Head-To-Head Survey: Pyxis Oncology (NASDAQ:PYXS) and Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BCYC)

Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ:BCYC) and Pyxis Oncology (NASDAQ:PYXS) are both small-cap healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, profitability, valuation, risk, institutional ownership and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Bicycle Therapeutics and Pyxis Oncology’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Bicycle Therapeutics	-169.75%	-25.40%	-21.52%
Pyxis Oncology	N/A	-215.23%	-112.19%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Bicycle Therapeutics and Pyxis Oncology”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Bicycle Therapeutics	$72.86 million	3.52	-$218.96 million	($2.73)	-1.34
Pyxis Oncology	$13.86 million	10.89	-$79.62 million	($1.41)	-1.28

Pyxis Oncology has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Bicycle Therapeutics. Bicycle Therapeutics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Pyxis Oncology, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility & Risk

Bicycle Therapeutics has a beta of 1.68, meaning that its share price is 68% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Pyxis Oncology has a beta of 1.37, meaning that its share price is 37% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Bicycle Therapeutics and Pyxis Oncology, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Bicycle Therapeutics	2	3	5	0	2.30
Pyxis Oncology	1	1	8	0	2.70

Bicycle Therapeutics presently has a consensus price target of $13.57, indicating a potential upside of 270.80%. Pyxis Oncology has a consensus price target of $8.75, indicating a potential upside of 383.43%. Given Pyxis Oncology’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Pyxis Oncology is more favorable than Bicycle Therapeutics.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

86.2% of Bicycle Therapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 39.1% of Pyxis Oncology shares are held by institutional investors. 22.0% of Bicycle Therapeutics shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 5.7% of Pyxis Oncology 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.

Summary

Pyxis Oncology beats Bicycle Therapeutics on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Bicycle Therapeutics

Bicycle Therapeutics plc, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops a class of medicines for diseases that are underserved by existing therapeutics in the United States and the United Kingdom. Its product pipeline comprising BT8009, a bicycle toxin conjugate (BTC) which is in phase I/II/III clinical trial for the treatment of high nectin-4 expressing tumors; BT5528, a BTC which is in phase I/II clinical trial for the treatment of Ephrin type A receptor 2 expressing tumor; BT7480, a Bicycle TICA molecule which is in phase I/II targeting Nectin-4 and agonizing CD137; and BT7455, a Bicycle TICA molecule targeting Ephrin type A receptor 2 and CD137 and is in preclinical trial. The company also developing BT1718, a bicycle toxin conjugate (BTC), which is in Phase I/IIa clinical trials targeting tumors that express Membrane Type 1 matrix metalloprotease; and BT7401, a multivalent bicycle CD137 agonist which is in phase IIa to treat advanced solid tumors. In addition, it develops Novel anti-infective, which is in preclinical trial targeting anti-infectives disease; CNS targets, which is in preclinical trial targeting CNS disease; and Novel neuromuscular targets, which is in preclinical trial targeting neuromuscular disease. Further, the company collaborates with biopharmaceutical companies and organizations to develop programs in therapeutic areas. It has collaboration and license agreement with Bayer Consumer Care AG; Novartis Pharma AG; Cancer Research UK; Cancer Research Technology Ltd; and Oxurion NV. Bicycle Therapeutics plc was incorporated in 2009 and is headquartered in Cambridge, the United Kingdom.

About Pyxis Oncology

Pyxis Oncology, Inc., a clinical stage company, engages in the development of therapeutics to treat cancers. Its lead antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) product candidate is PYX-201, an investigational novel ADC consisting of human immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1), which is in Phase 1 clinical trial to treat patients with relapsed or refractory solid tumors; and lead immuno-oncology (IO) product candidate is PYX-106, an investigational fully human IgG1 Siglec-15-targeting antibody that is in Phase 1 clinical trial to treat patients with advanced solid tumors. The company is also developing PYX-107, a CD40 agonist with demonstrated anti-cancer activity in patients who previously progressed on PD-(L)1 inhibitors, which is in Phase 2 clinical trial for the treatment of solid tumors, such as soft tissue sarcomas, esophageal and gastroesophageal junction, cancers, and melanoma in combination with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy. It has in-license agreement with Pfizer Inc. to develop and commercialize ADC product candidates directed to certain licensed targets, including PYX-201 and PYX-203, and products containing the ADC product candidates; and Biosion USA, Inc. for development, manufacture, and commercialization of PYX-106, an IO product candidate. Pyxis Oncology, Inc. was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.