Head-To-Head Analysis: Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) and VivoSim Labs (NASDAQ:VIVS)

VivoSim Labs (NASDAQ:VIVS) and Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, earnings, risk and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations for VivoSim Labs and Agenus, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
VivoSim Labs	1	0	0	0	1.00
Agenus	1	2	2	0	2.20

Agenus has a consensus price target of $14.50, indicating a potential upside of 321.51%. Given Agenus’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Agenus is more favorable than VivoSim Labs.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

8.2% of VivoSim Labs shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 61.5% of Agenus shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.5% of VivoSim Labs shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.5% of Agenus shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility and Risk

VivoSim Labs has a beta of 1.25, meaning that its share price is 25% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Agenus has a beta of 1.57, meaning that its share price is 57% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares VivoSim Labs and Agenus’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
VivoSim Labs	-861.27%	-15.51%	-11.31%
Agenus	-2.67%	-7.65%	11.01%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares VivoSim Labs and Agenus”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
VivoSim Labs	$140,000.00	31.51	-$2.48 million	($3.15)	-0.54
Agenus	$114.20 million	1.16	$120,000.00	($0.46)	-7.48

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

Summary

Agenus beats VivoSim Labs on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About VivoSim Labs

Organovo Holdings, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on developing 3D tissues that recapitulate key aspects of human disease. Its 3D human tissue platform includes its proprietary NovoGen Bioprinters, which are automated devices that enable the fabrication of 3D living tissues comprised mammalian cells; and related technologies for preparing bio-inks and bioprinting multicellular tissues with complex architecture. The company offers ExVive human liver tissue and ExVive human kidney tissue used for predictive preclinical testing of drug compounds. It is also developing in vivo liver tissues to treat end-stage liver, life-threatening, and orphan diseases. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Solana Beach, California.

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.