Critical Comparison: Phio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PHIO) versus Unicycive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UNCY)

Unicycive Therapeutics (NASDAQ:UNCY) and Phio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PHIO) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, earnings, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, risk and profitability.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Unicycive Therapeutics and Phio Pharmaceuticals”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Unicycive Therapeutics	$680,000.00	217.51	-$26.56 million	($2.21)	-2.44
Phio Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	-$8.70 million	($1.38)	-0.75

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

Volatility and Risk

Unicycive Therapeutics has a beta of 1.79, indicating that its share price is 79% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Phio Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.81, indicating that its share price is 19% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

40.4% of Unicycive Therapeutics shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 57.3% of Phio Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. 6.0% of Unicycive Therapeutics shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.9% of Phio Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Unicycive Therapeutics and Phio Pharmaceuticals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Unicycive Therapeutics	N/A	-134.69%	-84.51%
Phio Pharmaceuticals	N/A	-77.34%	-70.87%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Unicycive Therapeutics and Phio Pharmaceuticals, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Unicycive Therapeutics	2	0	5	0	2.43
Phio Pharmaceuticals	1	0	1	0	2.00

Unicycive Therapeutics currently has a consensus price target of $21.75, indicating a potential upside of 302.78%. Phio Pharmaceuticals has a consensus price target of $14.00, indicating a potential upside of 1,246.15%. Given Phio Pharmaceuticals’ higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Phio Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Unicycive Therapeutics.

Summary

Phio Pharmaceuticals beats Unicycive Therapeutics on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Unicycive Therapeutics

Unicycive Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company, engages in developing novel therapies for kidney diseases in the United States. It is developing Renazorb for treatment of hyperphosphatemia in patients with chronic kidney disease on dialysis; and UNI 494, which is in Phase 1 clinical trials for treatment of acute kidney injury. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is based in Los Altos, California.

About Phio Pharmaceuticals

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. engages in the development of immuno-oncology therapeutics in the United States. The company is developing PH-762, an INTASYL compound in Phase 1b dose-escalating clinical trials to reduce the expression of cell death protein 1 (PD-1), a protein that inhibits T cells’ ability to kill cancer cells; and PH-762 treated double positive tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, which is in Phase 1 clinical trials to treat advanced melanoma and other advanced solid tumors. It is also developing PH-894, an INTASYL compound in IND enabling studies to silence BRD4, a protein that controls gene expression in both T cells and tumor cells, effecting the immune system and the tumor. The company was formerly known as RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation and changed its name to Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. in November 2018. Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Marlborough, Massachusetts.