Analyzing Amylyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLX) and Xeris Biopharma (NASDAQ:XERS)

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:AMLX) and Xeris Biopharma (NASDAQ:XERS) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and earnings.

Profitability

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

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals	N/A	-55.69%	-50.73%
Xeris Biopharma	3.81%	735.00%	3.24%

Institutional & Insider Ownership

95.8% of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 42.8% of Xeris Biopharma shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.9% of Amylyx Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.4% of Xeris Biopharma shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals has a beta of -0.16, suggesting that its stock price is 116% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Xeris Biopharma has a beta of 0.78, suggesting that its stock price is 22% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Amylyx Pharmaceuticals and Xeris Biopharma, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals	1	2	8	1	2.75
Xeris Biopharma	1	2	4	0	2.43

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals presently has a consensus price target of $23.00, suggesting a potential upside of 72.67%. Xeris Biopharma has a consensus price target of $10.80, suggesting a potential upside of 74.76%. Given Xeris Biopharma’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Xeris Biopharma is more favorable than Amylyx Pharmaceuticals.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Amylyx Pharmaceuticals and Xeris Biopharma”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Amylyx Pharmaceuticals	$87.37 million	16.95	-$144.74 million	($1.50)	-8.88
Xeris Biopharma	$291.85 million	3.66	$550,000.00	$0.06	103.00

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

Summary

Xeris Biopharma beats Amylyx Pharmaceuticals on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Amylyx Pharmaceuticals

Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a commercial-stage biotechnology company, engages in the discovery and development of treatment for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and neurodegenerative diseases. The company's products include RELYVRIO, a dual UPR-Bax apoptosis inhibitor composed of sodium phenylbutyrate and taurursodiol for the treatment of ALS in adults in the United States and marketed as ALBRIOZA for the treatment of ALS in Canada. It is also developing AMX0114 for other neurodegenerative diseases. Amylyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

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.