Arbutus Biopharma (NASDAQ:ABUS) & Corvus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CRVS) Critical Survey

Arbutus Biopharma (NASDAQ:ABUS) and Corvus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:CRVS) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, valuation, earnings, profitability, dividends, risk and institutional ownership.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Arbutus Biopharma and Corvus Pharmaceuticals”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Arbutus Biopharma	$6.17 million	143.85	-$69.92 million	($0.23)	-20.07
Corvus Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	-$62.29 million	($0.53)	-12.81

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

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Arbutus Biopharma and Corvus Pharmaceuticals, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Arbutus Biopharma	1	0	2	0	2.33
Corvus Pharmaceuticals	1	0	5	0	2.67

Arbutus Biopharma currently has a consensus price target of $5.00, suggesting a potential upside of 8.34%. Corvus Pharmaceuticals has a consensus price target of $14.25, suggesting a potential upside of 109.87%. Given Corvus Pharmaceuticals’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Corvus Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Arbutus Biopharma.

Profitability

This table compares Arbutus Biopharma and Corvus Pharmaceuticals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Arbutus Biopharma	-289.79%	-50.26%	-37.65%
Corvus Pharmaceuticals	N/A	-26.11%	-20.48%

Risk & Volatility

Arbutus Biopharma has a beta of 0.7, indicating that its share price is 30% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Corvus Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.7, indicating that its share price is 30% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

43.8% of Arbutus Biopharma shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 46.6% of Corvus Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. 20.3% of Arbutus Biopharma shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 28.5% of Corvus Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Corvus Pharmaceuticals beats Arbutus Biopharma on 10 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Arbutus Biopharma

Arbutus Biopharma Corporation, a biopharmaceutical company, develops novel therapeutics for chronic Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the United States. Its HBV product pipeline consists of imdusiran (AB-729), a proprietary subcutaneously-delivered RNAi therapeutic product candidate that suppresses all HBV antigens, including HBsAg expression. The company’s research and development programs include AB-101, an oral PD-L1 inhibitor to reawaken patients’ HBV-specific immune system; and small molecule antiviral medicines to treat coronaviruses, including COVID-19. It has licensing agreements with Gritstone Oncology, Inc; Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Qilu Pharmaceuticals Co, Ltd; Assembly Biosciences, Inc.; Acuitas Therapeutics, Inc.; and Antios Therapeutics, Inc. Arbutus Biopharma Corporation also has a clinical collaboration agreement with Barinthus Biotherapeutics plc to evaluate VTP-300. The company was formerly known as Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation and changed its name to Arbutus Biopharma Corporation in July 2015. Arbutus Biopharma Corporation is headquartered in Warminster, Pennsylvania.

About Corvus Pharmaceuticals

Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development and commercialization of immune modulator product candidates to treat solid cancers, T cell lymphomas, autoimmune, allergic, and infectious diseases. Its lead product candidate is soquelitinib (CPI-818), a selective covalent inhibitor of interleukin 2 inducible T cell kinase (ITK), which is in a multi-center Phase 1/1b clinical trial for the treatment of peripheral T cell lymphoma, solid tumors, and atopic dermatitis. The company is also developing ciforadenant (CPI-444), an oral small molecule antagonist of the A2A receptor that is in Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer; and mupadolimab (CPI-006), a humanized monoclonal antibody, which is in Phase 1b clinical trial for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer and head and neck cancer. In addition, it is developing CPI-182, an antibody designed to block inflammation and myeloid suppression that is in investigational new drug application-enabling studies, as well as CPI-935, an adenosine A2B receptor antagonist to prevent fibrosis. Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. has a license afreemnt with Monash University to research, develop, and commercialize certain antibodies directed to CXCR2 for the treatment of human diseases; and Vernalis (R&D) Limited to develop, manufacture, and commercialize products containing certain adenosine receptor antagonists, including ciforadenant, as well as strategic collaboration with Angel Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. for the development and commercialization of mupadolimab. Corvus Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is based in Burlingame, California.