Athira Pharma (NASDAQ:ATHA – Get Free Report) and Molecular Partners (NASDAQ:MOLN – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, dividends, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation and institutional ownership.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Athira Pharma and Molecular Partners”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Athira Pharma | N/A | N/A | -$117.67 million | ($2.85) | -0.16 |
| Molecular Partners | $7.84 million | 25.33 | -$69.04 million | ($2.15) | -2.29 |
Molecular Partners has higher revenue and earnings than Athira Pharma. Molecular Partners is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Athira Pharma, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Recommendations
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Athira Pharma | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
| Molecular Partners | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4.00 |
Athira Pharma currently has a consensus price target of $13.83, suggesting a potential upside of 2,855.84%. Given Athira Pharma’s higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Athira Pharma is more favorable than Molecular Partners.
Volatility and Risk
Athira Pharma has a beta of 2.97, indicating that its share price is 197% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Molecular Partners has a beta of 1.06, indicating that its share price is 6% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
57.1% of Athira Pharma shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.6% of Molecular Partners shares are held by institutional investors. 19.8% of Athira Pharma shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.9% of Molecular Partners shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares Athira Pharma and Molecular Partners’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Athira Pharma | N/A | -115.62% | -88.94% |
| Molecular Partners | -1,043.01% | -39.31% | -35.46% |
Summary
Molecular Partners beats Athira Pharma on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Athira Pharma
Athira Pharma, Inc., a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing small molecules to restore neuronal health and slow neurodegradation. Its lead product candidate is Fosgonimeton (ATH-1017), a small molecule designed to modulate the neurotrophic hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) system and its receptor, MET, for a healthy nervous system that is in LIFT-AD Phase 2/3 and ACT-AD Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as well as is in Phase 2 clinical trials to treat Parkinson's disease dementia and Dementia with Lewy bodies. The company's product pipeline includes ATH-1020, an orally available brain-penetrant small molecule designed to enhance the HGF/MET system that is in Phase 1 clinical trials to treat neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative diseases; and ATH-1105, an oral small molecule drug candidate, which is a preclinical model for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In addition, it has a license agreement with Washington State University to offer for sale products covered by certain licensed patents, including dihexa, the chemical compound into which fosgonimeton metabolizes following administration; and collaboration and grant agreement with National Institutes of Health Grant to support ACT-AD Phase 2 clinical trial for fosgonimeton. The company was formerly known as M3 Biotechnology, Inc. and changed its name to Athira Pharma, Inc. in April 2019. Athira Pharma, Inc. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Bothell, Washington.
About Molecular Partners
Molecular Partners AG, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, develops designed ankyrin repeat proteins therapeutics for the treatment of oncology and virology diseases in Switzerland. The company develops MP0317, a CD40 agonist designed to activate immune cells within the tumor microenvironment by anchoring to fibroblast activation protein that is in Phase I clinical trial; and MP0533, a novel tetra-specific T cell-engaging DARPin for acute myeloid leukemia. It also develops Switch-DARPin platform, a multispecific cKIT x CD16a x CD47 Switch-DARPin program for targeted and conditional immune cell activation; and Radio-DARPin Therapy (RDT) platform, a delivery system for effective and selective delivery of radioactive payloads to solid tumors. It has license and research collaboration agreements with Novartis Pharma AG to develop DARPin-conjugated radioligand therapies; and collaboration agreement with Orano Med SAS to develop novel Radio-DARPin therapeutics. Molecular Partners AG was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Schlieren, Switzerland.
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