Comparing OptiNose (NASDAQ:OPTN) and Anixa Biosciences (NASDAQ:ANIX)

OptiNose (NASDAQ:OPTN) and Anixa Biosciences (NASDAQ:ANIX) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, valuation, dividends, profitability, earnings and institutional ownership.

Profitability

This table compares OptiNose and Anixa Biosciences’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
OptiNose	-41.16%	N/A	-27.42%
Anixa Biosciences	N/A	-54.79%	-50.37%

Volatility & Risk

OptiNose has a beta of -0.16, indicating that its stock price is 116% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Anixa Biosciences has a beta of 0.82, indicating that its stock price is 18% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

85.6% of OptiNose shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 29.1% of Anixa Biosciences shares are held by institutional investors. 2.3% of OptiNose shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 22.6% of Anixa Biosciences shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for OptiNose and Anixa Biosciences, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
OptiNose	0	0	3	0	3.00
Anixa Biosciences	0	0	2	1	3.33

OptiNose currently has a consensus target price of $3.00, indicating a potential upside of 492.53%. Anixa Biosciences has a consensus target price of $8.50, indicating a potential upside of 189.12%. Given OptiNose’s higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe OptiNose is more favorable than Anixa Biosciences.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares OptiNose and Anixa Biosciences”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
OptiNose	$70.99 million	1.08	-$35.48 million	($0.28)	-1.81
Anixa Biosciences	$210,000.00	450.51	-$9.81 million	($0.39)	-7.54

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

Summary

OptiNose beats Anixa Biosciences on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About OptiNose

OptiNose, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of products for patients treated by ear, nose, throat, and allergy specialists in the United States. The company offers XHANCE, a therapeutic product utilizing its proprietary exhalation delivery system (EDS) that delivers a topically acting corticosteroid for the treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps, as well as is in Phase IIIb clinical trial for treatment of chronic sinusitis; and Onzetra Xsail, a powder EDS device. It has a license agreement with Currax Pharmaceuticals LLC for the commercialization of Onzetra Xsail. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Yardley, Pennsylvania.

About Anixa Biosciences

Anixa Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company, develops therapies and vaccines focusing on critical unmet needs in oncology and infectious diseases. The company's therapeutics programs include the development of a chimeric endocrine receptor T-cell therapy, a novel form of chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) technology focusing on the treatment of ovarian cancer. Its vaccine programs comprise the development of a vaccine against triple negative breast cancer; and a preventative vaccine against ovarian cancer. The company is also developing immuno-therapy drugs against cancer. The company was formerly known as ITUS Corporation and changed its name to Anixa Biosciences, Inc. in October 2018. Anixa Biosciences, Inc. was incorporated in 1982 and is based in San Jose, California.