Critical Contrast: AlloVir (NASDAQ:ALVR) versus SQZ Biotechnologies (NYSE:SQZ)

Insider and Institutional Ownership

66.1% of AlloVir shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 38.5% of SQZ Biotechnologies shares are owned by institutional investors. 32.1% of AlloVir shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 16.0% of SQZ Biotechnologies shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares AlloVir and SQZ Biotechnologies”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
AlloVir	N/A	N/A	-$190.42 million	($20.23)	-0.38
SQZ Biotechnologies	$18.16 million	0.05	-$79.46 million	($2.61)	-0.01

SQZ Biotechnologies has higher revenue and earnings than AlloVir. AlloVir is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than SQZ Biotechnologies, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility and Risk

AlloVir has a beta of 0.63, indicating that its share price is 37% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, SQZ Biotechnologies has a beta of 2.34, indicating that its share price is 134% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares AlloVir and SQZ Biotechnologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
AlloVir	N/A	-71.03%	-61.27%
SQZ Biotechnologies	-369.96%	-119.83%	-59.90%

Summary

SQZ Biotechnologies beats AlloVir on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About AlloVir

AlloVir, Inc. engages in the research, development and commercialization of off-the-shelf VST therapies to prevent and treat severe viral-associated diseases. It develops novel cell therapies with a focus on restoring natural immunity against life-threatening virus-associated diseases in patients with severely weakened immune systems. The firm’s technology platforms deliver commercially scalable solutions by leveraging off-the-shelf, allogeneic, multi-virus specific T-cells targeting devastating viral pathogens for immunocompromised patients under viral attack. The company was founded by Malcolm K. Brenner, Juan F. Vera, Helen E. Heslop, Cliona M. Rooney, John R. Wilson, and Ann M. Leen in August 2013 and is headquartered in Waltham, MA.

About SQZ Biotechnologies

SQZ Biotechnologies Company, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, develops cell therapies for patients with cancer, autoimmune, infectious diseases, and other serious conditions. Its lead product candidate is SQZ-PBMC-HPV, from its SQZ Antigen Presenting Cells platform, which is in a Phase I clinical trial as a monotherapy and in combination with immuno-oncology agents for the treatment of HPV16+ advanced or metastatic solid tumors, including cervical, head-and-neck, anal, penile, vulvar, and vaginal cancer. The company also develops SQZ-AAC-HPV, which is in a Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of HPV16+ advanced or metastatic solid tumors in monotherapy and in combinations with immune-oncology agents. Its additional platforms in development are SQZ Activating Antigen Carriers; and SQZ Tolerizing Antigen Carriers. The Company was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Watertown, Massachusetts.