Head-To-Head Analysis: scPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SCPH) and Nabriva Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NBRV)

Nabriva Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NBRV) and scPharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:SCPH) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Nabriva Therapeutics and scPharmaceuticals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Nabriva Therapeutics	-148.11%	-365.53%	-135.81%
scPharmaceuticals	-327.29%	-132.39%	-58.71%

Volatility and Risk

Nabriva Therapeutics has a beta of 1.53, suggesting that its stock price is 53% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, scPharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.12, suggesting that its stock price is 88% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Nabriva Therapeutics and scPharmaceuticals’ gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Nabriva Therapeutics	$35.59 million	0.00	-$57.19 million	($19.20)	N/A
scPharmaceuticals	$13.59 million	11.17	-$54.81 million	($1.48)	-2.84

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

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Nabriva Therapeutics and scPharmaceuticals, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Nabriva Therapeutics	0	0	0	0	N/A
scPharmaceuticals	0	0	2	0	3.00

scPharmaceuticals has a consensus price target of $19.00, suggesting a potential upside of 351.31%.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

0.3% of Nabriva Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 89.5% of scPharmaceuticals shares are held by institutional investors. 1.6% of Nabriva Therapeutics shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 5.5% of scPharmaceuticals shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

scPharmaceuticals beats Nabriva Therapeutics on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Nabriva Therapeutics

Nabriva Therapeutics plc, a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of novel anti-infective agents to treat serious infections. The company's product includes SIVEXTRO, an oxazolidinone-class antibacterial for the treatment of acute bacterial skin and skin structure infection (ABSSSI); and XENLETA, a semi-synthetic pleuromutilin antibiotic for oral and IV administration. It also develops XENLETA that is in Phase I clinical trial for the treatment of pediatric infections, as well as sexually transmitted infections, cystic fibrosis, ABSSSI, ventilator-associated bacterial pneumonia, complicated intra-abdominal infections, hospital-acquired bacterial pneumonia, acute bacterial skin and skin structure infections, osteomyelitis, and prosthetic joint infections. In addition, the company develops CONTEPO, an epoxide antibiotic for use in treating complicated urinary tract infections, as well as is in Phase I clinical trial for peri-operative prophylaxis. The company was formerly known as Nabriva Therapeutics Forschungs GmbH and changed its name to Nabriva Therapeutics plc in 2007. Nabriva Therapeutics plc was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.

About scPharmaceuticals

scPharmaceuticals Inc., a pharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of various pharmaceutical products. Its lead product candidate is FUROSCIX that consists of formulation of furosemide, which is delivered through an on-body infusor for treatment of congestion due to fluid overload in adults with chronic heart failure and kidney disease, as well as consists of subcutaneous loop diuretic that delivers IV equivalent diuresis at home; and FUROSCIX On-Body Infusor, a drug-device combination product consisting of FUROSCIX. The company's product pipeline also includes SCP-111 (furosemide injection), an investigational pH neutral aqueous furosemide formulation that is being developed for subcutaneous administration outside of the hospital setting, including patient self-administration in the home; and SCP-111 Autoinjector, an investigational single-entity, drug-device combination product candidate consisting of a prefilled syringe containing SCP-111, preloaded into a commercially available, fixed single dose, disposable, two step mechanical autoinjector. It has a collaboration agreement with West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. The company was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Burlington, Massachusetts.