Acerus Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:TRLPF – Get Free Report) and DURECT (NASDAQ:DRRX – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, dividends and earnings.
Profitability
This table compares Acerus Pharmaceuticals and DURECT’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Acerus Pharmaceuticals | -254.66% | -346.72% | -94.54% |
| DURECT | -198.58% | -300.62% | -65.17% |
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Acerus Pharmaceuticals and DURECT, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Acerus Pharmaceuticals | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| DURECT | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.50 |
Insider & Institutional Ownership
0.0% of Acerus Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 28.0% of DURECT shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.2% of DURECT shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Risk and Volatility
Acerus Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 2.6, suggesting that its stock price is 160% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, DURECT has a beta of 1.01, suggesting that its stock price is 1% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Acerus Pharmaceuticals and DURECT”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Acerus Pharmaceuticals | $7.38 million | 7.71 | -$18.79 million | ($0.08) | -2.75 |
| DURECT | $8.59 million | 3.50 | -$27.62 million | ($0.61) | -1.59 |
Acerus Pharmaceuticals has higher earnings, but lower revenue than DURECT. Acerus Pharmaceuticals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than DURECT, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
DURECT beats Acerus Pharmaceuticals on 10 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Acerus Pharmaceuticals
Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation, a specialty pharmaceutical company, focuses on the development, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of pharmaceutical products for men's and women's health. The company offers Natesto, a nasal gel for testosterone replacement therapy in adult males diagnosed with hypogonadism; Estrace, an oral tablet for the symptomatic relief of menopausal symptoms; and UriVarx, a natural health product that helps reduce symptoms of hyperactive bladder, such as daytime urinary frequency, urgency, and nocturia. It also engages in developing Lidbree, a short acting lidocaine formulation delivered through a proprietary device into the vaginal mucosal tissue; Stendra, a PDE5 inhibitor for the treatment of erectile dysfunction; Elegant vaginal moisturizer, which provides comfort to women suffering from vaginal dryness; and Elegant pH, a pH balanced vaginal product; Gynoflor, an ultra-low dose vaginal estrogen combined with a probiotic for the treatment of vaginal atrophy, restoration of vaginal flora, and treatment of certain vaginal infections; and Tefina, a clinical stage product for women with female sexual dysfunction. Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation sells products through its salesforce in Canada; and through a network of licensed distributors in the United States and internationally. The company was formerly known as Trimel Pharmaceuticals Corporation and changed its name to Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation in September 2015. Acerus Pharmaceuticals Corporation was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Mississauga, Canada.
About DURECT
DURECT Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, develops medicines based on its epigenetic regulator program. The company's lead product larsucosterol (DUR-928), an endogenous, orally bioavailable small molecule that is in Phase IIb clinical trial to play a regulatory role in lipid metabolism, stress and inflammatory responses, and cell death and survival to treat alcohol-associated hepatitis, as well as completed Phase Ib clinical trial to treat patients with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. It also offers ALZET product line that consists of osmotic pumps and accessories used for research in mice, rats, and other laboratory animals. In addition, the company offers POSIMIR, a post-surgical pain product to deliver bupivacaine over three days in adults; and Methydur to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. It markets and sells its ALZET lines through direct sales force in the United States, as well as through a network of distributors in other countries. The company has strategic collaboration and other agreements with Virginia Commonwealth University Intellectual Property Foundation; Indivior UK Ltd.; and Innocoll Pharmaceuticals Limited. DURECT Corporation was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.
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