Head-To-Head Comparison: BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BCRX) versus Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR)

Vir Biotechnology (NASDAQ:VIR) and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:BCRX) are both mid-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, earnings, profitability, institutional ownership, dividends, analyst recommendations and valuation.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Vir Biotechnology and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vir Biotechnology	$302.59 million	6.67	-$437.99 million	($1.86)	-6.41
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals	$940.61 million	2.27	$263.86 million	($1.50)	-5.58

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals has higher revenue and earnings than Vir Biotechnology. Vir Biotechnology is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Vir Biotechnology and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vir Biotechnology	N/A	-29.99%	-23.62%
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals	-40.90%	-86.89%	66.37%

Risk and Volatility

Vir Biotechnology has a beta of 1.59, indicating that its stock price is 59% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, BioCryst Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.55, indicating that its stock price is 45% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Vir Biotechnology and BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vir Biotechnology	2	0	6	1	2.67
BioCryst Pharmaceuticals	1	4	6	0	2.45

Vir Biotechnology currently has a consensus price target of $21.86, suggesting a potential upside of 83.21%. BioCryst Pharmaceuticals has a consensus price target of $19.44, suggesting a potential upside of 132.31%. Given BioCryst Pharmaceuticals’ higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe BioCryst Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than Vir Biotechnology.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

65.3% of Vir Biotechnology shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 85.9% of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.9% of Vir Biotechnology shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 3.8% of BioCryst Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals beats Vir Biotechnology on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Vir Biotechnology

Vir Biotechnology, Inc., an immunology company, develops therapeutic products to treat and prevent serious infectious diseases. Its clinical development pipeline consists of product candidates targeting hepatitis delta virus (HDV), hepatitis B virus (HBV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The company’s preclinical candidates include those targeting influenza A and B, coronavirus disease 2019, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and human metapneumovirus (MPV), and human papillomavirus (HPV). The company has grant agreements with Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and National Institutes of Health; an option and license agreement with Brii Biosciences Limited; a collaboration and license agreement with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; license agreements with MedImmune, LLC; collaboration with WuXi Biologics (Hong Kong) Limited and Glaxo Wellcome UK Ltd.; and a collaborative research agreement with GlaxoSmithKline Biologicals S.A, as well as license agreement with Sanofi for three clinical-stage masked T-cell engagers (TCEs) and exclusive use of the protease-cleavable masking platform for oncology and infectious diseases. It also has a manufacturing agreement with Samsung Biologics Co.,Ltd. The company was incorporated in 2016 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

About BioCryst Pharmaceuticals

BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biotechnology company, develops oral small-molecule and protein therapeutics to treat rare diseases. The company markets peramivir injection, an intravenous neuraminidase inhibitor for the treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza under the RAPIVAB, RAPIACTA, and PERAMIFLU names; and ORLADEYO, an oral serine protease inhibitor to treat hereditary angioedema. It is also developing BCX10013, an oral factor D inhibitor for complement-mediated diseases. The company has collaborations and in-license relationships with the Torii Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.; Seqirus UK Limited; Shionogi & Co., Ltd.; Green Cross Corporation; National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority; the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and The University of Alabama at Birmingham, as well as Albert Einstein College of Medicine of Yeshiva University and Industrial Research, Ltd. BioCryst Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Durham, North Carolina.