X4 Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:XFOR – Get Free Report) and Altimmune (NASDAQ:ALT – Get Free Report) are both small-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk and institutional ownership.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares X4 Pharmaceuticals and Altimmune”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| X4 Pharmaceuticals | $35.11 million | 8.78 | -$79.20 million | ($1.20) | -2.59 |
| Altimmune | $31,000.00 | 20,016.53 | -$88.09 million | ($0.78) | -4.09 |
Volatility and Risk
X4 Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.39, suggesting that its stock price is 61% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Altimmune has a beta of 0.18, suggesting that its stock price is 82% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for X4 Pharmaceuticals and Altimmune, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| X4 Pharmaceuticals | 1 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Altimmune | 1 | 1 | 8 | 0 | 2.70 |
X4 Pharmaceuticals currently has a consensus price target of $11.25, indicating a potential upside of 261.74%. Altimmune has a consensus price target of $14.33, indicating a potential upside of 349.32%. Given Altimmune’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Altimmune is more favorable than X4 Pharmaceuticals.
Profitability
This table compares X4 Pharmaceuticals and Altimmune’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| X4 Pharmaceuticals | -568.80% | -63.05% | -36.89% |
| Altimmune | -214,860.98% | -31.41% | -26.96% |
Institutional & Insider Ownership
72.0% of X4 Pharmaceuticals shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 78.1% of Altimmune shares are held by institutional investors. 1.1% of X4 Pharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.6% of Altimmune shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
Altimmune beats X4 Pharmaceuticals on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About X4 Pharmaceuticals
X4 Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the research, development, and commercialization of novel therapeutics for the treatment of rare diseases. Its lead product candidate is mavorixafor, a small molecule inhibitor of the chemokine receptor C-X-C chemokine receptor type 4 (CXCR4), which is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of patients with warts, hypogammaglobulinemia, infections, and myelokathexis syndrome; and Phase II clinical trial to treat congenital, idiopathic, or cyclic neutropenia. The company is also developing X4P-003, a CXCR4 antagonist for the treatment of CXCR4 dependent disorders and primary immunodeficiencies; and X4P-002, a CXCR4 antagonist for the treatment of blood-brain barrier diseases. It has a license agreement with Abbisko Therapeutics Co Ltd. to develop, manufacture, and commercialize mavorixafor in combination with checkpoint inhibitors or other agents in oncology indications. The company is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
About Altimmune
Altimmune, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing treatments for obesity and liver diseases. The company's lead product candidate, pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist that is in Phase 2 trial for the treatment of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. It is also developing HepTcell, an immunotherapeutic product candidate, which is in Phase 2 clinical trial for patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus. The company was formerly known as Vaxin Inc. and changed its name to Altimmune, Inc. in September 2015. Altimmune, Inc. was founded in 1997 is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.
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