Financial Contrast: Metagenomi (NASDAQ:MGX) and Agenus (NASDAQ:AGEN)

Metagenomi (NASDAQ:MGX) 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 valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, risk, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Metagenomi and Agenus, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Metagenomi	0	1	6	0	2.86
Agenus	0	5	1	0	2.17

Metagenomi currently has a consensus price target of $15.50, suggesting a potential upside of 434.48%. Agenus has a consensus price target of $10.50, suggesting a potential upside of 104.68%. Given Metagenomi’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Metagenomi is more favorable than Agenus.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Metagenomi and Agenus’ revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Metagenomi	$55.93 million	1.94	-$68.25 million	N/A	N/A
Agenus	$156.31 million	0.71	-$245.76 million	($12.84)	-0.40

Metagenomi has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Agenus.

Profitability

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

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Metagenomi	N/A	N/A	N/A
Agenus	-144.94%	N/A	-77.23%

Insider & Institutional Ownership

61.5% of Agenus shares are owned by institutional investors. 4.6% of Agenus shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Metagenomi beats Agenus on 7 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Metagenomi

Metagenomi, Inc., a genetic medicines company, develops therapeutics for patients using metagenomics-derived genome editing toolbox in the United States. The company's genome editing toolbox includes programmable nucleases, base editors, and RNA and DNA-mediated integration systems, such as prime editing systems and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-associated transposases. It has a strategic collaboration and license agreement with ModernaTX, Inc. focusing on new genome editing system for in vivo human therapeutic applications; a development, option, and license agreement with Affini-T Therapeutics, Inc. to develop and commercialize gene edited T-cell receptor-based therapeutic products in the field of treatment, prevention, or diagnosis of human cancer; and a collaboration and license agreement with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize investigational medicines using genome editing technologies. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Emeryville, 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.