Head to Head Comparison: OraSure Technologies (NASDAQ:OSUR) versus PolyPid (NASDAQ:PYPD)

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

Profitability

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

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
OraSure Technologies	5.07%	3.55%	3.23%
PolyPid	N/A	-1,219.71%	-134.48%

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares OraSure Technologies and PolyPid”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
OraSure Technologies	$405.47 million	0.73	$53.65 million	$0.15	26.57
PolyPid	N/A	N/A	-$23.86 million	($7.81)	-0.39

OraSure Technologies has higher revenue and earnings than PolyPid. PolyPid is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than OraSure Technologies, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility and Risk

OraSure Technologies has a beta of 0.05, meaning that its stock price is 95% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, PolyPid has a beta of 1.32, meaning that its stock price is 32% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings for OraSure Technologies and PolyPid, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
OraSure Technologies	0	2	0	0	2.00
PolyPid	0	0	3	0	3.00

OraSure Technologies currently has a consensus price target of $5.50, suggesting a potential upside of 38.02%. PolyPid has a consensus price target of $11.33, suggesting a potential upside of 275.15%. Given PolyPid’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe PolyPid is more favorable than OraSure Technologies.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

93.5% of OraSure Technologies shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.5% of PolyPid shares are held by institutional investors. 3.4% of OraSure Technologies shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 24.7% of PolyPid 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.

Summary

OraSure Technologies beats PolyPid on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

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.

About PolyPid

PolyPid Ltd., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, developing targeted, locally administered, and prolonged-release therapeutics using its proprietary polymer-lipid encapsulation matrix (PLEX) technology to address unmet medical needs. Its lead product candidate is D-PLEX100, which is in a pivotal Phase 3 confirmatory trial for prevention of surgical site infections (SSIs) in patients undergoing abdominal colorectal surgery with large incisions. It is also developing OncoPLEX, for the treatment of intra-tumoral cancer. PolyPid Ltd. was incorporated in 2008 and is headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel.