Head to Head Contrast: RespireRx Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:RSPI) and Phio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PHIO)

RespireRx Pharmaceuticals (OTCMKTS:RSPI) and Phio Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:PHIO) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership, profitability and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares RespireRx Pharmaceuticals and Phio Pharmaceuticals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
RespireRx Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	N/A
Phio Pharmaceuticals	N/A	-134.57%	-108.39%

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares RespireRx Pharmaceuticals and Phio Pharmaceuticals”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
RespireRx Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	-$2.10 million	N/A	N/A
Phio Pharmaceuticals	N/A	N/A	-$10.83 million	($10.92)	-0.15

Insider and Institutional Ownership

57.3% of Phio Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by institutional investors. 50.0% of RespireRx Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 0.6% of Phio Pharmaceuticals shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Risk & Volatility

RespireRx Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 0.74, suggesting that its stock price is 26% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Phio Pharmaceuticals has a beta of 1.09, suggesting that its stock price is 9% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for RespireRx Pharmaceuticals and Phio Pharmaceuticals, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
RespireRx Pharmaceuticals	0	0	0	0	0.00
Phio Pharmaceuticals	0	0	1	0	3.00

Phio Pharmaceuticals has a consensus target price of $4.00, suggesting a potential upside of 142.42%. Given Phio Pharmaceuticals’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Phio Pharmaceuticals is more favorable than RespireRx Pharmaceuticals.

Summary

Phio Pharmaceuticals beats RespireRx Pharmaceuticals on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About RespireRx Pharmaceuticals

RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of neurological and psychiatric disorders. It has two drug platforms comprising ResolutionRx, a pharmaceutical cannabinoids platform, which includes dronabinol that acts upon the CB1 and CB2 endocannabinoid receptors for use in chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, as well as for anorexia in patients with AIDS and obstructive sleep apnea; and EndeavourRx, a neuromodulators platform that comprises AMPAkines program, including proprietary compounds that are positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of glutamate receptors to promote neuronal function, and GABAkines program, including proprietary compounds that are PAMs of GABAA receptors. The company’s lead ampakine, CX1739, which has completed Phase II clinical studies for opioid-induced respiratory depression, as well as for central sleep apnea. It is also developing CX717, CX1739, and CX1942 that have clinical application in the treatment of CNS-driven neurobehavioral and cognitive disorders, spinal cord injury, neurological diseases, and various orphan indications. It has a research collaboration with University College London to the use of AMPAkines for the treatment of GRIA disorders. The company was formerly known as Cortex Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. in December 2015. RespireRx Pharmaceuticals Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Glen Rock, New Jersey.

About Phio Pharmaceuticals

Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. engages in the development of immuno-oncology therapeutics in the United States. The company is developing PH-762, an INTASYL compound in Phase 1b dose-escalating clinical trials to reduce the expression of cell death protein 1 (PD-1), a protein that inhibits T cells’ ability to kill cancer cells; and PH-762 treated double positive tumor infiltrating lymphocytes, which is in Phase 1 clinical trials to treat advanced melanoma and other advanced solid tumors. It is also developing PH-894, an INTASYL compound in IND enabling studies to silence BRD4, a protein that controls gene expression in both T cells and tumor cells, effecting the immune system and the tumor. The company was formerly known as RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation and changed its name to Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. in November 2018. Phio Pharmaceuticals Corp. was incorporated in 2011 and is based in Marlborough, Massachusetts.