Contrasting Delcath Systems (NASDAQ:DCTH) and Pulmonx (NASDAQ:LUNG)
by Kim Johansen · The Markets DailyDelcath Systems (NASDAQ:DCTH – Get Free Report) and Pulmonx (NASDAQ:LUNG – Get Free Report) are both small-cap healthcare companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends and valuation.
Risk & Volatility
Delcath Systems has a beta of 0.62, meaning that its share price is 38% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Pulmonx has a beta of 0.19, meaning that its share price is 81% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Delcath Systems and Pulmonx’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Delcath Systems | 0.56% | 0.46% | 0.42% |
| Pulmonx | -47.93% | -91.79% | -35.07% |
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Delcath Systems and Pulmonx, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Delcath Systems | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 2.60 |
| Pulmonx | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2.50 |
Delcath Systems presently has a consensus target price of $24.50, indicating a potential upside of 74.50%. Pulmonx has a consensus target price of $7.67, indicating a potential upside of 154.71%. Given Pulmonx’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Pulmonx is more favorable than Delcath Systems.
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares Delcath Systems and Pulmonx”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Delcath Systems | $85.23 million | 5.72 | $2.70 million | $0.01 | 1,404.00 |
| Pulmonx | $90.50 million | 1.43 | -$54.00 million | ($1.01) | -2.98 |
Delcath Systems has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Pulmonx. Pulmonx is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Delcath Systems, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
61.1% of Delcath Systems shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 91.0% of Pulmonx shares are held by institutional investors. 19.4% of Delcath Systems shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 7.5% of Pulmonx shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
Delcath Systems beats Pulmonx on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Delcath Systems
Delcath Systems, Inc., an interventional oncology company, focuses on the treatment of primary and metastatic liver cancers in the United States and Europe. The company’s lead product candidate is HEPZATO KIT, a melphalan for injection/hepatic delivery system to administer high-dose chemotherapy to the liver while controlling systemic exposure and associated side effects. Its clinical development program for HEPZATO is the FOCUS clinical trial for patients with metastatic hepatic dominant Uveal Melanoma to investigate objective response rate in metastatic uveal melanoma. It also provides HEPZATO as a stand-alone medical device under the CHEMOSAT Hepatic Delivery System trade name for Melphalan or CHEMOSAT for medical centers to treat a range of liver cancers in Europe. Delcath Systems, Inc. was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
About Pulmonx
Pulmonx Corporation, a commercial-stage medical technology company, provides minimally invasive devices for the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases. The company offers Zephyr Endobronchial Valve, a solution for the treatment of patients with hyperinflation associated with severe emphysema; and Chartis Pulmonary Assessment System, a balloon catheter and console system with flow and pressure sensors that are used to assess the presence of collateral ventilation. It also offers StratX Lung Analysis Platform, a cloud-based quantitative computed tomography analysis service that offers information on emphysema destruction, fissure completeness, and lobar volume to help identify target lobes for the treatment with Zephyr Valves. The company serves emphysema patients in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company was formerly known as Pulmonx and changed its name to Pulmonx Corporation in December 2013. Pulmonx Corporation was incorporated in 1995 and is headquartered in Redwood City, California.