Analyzing Krystal Biotech (NASDAQ:KRYS) and Genocea Biosciences (NASDAQ:GNCAQ)

Krystal Biotech (NASDAQ:KRYS) and Genocea Biosciences (NASDAQ:GNCAQ) are both medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends and valuation.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

86.3% of Krystal Biotech shares are held by institutional investors. 13.7% of Krystal Biotech shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.6% of Genocea Biosciences 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.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings for Krystal Biotech and Genocea Biosciences, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Krystal Biotech	0	1	7	1	3.00
Genocea Biosciences	0	0	0	0	0.00

Krystal Biotech presently has a consensus target price of $211.13, suggesting a potential upside of 66.16%. Given Krystal Biotech’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Krystal Biotech is more favorable than Genocea Biosciences.

Profitability

This table compares Krystal Biotech and Genocea Biosciences’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Krystal Biotech	30.69%	11.41%	10.40%
Genocea Biosciences	N/A	N/A	N/A

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Krystal Biotech and Genocea Biosciences”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Krystal Biotech	$333.45 million	11.01	$10.93 million	$4.16	30.54
Genocea Biosciences	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Krystal Biotech has higher revenue and earnings than Genocea Biosciences.

Volatility & Risk

Krystal Biotech has a beta of 0.79, indicating that its stock price is 21% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Genocea Biosciences has a beta of 1.74, indicating that its stock price is 74% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Krystal Biotech beats Genocea Biosciences on 10 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Krystal Biotech

Krystal Biotech, Inc., a commercial-stage biotechnology company, discovers, develops, and commercializes genetic medicines for patients with rare diseases in the United States. It commercializes VYJUVEK (beremagene geperpavec-svdt, or B-VEC) for the treatment of dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa (DEB). The company also develops KB105, which is in Phase 1/2 clinical trials for treating patients with deficient autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis; KB104 for treating netherton syndrome; KB407 that is in Phase 1 clinical trials for treating cystic fibrosis; KB707 that is in Phase 1 clinical trials for the treatment of anti-PD-1 relapsed/refractory; KB408, which is in Phase 1 clinical trials for treating Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency; and KB301 that is in Phase 2 clinical trials for treating aesthetic skin conditions, as well as in open label study with ophthalmic B-VEC for treating for ocular complications of deb. Krystal Biotech, Inc. was founded in 2016 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

About Genocea Biosciences

Genocea Biosciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, discovers and develops novel cancer immunotherapies. The company uses its proprietary discovery platform, ATLAS, which profiles each patient's CD4+ and CD8+ T cell immune responses to every target or antigen identified by next-generation sequencing of that patient's tumor. Its products include GEN-011, an adoptive T cell therapy, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trials for the treatment of solid tumors; and GEN-009, a neoantigen vaccine candidate, which is in Phase 1/2a clinical trials that delivers adjuvanted synthetic long peptides spanning ATLAS-identified anti-tumor neoantigens. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. On July 5, 2022, Genocea Biosciences, Inc. filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Massachusetts. The plan was later approved as Chapter 11 liquidation on May 11, 2023.