BioLife Solutions (NASDAQ:BLFS – Get Free Report) and Veru (NASDAQ:VERU – Get Free Report) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.
Profitability
This table compares BioLife Solutions and Veru’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| BioLife Solutions | -3.20% | 0.97% | 0.87% |
| Veru | N/A | -119.51% | -74.98% |
Risk and Volatility
BioLife Solutions has a beta of 1.93, suggesting that its share price is 93% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Veru has a beta of -1.42, suggesting that its share price is 242% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Valuation & Earnings
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| BioLife Solutions | $82.25 million | 13.99 | -$20.18 million | ($0.07) | -341.43 |
| Veru | $16.89 million | 2.29 | -$22.73 million | ($2.20) | -1.10 |
BioLife Solutions has higher revenue and earnings than Veru. BioLife Solutions is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Veru, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
93.2% of BioLife Solutions shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 47.2% of Veru shares are held by institutional investors. 2.2% of BioLife Solutions shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 15.2% of Veru shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for BioLife Solutions and Veru, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| BioLife Solutions | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2.40 |
| Veru | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2.50 |
BioLife Solutions presently has a consensus price target of $32.00, indicating a potential upside of 33.89%. Veru has a consensus price target of $22.50, indicating a potential upside of 833.61%. Given Veru’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Veru is more favorable than BioLife Solutions.
Summary
BioLife Solutions beats Veru on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.
About BioLife Solutions
BioLife Solutions, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets bioproduction tools and services for the cell and gene therapy (CGT) industry in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and internationally. The company’s products are used in the basic and applied research, and commercial manufacturing of biologic-based therapies. It offers proprietary biopreservation media products, including HypoThermosol FRS and CryoStor Freeze Media that are formulated to mitigate preservation-induced, delayed-onset cell damage and death; bioproduction tools, such as human platelet lysates for cell expansion and CellSeal closed system vials that are used in CGT; and the ThawSTAR line that comprises of a family of automated thawing devices for frozen cell and gene therapies packaged in cryovials and cryobags. The company also provides cryogenic freezer technology for controlled rate freezing and cryogenic storage of biologic materials; ultra-low temperature mechanical freezers; evo shipping containers that are cloud-connected passive storage and transport containers for temperature-sensitive biologics and pharmaceuticals; liquid nitrogen laboratory freezers, cryogenic equipment, and accessories; and biological and pharmaceutical storage and transport services. It markets and sells its products directly, as well as through third party distributors. The company was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Bothell, Washington.
About Veru
Veru Inc., a late clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing medicines for treatment of metabolic diseases, oncology, and acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Its marketed products comprise FC2 female condom for the dual protection against unplanned pregnancy and the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. The company’s development program includes enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor modulator for treatment of augment fat loss and to prevent muscle loss in sarcopenic obese and overweight elderly patients; Enobosarm, a selective androgen receptor modulator for the treatment of AR+ ER+ HER2- metastatic breast cancer; and sabizabulin, a microtubule disruptor for the treatment of hospitalized patients with viral lung infection on oxygen support who are at high risk for viral induced ARDS and death. The company was formerly known as The Female Health Company and changed its name to Veru Inc. in July 2017. Veru Inc. was incorporated in 1971 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.
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