Head to Head Comparison: Inhibrx (NASDAQ:INBX) versus Molecular Partners (NASDAQ:MOLN)

Molecular Partners (NASDAQ:MOLN) and Inhibrx (NASDAQ:INBX) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, valuation and risk.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

26.5% of Molecular Partners shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 82.5% of Inhibrx shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.9% of Molecular Partners shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 22.2% of Inhibrx shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Molecular Partners and Inhibrx’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Molecular Partners	-1,043.01%	-39.31%	-35.46%
Inhibrx	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Molecular Partners and Inhibrx, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Molecular Partners	0	1	0	1	3.00
Inhibrx	0	2	0	0	2.00

Molecular Partners presently has a consensus target price of $4.50, indicating a potential downside of 20.91%. Inhibrx has a consensus target price of $27.00, indicating a potential upside of 62.85%. Given Inhibrx’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Inhibrx is more favorable than Molecular Partners.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Molecular Partners and Inhibrx”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Molecular Partners	$6.00 million	34.79	-$69.04 million	($2.15)	-2.65
Inhibrx	$1.63 million	147.29	-$154.96 million	N/A	N/A

Molecular Partners has higher revenue and earnings than Inhibrx.

Summary

Inhibrx beats Molecular Partners on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

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.

About Inhibrx

Inhibrx, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops a pipeline of novel biologic therapeutic candidates. The company's therapeutic candidate includes INBRX-101, an alpha-1 antitrypsin (AAT)-Fc fusion protein therapeutic candidate, which is in Phase 1 clinical trials for use in the treatment of patients with AAT deficiency. It also develops INBRX-109, a tetravalent therapeutic candidate targeting death receptor 5, which is in Phase 2 clinical trials to treat cancers, such as chondrosarcoma, mesothelioma, colorectal cancer, ewing sarcoma, and pancreatic adenocarcinoma; and INBRX-106, a hexavalent agonist of OX40 for a range of oncology indications. The company has license and collaboration agreements with 2seventy bio, Inc. and Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Inhibrx, Inc. was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in La Jolla, California.