Contrasting Merit Medical Systems (NASDAQ:MMSI) and Scripsamerica (OTCMKTS:SCRCQ)

Merit Medical Systems (NASDAQ:MMSI) and Scripsamerica (OTCMKTS:SCRCQ) are both medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Merit Medical Systems and Scripsamerica, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Merit Medical Systems	0	3	8	0	2.73
Scripsamerica	0	0	0	0	0.00

Merit Medical Systems presently has a consensus price target of $103.33, indicating a potential upside of 54.90%. Given Merit Medical Systems’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Merit Medical Systems is more favorable than Scripsamerica.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

99.7% of Merit Medical Systems shares are held by institutional investors. 3.7% of Merit Medical Systems shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Merit Medical Systems and Scripsamerica”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Merit Medical Systems	$1.52 billion	2.62	$128.49 million	$2.12	31.47
Scripsamerica	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Merit Medical Systems has higher revenue and earnings than Scripsamerica.

Profitability

This table compares Merit Medical Systems and Scripsamerica’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Merit Medical Systems	8.48%	13.82%	8.04%
Scripsamerica	N/A	N/A	N/A

Summary

Merit Medical Systems beats Scripsamerica on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Merit Medical Systems

Merit Medical Systems, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets single-use medical products for interventional, diagnostic, and therapeutic procedures in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Cardiovascular and Endoscopy. The company provides micropuncture kits, angiographic needles, sheaths, guide wires, and safety products; peripheral intervention, including angiography, drainage, delivery systems, and embolotherapy products; spine products, such as vertebral augmentation, radiofrequency ablation, and bone biopsy systems; oncology products; and cardiac intervention products, such as access, angiography, electrophysiology and cardiac rhythm management, fluid management, hemodynamic monitoring, hemostasis, and intervention to treat various heart conditions. It also offers custom procedural solutions that include critical care products, disinfection protection systems, syringes, manifold kits, and trays and packs; coating services for medical tubes and wires; and sensor components for microelectromechanical systems. In addition, the company provides pulmonary products that consist of laser-cut tracheobronchial stents, over-the-wire and direct visualization delivery systems, and dilation balloons to endoscopically dilate structures; gastroenterology products, such as covered esophageal stents, syringe and gauges, and balloon dilators; and kits and accessories for endoscopy and bronchoscopy procedures. It sells its products to hospitals and alternate site-based physicians, technicians, and nurses through direct sales force, distributors, original equipment manufacturer partners, or custom procedure tray manufacturers. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in South Jordan, Utah.

About Scripsamerica

ScripsAmerica, Inc. develops and sells non-sterile topical and transdermal pain creams. The company also provides pharmacy dispensing services for individual doctors, as well as billing and administrative services to independent pharmacies. In addition, it distributes pharmaceutical products to independent pharmacies and other medical providers. The company was founded in 2008 and is based in Clifton, New Jersey. On February 8, 2017, the voluntary petition of ScripsAmerica, Inc. for reorganization under Chapter 11 was converted to Chapter 7. It had filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on September 7, 2016.