Financial Analysis: Calidi Biotherapeutics (NYSE:CLDI) and Adverum Biotechnologies (NASDAQ:ADVM)

Calidi Biotherapeutics (NYSE:CLDI) and Adverum Biotechnologies (NASDAQ:ADVM) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, risk, valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Volatility and Risk

Calidi Biotherapeutics has a beta of 0.58, suggesting that its stock price is 42% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Adverum Biotechnologies has a beta of 1.02, suggesting that its stock price is 2% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Calidi Biotherapeutics and Adverum Biotechnologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Calidi Biotherapeutics	N/A	N/A	-219.07%
Adverum Biotechnologies	N/A	-65.14%	-40.52%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Calidi Biotherapeutics and Adverum Biotechnologies”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Calidi Biotherapeutics	$50,000.00	373.30	-$29.22 million	N/A	N/A
Adverum Biotechnologies	$3.60 million	44.84	-$117.17 million	($5.99)	-1.30

Calidi Biotherapeutics has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Adverum Biotechnologies.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Calidi Biotherapeutics and Adverum Biotechnologies, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Calidi Biotherapeutics	0	0	3	0	3.00
Adverum Biotechnologies	0	1	5	0	2.83

Calidi Biotherapeutics presently has a consensus target price of $16.67, indicating a potential upside of 892.06%. Adverum Biotechnologies has a consensus target price of $27.83, indicating a potential upside of 258.68%. Given Calidi Biotherapeutics’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Calidi Biotherapeutics is more favorable than Adverum Biotechnologies.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

12.5% of Calidi Biotherapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 48.2% of Adverum Biotechnologies shares are held by institutional investors. 24.3% of Calidi Biotherapeutics shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.2% of Adverum Biotechnologies shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Calidi Biotherapeutics beats Adverum Biotechnologies on 6 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Calidi Biotherapeutics

Calidi Biotherapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage immuno-oncology company, engages in developing allogeneic stem cell-based platforms to potentiate and deliver oncolytic viruses to cancer patients in the United States. Its product pipeline comprising CLD-101, which is in phase 1b clinical trial for the treatment of high grade glioma; CLD-101, which is in phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent high grade glioma; CLD-201, which is in preclinical trial for the treatment of advanced solid tumors, such as triple-negative breast cancer, metastatic/unresectable melanoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, advanced soft tissue sarcoma, and advanced basal cell carcinoma; and CLD-400, which is in preclinical trial for the treatment of lung cancer and metastatic solid tumors. The company offers NeuroNova platform and SuperNova platform. The company is headquartered in San Diego, California.

About Adverum Biotechnologies

Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc., a clinical-stage company, develops gene therapy product candidates to treat ocular diseases. Its lead product candidate is ixoberogene soroparvovec (ADVM-022), a single intravitreal injection gene therapy candidate used for the treatment of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration and diabetic macular edema which is in phase 2 clinical trials. The company is developing ADVM-062 (AAV.7m8-L-opsin), a novel gene therapy product candidate for the treatment of blue cone monochromacy via a single IVT injection. Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. has license and collaboration agreements with University of California; GenSight Biologics; Lexeo Therapeutics; and Virovek, Inc. The company was formerly known as Avalanche Biotechnologies, Inc. and changed its name to Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. in May 2016. Adverum Biotechnologies, Inc. was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.