Contrasting Xeris Biopharma (NASDAQ:XERS) & Metagenomi (NASDAQ:MGX)

Metagenomi (NASDAQ:MGX) and Xeris Biopharma (NASDAQ:XERS) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, institutional ownership, profitability, risk, earnings, analyst recommendations and valuation.

Volatility and Risk

Metagenomi has a beta of 0.5, suggesting that its share price is 50% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Xeris Biopharma has a beta of 0.52, suggesting that its share price is 48% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Metagenomi and Xeris Biopharma’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Metagenomi	-287.06%	-43.19%	-31.06%
Xeris Biopharma	-5.88%	N/A	-4.66%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Metagenomi and Xeris Biopharma, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Metagenomi	1	0	3	1	2.80
Xeris Biopharma	1	2	5	0	2.50

Metagenomi presently has a consensus price target of $10.00, suggesting a potential upside of 609.22%. Xeris Biopharma has a consensus price target of $10.08, suggesting a potential upside of 45.92%. Given Metagenomi’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Metagenomi is more favorable than Xeris Biopharma.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

42.8% of Xeris Biopharma shares are held by institutional investors. 17.8% of Metagenomi shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 6.5% of Xeris Biopharma shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Metagenomi and Xeris Biopharma”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Metagenomi	$30.91 million	1.71	-$78.06 million	($2.40)	-0.59
Xeris Biopharma	$203.07 million	5.65	-$54.84 million	($0.10)	-69.10

Xeris Biopharma has higher revenue and earnings than Metagenomi. Xeris Biopharma is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Metagenomi, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Xeris Biopharma beats Metagenomi on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Metagenomi

Metagenomi, Inc., a genetic medicines company, develops therapeutics for patients using metagenomics-derived genome editing toolbox in the United States. The company's genome editing toolbox includes programmable nucleases, base editors, and RNA and DNA-mediated integration systems, such as prime editing systems and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat-associated transposases. It has a strategic collaboration and license agreement with ModernaTX, Inc. focusing on new genome editing system for in vivo human therapeutic applications; a development, option, and license agreement with Affini-T Therapeutics, Inc. to develop and commercialize gene edited T-cell receptor-based therapeutic products in the field of treatment, prevention, or diagnosis of human cancer; and a collaboration and license agreement with Ionis Pharmaceuticals, Inc. to research, develop, and commercialize investigational medicines using genome editing technologies. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Emeryville, California.

About Xeris Biopharma

Xeris Biopharma Holdings, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in developing and commercializing therapies in Illinois. The company offers Gvoke, a ready-to-use liquid-stable glucagon for the treatment of severe hypoglycemia pediatric and adult patients; Keveyis, a therapy for the treatment of hyperkalemic, hypokalemic, and related variants of primary periodic paralysis; and Recorlev, a cortisol synthesis inhibitor proved for the treatment of endogenous hypercortisolemia in adult patients with Cushing's syndrome. It is also developing XP-8121, a once-weekly subcutaneous injection of levothyroxine that is in phase I clinical trial for the treatment of hypothyroidism; and non-aqueous XeriSol and XeriJect technologies for various therapies. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.