Head to Head Analysis: Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) versus Clene (NASDAQ:CLNN)

Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) and Clene (NASDAQ:CLNN) are both healthcare companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, risk, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Risk and Volatility

Zoetis has a beta of 0.73, meaning that its stock price is 27% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Clene has a beta of 0.95, meaning that its stock price is 5% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

92.8% of Zoetis shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 23.3% of Clene shares are held by institutional investors. 0.2% of Zoetis shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 28.3% of Clene shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Zoetis and Clene”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Zoetis	$9.47 billion	3.33	$2.67 billion	$6.07	12.58
Clene	$200,000.00	256.36	-$26.17 million	($3.50)	-1.14

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

Profitability

This table compares Zoetis and Clene’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Zoetis	27.49%	74.89%	18.59%
Clene	-20,063.96%	N/A	-137.04%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for Zoetis and Clene, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Zoetis	2	9	8	0	2.32
Clene	1	0	6	0	2.71

Zoetis currently has a consensus price target of $107.43, indicating a potential upside of 40.72%. Clene has a consensus price target of $33.25, indicating a potential upside of 733.33%. Given Clene’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Clene is more favorable than Zoetis.

Summary

Zoetis beats Clene on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Zoetis

Zoetis Inc. engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses. It also offers parasiticides, vaccines, dermatology, other pharmaceutical, anti-infectives, animal health diagnostics, and medicated feed additives. In addition, the company provides animal health diagnostics, including point-of-care diagnostic products, instruments and reagents, rapid immunoassay tests, reference laboratory kits and services, and blood glucose monitors; and other non-pharmaceutical products, which include nutritionals, as well as products and services in biodevices, genetic tests, and precision animal health. It markets its products to veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners. The company has collaboration Blacksmith Medicines, Inc. to discover and develop novel antibiotics for animal health. Zoetis Inc. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.

About Clene

Clene Inc., a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of novel clean-surfaced nanotechnology (CSN) therapeutics. Its lead drug candidate is CNM-Au8, which is being studied in various clinical trials, including a completed Phase 2 platform trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of CNM-Au8 in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS); completed Phase 2 proof of concept clinical trial in patients with early symptomatic ALS; completed two open-label investigator blinded Phase 2 clinical trials on the brain's energy metabolites; completed Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of visual pathway deficits in chronic optic neuropathy for remyelination in stable relapsing Multiple Sclerosis; and a second Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of patients with Parkinson's Diseases. The company also develops CNM-AgZn17, a gel polymer suspension of silver and zinc ions that is being developed for the treatment of infectious diseases and to support wound healing; and CNM-ZnAg, a broad-spectrum antiviral and antibacterial agent to treat infection disease and to provide immune support for symptom resolution. In addition, it markets and distributes dietary supplements comprising rMetx, an aqueous zinc-silver ion dietary supplement; and KHC46, an aqueous gold dietary supplement of very low-concentration Au nanoparticles. The company is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.