Comparing bluebird bio (NASDAQ:BLUE) & SAB Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:SABS)

SAB Biotherapeutics (NASDAQ:SABS) and bluebird bio (NASDAQ:BLUE) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations and profitability.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for SAB Biotherapeutics and bluebird bio, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
SAB Biotherapeutics	0	0	5	0	3.00
bluebird bio	2	6	2	0	2.00

SAB Biotherapeutics currently has a consensus price target of $12.40, suggesting a potential upside of 166.67%. bluebird bio has a consensus price target of $49.14, suggesting a potential upside of 478.15%. Given bluebird bio’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe bluebird bio is more favorable than SAB Biotherapeutics.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

7.8% of SAB Biotherapeutics shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 87.4% of bluebird bio shares are held by institutional investors. 26.5% of SAB Biotherapeutics shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.4% of bluebird bio shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares SAB Biotherapeutics and bluebird bio’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
SAB Biotherapeutics	-1,450.14%	-94.37%	-67.26%
bluebird bio	-565.74%	-322.46%	-53.17%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares SAB Biotherapeutics and bluebird bio”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
SAB Biotherapeutics	$2.24 million	19.16	-$42.19 million	N/A	N/A
bluebird bio	$53.12 million	1.56	-$211.91 million	($37.40)	-0.23

SAB Biotherapeutics has higher earnings, but lower revenue than bluebird bio.

Volatility & Risk

SAB Biotherapeutics has a beta of 0.59, meaning that its share price is 41% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, bluebird bio has a beta of 0.72, meaning that its share price is 28% less volatile than the S&P 500.

About SAB Biotherapeutics

SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development of human polyclonal immunotherapeutic antibodies to address immune system disorders and infectious diseases. It has applied advanced genetic engineering and antibody science to develop transchromosomic bovine herds that produce fully human antibodies targeted at infectious diseases and immune and autoimmune disorders, including infectious diseases, influenza, CDI, type 1 diabetes, organ transplantation, and oncology, as well as immunology, gastroenterology, and respiratory diseases. The company also uses its DiversitAb immunotherapy platform to produce fully-human polyclonal antibodies without the need for human donors or plasma. In addition, its lead product candidate SAB-142, a human, multi-target anti-thymocyte globulin treatment, currently under Phase 1 trials in delaying the onset or progression of type 1 diabetes. Further, the company develops SAB-176, a multivalent, broadly neutralizing – human polyclonal immunoglobulin therapeutic candidate, currently in Phase 2a development for the treatment or prevention of severe influenza. SAB Biotherapeutics, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is headquartered in Miami Beach, Florida.

About bluebird bio

bluebird bio, Inc., a biotechnology company, researches, develops, and commercializes gene therapies for severe genetic diseases. Its product candidates for severe genetic diseases include ZYNTEGLO (betibeglogene autotemcel) for the treatment of transfusion-dependent ß-thalassemia; lovotibeglogene autotemcel for the treatment of sickle cell disease (SCD); and SKYSONA (elivaldogene autotemcel) to treat cerebral adrenoleukodystrophy. The company’s clinical development programs include HGB-205, HGB-206, and HGB-210 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of lovo-cel in the treatment of patients with SCD; and HGB-204, HGB-205, HGB-207, and HGB-212 to evaluate the safety and efficacy of beti-cel in the treatment of patients with ß-thalassemia. It has license agreement with Orchard Therapeutics Limited. The company was formerly known as Genetix Pharmaceuticals, Inc., and changed its name to bluebird bio, Inc. in September 2010. bluebird bio, Inc. was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Somerville, Massachusetts.