Analyzing enGene (NASDAQ:ENGN) and Molecular Partners (NASDAQ:MOLN)

Molecular Partners (NASDAQ:MOLN) and enGene (NASDAQ:ENGN) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, earnings, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Molecular Partners and enGene”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Molecular Partners	$6.00 million	31.47	-$69.04 million	($2.15)	-2.18
enGene	N/A	N/A	-$55.14 million	($0.58)	-10.07

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

Risk & Volatility

Molecular Partners has a beta of 1.06, suggesting that its share price is 6% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, enGene has a beta of -0.65, suggesting that its share price is 165% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Molecular Partners and enGene’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Molecular Partners	-1,043.01%	-39.31%	-35.46%
enGene	N/A	-16.69%	-14.27%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Molecular Partners and enGene, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Molecular Partners	0	0	0	1	4.00
enGene	0	1	8	1	3.00

enGene has a consensus target price of $25.89, suggesting a potential upside of 343.30%. Given enGene’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe enGene is more favorable than Molecular Partners.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

26.5% of Molecular Partners shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 64.2% of enGene shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.9% of Molecular Partners shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 13.7% of enGene shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

enGene beats Molecular Partners on 9 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Molecular Partners

Molecular Partners AG, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, develops designed ankyrin repeat proteins therapeutics for the treatment of oncology and virology diseases in Switzerland. The company develops MP0317, a CD40 agonist designed to activate immune cells within the tumor microenvironment by anchoring to fibroblast activation protein that is in Phase I clinical trial; and MP0533, a novel tetra-specific T cell-engaging DARPin for acute myeloid leukemia. It also develops Switch-DARPin platform, a multispecific cKIT x CD16a x CD47 Switch-DARPin program for targeted and conditional immune cell activation; and Radio-DARPin Therapy (RDT) platform, a delivery system for effective and selective delivery of radioactive payloads to solid tumors. It has license and research collaboration agreements with Novartis Pharma AG to develop DARPin-conjugated radioligand therapies; and collaboration agreement with Orano Med SAS to develop novel Radio-DARPin therapeutics. Molecular Partners AG was incorporated in 2004 and is headquartered in Schlieren, Switzerland.

About enGene

enGene Holdings Inc., through its subsidiary enGene, Inc., operates as a clinical-stage biotechnology company that develops genetic medicines through the delivery of therapeutics to mucosal tissues and other organs. Its lead product candidate is EG-70 (detalimogene voraplasmid), which is a non-viral immunotherapy to treat non-muscle invasive bladder cancer patients with carcinoma-in-situ (Cis), who are unresponsive to treatment with Bacillus Calmette-Guérin. The company was founded in 2023 and is based in Saint-Laurent, Canada.