Financial Contrast: Kyverna Therapeutics (NASDAQ:KYTX) versus Athira Pharma (NASDAQ:ATHA)

Kyverna Therapeutics (NASDAQ:KYTX) and Athira Pharma (NASDAQ:ATHA) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, earnings, profitability, institutional ownership and dividends.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Kyverna Therapeutics and Athira Pharma, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Kyverna Therapeutics	0	1	5	0	2.83
Athira Pharma	0	3	0	0	2.00

Kyverna Therapeutics presently has a consensus price target of $34.40, indicating a potential upside of 392.13%. Athira Pharma has a consensus price target of $20.50, indicating a potential upside of 3,921.18%. Given Athira Pharma’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Athira Pharma is more favorable than Kyverna Therapeutics.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

18.1% of Kyverna Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 57.1% of Athira Pharma shares are held by institutional investors. 19.8% of Athira Pharma shares are held by 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 Kyverna Therapeutics and Athira Pharma’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Kyverna Therapeutics	N/A	N/A	N/A
Athira Pharma	N/A	-95.53%	-76.96%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Kyverna Therapeutics and Athira Pharma”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Kyverna Therapeutics	$7.03 million	42.87	-$60.37 million	N/A	N/A
Athira Pharma	N/A	N/A	-$117.67 million	($3.05)	-0.17

Kyverna Therapeutics has higher revenue and earnings than Athira Pharma.

Summary

Kyverna Therapeutics beats Athira Pharma on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Kyverna Therapeutics

Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing cell therapies for patients suffering from autoimmune diseases. Its lead product candidate is KYV-101, an autologous CD19 CAR T-cell product candidate for the treatment of patients with lupus nephritis and systemic sclerosis that is in Phase I clinical trial; and for myasthenia gravis and multiple sclerosis that is in Phase II clinical trial. The company is also developing KYV-201, an allogeneic CD19 CAR T-cell product candidate that is in preclinical stage to treat multiple autoimmune diseases. In addition, it is developing product candidates to treat other autoimmune diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease that includes Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis. Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. has a license and collaboration agreement with Intellia Therapeutics, Inc. to research and develop an allogeneic CD19-directed CAR cell therapy product; and with Kite to research and develop programs for the treatment, diagnosis, and prevention of autoimmune, inflammatory, and allogeneic stem cell transplant inflammatory diseases. The company was formerly known as BAIT Therapeutics, Inc. and changed its name to Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. in October 2019. Kyverna Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Emeryville, California.

About Athira Pharma

Athira Pharma, Inc., a late clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing small molecules to restore neuronal health and slow neurodegradation. Its lead product candidate is Fosgonimeton (ATH-1017), a small molecule designed to modulate the neurotrophic hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) system and its receptor, MET, for a healthy nervous system that is in LIFT-AD Phase 2/3 and ACT-AD Phase 2 clinical trials for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, as well as is in Phase 2 clinical trials to treat Parkinson's disease dementia and Dementia with Lewy bodies. The company's product pipeline includes ATH-1020, an orally available brain-penetrant small molecule designed to enhance the HGF/MET system that is in Phase 1 clinical trials to treat neuropathic pain and neurodegenerative diseases; and ATH-1105, an oral small molecule drug candidate, which is a preclinical model for the treatment of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. In addition, it has a license agreement with Washington State University to offer for sale products covered by certain licensed patents, including dihexa, the chemical compound into which fosgonimeton metabolizes following administration; and collaboration and grant agreement with National Institutes of Health Grant to support ACT-AD Phase 2 clinical trial for fosgonimeton. The company was formerly known as M3 Biotechnology, Inc. and changed its name to Athira Pharma, Inc. in April 2019. Athira Pharma, Inc. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Bothell, Washington.