Comparing Mannatech (NASDAQ:MTEX) & Altimmune (NASDAQ:ALT)
by Michael Walen · The Markets DailyMannatech (NASDAQ:MTEX – Get Free Report) and Altimmune (NASDAQ:ALT – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Mannatech and Altimmune”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Mannatech | $108.04 million | 0.10 | -$15.21 million | ($6.71) | -0.81 |
| Altimmune | $40,000.00 | 13,126.73 | -$88.09 million | ($0.93) | -2.90 |
Mannatech has higher revenue and earnings than Altimmune. Altimmune is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Mannatech, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Mannatech and Altimmune, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Mannatech | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
| Altimmune | 2 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2.50 |
Altimmune has a consensus target price of $16.67, suggesting a potential upside of 517.28%. Given Altimmune’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Altimmune is more favorable than Mannatech.
Profitability
This table compares Mannatech and Altimmune’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Mannatech | -11.97% | -2,383.34% | -40.24% |
| Altimmune | -214,860.98% | -42.57% | -35.57% |
Insider & Institutional Ownership
13.0% of Mannatech shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 78.1% of Altimmune shares are held by institutional investors. 41.5% of Mannatech shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.6% of Altimmune shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Volatility and Risk
Mannatech has a beta of 0.72, indicating that its stock price is 28% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Altimmune has a beta of 0.21, indicating that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Altimmune beats Mannatech on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Mannatech
Mannatech, Incorporated operates as a health and wellness company in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The company develops, markets, and sells nutritional supplements; topical and skin care, and anti-aging products; and weight-management and fitness products. It primarily sells its products directly, as well as through e-commerce and network marketing channels. Mannatech, Incorporated was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Flower Mound, Texas.
About Altimmune
Altimmune, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing treatments for obesity and liver diseases. The company's lead product candidate, pemvidutide, a GLP-1/glucagon dual receptor agonist that is in Phase 2 trial for the treatment of obesity and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis. It is also developing HepTcell, an immunotherapeutic product candidate, which is in Phase 2 clinical trial for patients chronically infected with the hepatitis B virus. The company was formerly known as Vaxin Inc. and changed its name to Altimmune, Inc. in September 2015. Altimmune, Inc. was founded in 1997 is headquartered in Gaithersburg, Maryland.