Head to Head Analysis: Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTR) & Janux Therapeutics (NASDAQ:JANX)

by · The Markets Daily

Janux Therapeutics (NASDAQ:JANXGet Free Report) and Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ:NKTRGet Free Report) are both healthcare companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, earnings and valuation.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

75.4% of Janux Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 75.9% of Nektar Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. 7.9% of Janux Therapeutics shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 2.5% of Nektar Therapeutics shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

Janux Therapeutics has a beta of 2.53, indicating that its stock price is 153% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Nektar Therapeutics has a beta of 1.14, indicating that its stock price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Janux Therapeutics and Nektar Therapeutics, as reported by MarketBeat.

Sell RatingsHold RatingsBuy RatingsStrong Buy RatingsRating Score
Janux Therapeutics221012.67
Nektar Therapeutics12912.77

Janux Therapeutics presently has a consensus price target of $36.46, suggesting a potential upside of 80.15%. Nektar Therapeutics has a consensus price target of $141.50, suggesting a potential upside of 90.73%. Given Nektar Therapeutics’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Nektar Therapeutics is more favorable than Janux Therapeutics.

Profitability

This table compares Janux Therapeutics and Nektar Therapeutics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Net MarginsReturn on EquityReturn on Assets
Janux TherapeuticsN/A-11.89%-11.13%
Nektar Therapeutics-287.84%-37.87%-25.67%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Janux Therapeutics and Nektar Therapeutics”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Gross RevenuePrice/Sales RatioNet IncomeEarnings Per SharePrice/Earnings Ratio
Janux Therapeutics$10.00 million123.75-$113.62 million($1.64)-12.34
Nektar Therapeutics$55.23 million45.86-$164.08 million($6.70)-11.07

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

Summary

Janux Therapeutics beats Nektar Therapeutics on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Janux Therapeutics

(Get Free Report)

Janux Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, develops immunotherapies based on Tumor Activated T Cell Engagers (TRACTr) and Tumor Activated Immunomodulators (TRACIr) platforms technology to treat patients suffering from cancer. The company's clinical candidates comprise JANX007, a prostate-specific membrane antigen or PSMA-TRACTr, which is in Phase 1 clinical trial in adults for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) and the vasculature of other tumors; and JANX008, an epidermal growth factor receptor or EGFR-TRACTr that is in Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of multiple solid cancers, including colorectal cancer, squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, non-small cell lung cancer, and renal cell carcinoma. Its development pipeline also consists of discovery stage products. The company has strategic research collaboration agreement with Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. to develop TRACTr product candidates. Janux Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 2017 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

About Nektar Therapeutics

(Get Free Report)

Nektar Therapeutics, a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering and developing medicines in the field of immunotherapy in the United States and internationally. The company is developing rezpegaldesleukin, a cytokine Treg stimulant that is in phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus and ulcerative colitis, as well as phase 2b clinical trial to treat atopic dermatitis and psoriasis; and NKTR-255, an IL-15 receptor agonist, which is in phase 1 clinical trial to boost the immune system's natural ability to fight cancer. It has collaboration agreements with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd.; AstraZeneca AB; UCB Pharma S.A.; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Bausch Health Companies Inc.; Pfizer Inc.; Amgen Inc.; UCB Pharma (Biogen); Bristol-Myers Squibb Company; Merck KGaA; and SFJ Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The company was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.