Reviewing Emergent Biosolutions (NYSE:EBS) & Marker Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MRKR)

Marker Therapeutics (NASDAQ:MRKR) and Emergent Biosolutions (NYSE:EBS) are both small-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares Marker Therapeutics and Emergent Biosolutions’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Marker Therapeutics	-343.03%	-56.96%	-47.82%
Emergent Biosolutions	-22.95%	16.35%	6.17%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Marker Therapeutics and Emergent Biosolutions, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Marker Therapeutics	1	1	2	0	2.25
Emergent Biosolutions	2	1	3	0	2.17

Marker Therapeutics presently has a consensus target price of $10.00, suggesting a potential upside of 769.57%. Emergent Biosolutions has a consensus target price of $10.00, suggesting a potential upside of 59.82%. Given Marker Therapeutics’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe Marker Therapeutics is more favorable than Emergent Biosolutions.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Marker Therapeutics and Emergent Biosolutions”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Marker Therapeutics	$3.55 million	5.40	-$12.16 million	($0.41)	-2.80
Emergent Biosolutions	$742.90 million	0.43	$52.60 million	($3.55)	-1.76

Emergent Biosolutions has higher revenue and earnings than Marker Therapeutics. Marker Therapeutics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Emergent Biosolutions, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility & Risk

Marker Therapeutics has a beta of 1.53, meaning that its share price is 53% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Emergent Biosolutions has a beta of 2.34, meaning that its share price is 134% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

22.4% of Marker Therapeutics shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 78.4% of Emergent Biosolutions shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.7% of Marker Therapeutics shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 6.0% of Emergent Biosolutions shares are owned by 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

Emergent Biosolutions beats Marker Therapeutics on 10 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Marker Therapeutics

Marker Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company, engages in the development and commercialization of novel T cell-based immunotherapies for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumor indications. Its multi tumor associated antigen-specific T cell technology is based on the manufacture of non-engineered tumor-specific T cells that recognize multiple tumor-associated antigens. The company also develops MT-401-OTS for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia; and MT-601 to treat lymphoma and pancreatic cancer. Marker Therapeutics, Inc. is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

About Emergent Biosolutions

Emergent BioSolutions Inc., a life sciences company, provides preparedness and response solutions for accidental, deliberate, and naturally occurring public health threats in the United States. The company offers NARCAN Nasal Spray for the emergency treatment of known or suspected opioid overdose; Vaxchora vaccine for the prevention of cholera; Vivotif vaccine for oral administration for the prevention of typhoid fever; Anthrasil for the treatment of inhalational anthrax; BioThrax, an anthrax vaccine; CYFENDUS for post-exposure prophylaxis of disease following suspected or confirmed exposure to Bacillus anthracis; and Raxibacumab injection for the treatment and prophylaxis of inhalational anthrax. It also provides ACAM2000, a smallpox vaccine; CNJ-016 to address complications from smallpox vaccination; TEMBEXA for the treatment of smallpox disease caused by variola virus in adult and pediatric patients; BAT for the treatment of symptomatic botulism; Ebanga for the treatment of Ebola; Reactive Skin Decontamination Lotion Kit to remove or neutralize chemical warfare agents from the skin; Trobigard, a atropine sulfate obidoxime chloride auto-injector. In addition, the company is developing CGRD-001 for the treatment of poisoning by organophosphorus nerve agents or organophosphorus compounds; EBS-LASV to prevent Lassa fever; EBS-MARV to prevent Marburg virus disease; EBS-SUDV to prevent Sudan virus disease; Pan-Ebola mAbs for the treatment of ebola virus; SIAN Antidote for initial treatment of certain or suspected acute cyanide poisoning; UniFlu for immunity against influenza A and B viruses; and WEVEE-VLP for equine encephalitis virus infections. Further, it provides contract development and manufacturing services comprising drug substance and product manufacturing, and packaging, as well as technology transfer, process, and analytical development services. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.