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics	N/A	N/A	-528.56%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Agenus and Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Agenus	0	5	1	0	2.17
Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics	0	0	1	0	3.00

Agenus presently has a consensus target price of $10.00, suggesting a potential upside of 185.71%. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics has a consensus target price of $30.00, suggesting a potential upside of 1,634.10%. Given Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics is more favorable than Agenus.

Risk and Volatility

Agenus has a beta of 1.24, meaning that its share price is 24% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics has a beta of 0.36, meaning that its share price is 64% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics beats Agenus on 6 of the 10 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 Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics

Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in the development and commercialization of autologous cellular therapies for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases. The company, through its NurOwn proprietary cell therapy platform, leverages cell culture methods to induce autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to secrete high levels of neurotrophic factors, modulate neuroinflammatory and neurodegenerative disease processes, promote neuronal survival, and enhance neurological function. It is developing NurOwn, which has completed Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of progressive multiple sclerosis; and for the treatment of alzheimer's disease, as well as for other neurodegenerative diseases. Brainstorm Cell Therapeutics Inc. was incorporated in 2000 and is headquartered in New York, New York.