Critical Survey: Cocrystal Pharma (NASDAQ:COCP) and Milestone Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:MIST)

Cocrystal Pharma (NASDAQ:COCP) and Milestone Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:MIST) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership and dividends.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Cocrystal Pharma and Milestone Pharmaceuticals’ top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Cocrystal Pharma	N/A	N/A	-$17.98 million	($1.99)	-0.78
Milestone Pharmaceuticals	$1.00 million	83.45	-$59.69 million	($1.39)	-1.13

Cocrystal Pharma has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Milestone Pharmaceuticals. Milestone Pharmaceuticals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Cocrystal Pharma, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Cocrystal Pharma and Milestone Pharmaceuticals, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Cocrystal Pharma	0	0	1	0	3.00
Milestone Pharmaceuticals	0	1	3	0	2.75

Cocrystal Pharma currently has a consensus price target of $10.00, suggesting a potential upside of 547.75%. Milestone Pharmaceuticals has a consensus price target of $10.75, suggesting a potential upside of 584.71%. Given Milestone Pharmaceuticals’ higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Milestone Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Cocrystal Pharma.

Volatility and Risk

Cocrystal Pharma has a beta of 1.34, indicating that its stock price is 34% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Milestone Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 1.77, indicating that its stock price is 77% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

6.7% of Cocrystal Pharma shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 86.2% of Milestone Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. 25.1% of Cocrystal Pharma shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 10.4% of Milestone Pharmaceuticals shares are owned 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.

Profitability

This table compares Cocrystal Pharma and Milestone Pharmaceuticals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Cocrystal Pharma	N/A	-59.62%	-54.62%
Milestone Pharmaceuticals	N/A	-170.99%	-64.45%

About Cocrystal Pharma

Cocrystal Pharma, Inc., a biotechnology company, focuses on the discovery and development of antiviral therapeutic treatments for serious and/or chronic viral diseases. It employs structure-based technologies to create antiviral drugs primarily to treat hepatitis C virus (HCV), influenza virus, coronavirus, and norovirus infections. The company develops CC-31244, a HCV non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitor that has completed Phase II a clinical trial to treat HCV infection; and CC-42344, a PB2 inhibitor that has completed Phase I clinical trial for treating influenza infection. It is also involved in identifying and developing non-nucleoside polymerase inhibitors for norovirus infections. Cocrystal Pharma, Inc. has a license and research collaboration agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. to discover and develop proprietary influenza A/B antiviral agents; and a license agreement with Kansas State University Research Foundation to develop antiviral compounds for the treatment of norovirus and coronavirus infections. The company is headquartered in Bothell, Washington.

About Milestone Pharmaceuticals

Milestone Pharmaceuticals Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of cardiovascular medicines. The company's lead product candidate is etripamil, a novel and potent calcium channel blocker, which is in Phase III clinical trial for the treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia in the United States and Canada; and Phase II clinical trial for the treatment of atrial fibrillation and rapid ventricular rate. It has a license and collaboration agreement with Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialize etripamil prophylactic and therapeutic uses in humans, as well as with the Montreal Heart Institute, the WCN network, and other research centers. The company was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Montréal, Canada.