Contrasting Acura Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:ACUR) & Assembly Biosciences (NASDAQ:ASMB)

Acura Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:ACUR) and Assembly Biosciences (NASDAQ:ASMB) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, dividends, earnings, valuation and institutional ownership.

Risk & Volatility

Acura Pharmaceuticals has a beta of -2.23, indicating that its share price is 323% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Assembly Biosciences has a beta of 0.64, indicating that its share price is 36% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Acura Pharmaceuticals and Assembly Biosciences”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Acura Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Assembly Biosciences	$28.52 million	6.42	-$40.18 million	($5.58)	-4.30

Acura Pharmaceuticals has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Assembly Biosciences.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Acura Pharmaceuticals and Assembly Biosciences, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Acura Pharmaceuticals	0	0	0	0	0.00
Assembly Biosciences	0	1	2	0	2.67

Assembly Biosciences has a consensus target price of $33.00, indicating a potential upside of 37.67%. Given Assembly Biosciences’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Assembly Biosciences is more favorable than Acura Pharmaceuticals.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

19.9% of Assembly Biosciences shares are held by institutional investors. 20.2% of Acura Pharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 5.3% of Assembly Biosciences shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Acura Pharmaceuticals and Assembly Biosciences’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Acura Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	N/A
Assembly Biosciences	-117.20%	-149.01%	-39.04%

Summary

Assembly Biosciences beats Acura Pharmaceuticals on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Acura Pharmaceuticals

Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc., an innovative drug delivery company, engages in the research, development, and commercialization of technologies and products to address safe use of medications in the United States. It offers Oxaydo tablets, a Schedule II narcotic indicated for the management of acute and chronic moderate to severe pain; and Nexafed products, which are pseudoephedrine and acetaminophen tablets that are used as nasal decongestants in various non-prescription and prescription cold, sinus, and allergy products. Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has collaboration and license agreements with Egalet US, Inc. and Egalet Ltd. to manufacture and commercialize Oxaydo products worldwide; and development and commercialization agreement with Abuse Deterrent Pharma, LLC to develop LTX-03, an immediate-release tablets utilizing LIMITx technology. The company was formerly known as Halsey Drug Co., Inc. The company was incorporated in 1935 and is based in Palatine, Illinois. Acura Pharmaceuticals, Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Abuse Deterrent Pharma, LLC.

About Assembly Biosciences

Assembly Biosciences, Inc., a biotechnology company, develops therapeutic candidates for the treatment of viral diseases. It develops ABI-5366, a long-acting herpes simplex virus (HSV) helicase-primase inhibitor that is in Phase 1a/1b clinical trial to treat recurrent genital herpes; ABI-1179, which is in Phase 1a/1b clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent genital herpes; and ABI-6250, a small molecule orally bioavailable hepatitis delta virus entry inhibitor that is in Phase 1a clinical trial. The company also develops ABI-4334, a next-generation capsid assembly modulator, which is in Phase 1b clinical trial for the treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV). In addition, it develops an oral non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor targeting transplant-related herpesviruses; and a small molecule interferon-a receptor agonist targeting HBV and HDV. The company has collaboration agreements with Gilead Sciences, Inc. and BeiGene, Ltd. The company was formerly known as Ventrus Biosciences, Inc. and changed its name to Assembly Biosciences, Inc. in June 2014. Assembly Biosciences, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.