Passage Bio (NASDAQ:PASG – Get Free Report) and Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership and dividends.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Passage Bio and Agenus”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Passage Bio | N/A | N/A | -$102.06 million | ($1.07) | -0.32 |
| Agenus | $103.46 million | 0.38 | -$245.76 million | ($10.68) | -0.15 |
Passage Bio has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Agenus. Passage Bio is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Agenus, 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 | |
| Passage Bio | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 3.00 |
| Agenus | 0 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2.17 |
Passage Bio currently has a consensus price target of $7.50, suggesting a potential upside of 2,105.88%. Agenus has a consensus price target of $8.75, suggesting a potential upside of 460.90%. Given Passage Bio’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Passage Bio is more favorable than Agenus.
Profitability
This table compares Passage Bio and Agenus’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Passage Bio | N/A | -72.53% | -52.10% |
| Agenus | -145.89% | N/A | -85.68% |
Insider and Institutional Ownership
53.5% of Passage Bio shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 61.5% of Agenus shares are owned by institutional investors. 4.3% of Passage Bio shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.6% of Agenus shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Volatility & Risk
Passage Bio has a beta of 1.59, meaning that its share price is 59% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Agenus has a beta of 1.58, meaning that its share price is 58% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Passage Bio beats Agenus on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Passage Bio
Passage Bio, Inc., a genetic medicines company, develops gene therapies for central nervous system diseases. It develops PBGM01, a functional GLB1 gene encoding ß-galactosidase for infantile GM1; PBFT02, a functional granulin (GRN) and gene encoding progranulin (PGRN) for the treatment of FTD caused by progranulin deficiency; and PBKR03, a functional GALC gene encoding the hydrolytic enzyme galactosylceramidase for infantile Krabbe disease. The company develops PBML04 for the treatment of metachromatic leukodystrophy; PBAL05 for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; and other program for huntington's disease. It has a strategic research collaboration with the Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania's Gene Therapy Program; and collaboration agreement, and a development services and clinical supply agreement with Catalent Maryland, Inc. Passage Bio, Inc. was incorporated in 2017 and is headquartered in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
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.
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