Reviewing Carmell (NASDAQ:CTCX) and OraSure Technologies (NASDAQ:OSUR)

Carmell (NASDAQ:CTCX) and OraSure Technologies (NASDAQ:OSUR) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

24.2% of Carmell shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 93.5% of OraSure Technologies shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.2% of OraSure Technologies shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Carmell and OraSure Technologies, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Carmell	0	0	0	0	N/A
OraSure Technologies	0	2	1	0	2.33

OraSure Technologies has a consensus target price of $6.38, indicating a potential upside of 7.69%. Given OraSure Technologies’ higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe OraSure Technologies is more favorable than Carmell.

Profitability

This table compares Carmell and OraSure Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Carmell	N/A	-154.49%	-13.94%
OraSure Technologies	13.23%	14.50%	12.69%

Volatility & Risk

Carmell has a beta of 0.32, suggesting that its share price is 68% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, OraSure Technologies has a beta of 0.15, suggesting that its share price is 85% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Carmell and OraSure Technologies’ revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Carmell	N/A	N/A	-$15.44 million	N/A	N/A
OraSure Technologies	$405.47 million	1.12	$53.65 million	$0.72	8.22

OraSure Technologies has higher revenue and earnings than Carmell.

Summary

OraSure Technologies beats Carmell on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Carmell

Carmell Corporation focuses on the development of plasma-based bioactive material (PBM) to stimulate tissue repair or growth after injury, disease, and aging. Its lead product candidate is CT-101 bone healing accelerant for tibia fracture healing, foot/ankle fusion, spinal fusion, dental bone graft substitute, and bone void filler; and tissue healing accelerant for androgenetic alopecia and chronic wound healing. The company was formerly known as Carmell Therapeutics Corporation and changed its name to Carmell Corporation in November 2023. Carmell Therapeutics Corporation was founded in 2008 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

About OraSure Technologies

OraSure Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides point-of-care and home diagnostic tests, specimen collection devices, and microbiome laboratory and analytical services in the United States, Europe, and internationally. The company's products include InteliSwab COVID-19 rapid test, InteliSwab COVID-19 rapid test pro, InteliSwab COVID-19 rapid test rx, OraQuick Rapid HIV test, OraQuick In-Home HIV test, OraQuick HIV self-test, OraQuick HCV rapid antibody test, OraQuick Ebola rapid antigen test, OraSure oral fluid collection device used in conjunction with screening and confirmatory tests for HIV-1 antibodies; Intercept drug testing systems; immunoassay tests and reagents; and Q.E.D. saliva alcohol test. It also offers genomic products under the Oragene and ORAcollect brands for collecting genetic material from human saliva; Colli-Pee collection devices for the volumetric collection of void urine samples; and microbiome laboratory testing and analytical services. In addition, the company provides microbiome products, such as OMNIgene GUT for self-collecting microbial DNA from feces or stool samples for gut microbiome profiling; OMNIgene GUT DNA and RNA collection devices; and OMNIgene GUT Dx collection device for collection of human fecal samples and the stabilization of DNA from the bacterial community. Additionally, it provides other diagnostic products, such as immunoassays and other in vitro diagnostic tests. The company markets its products to clinical laboratories, hospitals, clinics, community-based organizations and other public health organizations, distributors, government agencies, physicians' offices, commercial and industrial entities, disease risk management, diagnostics, pharmaceutical, biotech, nutrition, companion animal, and environmental markets. OraSure Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.