Comparing Lyell Immunopharma (NASDAQ:LYEL) and Pyxis Oncology (NASDAQ:PYXS)

Lyell Immunopharma (NASDAQ:LYEL) and Pyxis Oncology (NASDAQ:PYXS) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, dividends and profitability.

Volatility & Risk

Lyell Immunopharma has a beta of -0.07, suggesting that its stock price is 107% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Pyxis Oncology has a beta of 1.33, suggesting that its stock price is 33% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Lyell Immunopharma and Pyxis Oncology”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Lyell Immunopharma	$60,000.00	5,564.50	-$342.99 million	($24.29)	-0.72
Pyxis Oncology	$16.15 million	14.06	-$77.33 million	($1.60)	-2.29

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

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Lyell Immunopharma and Pyxis Oncology, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Lyell Immunopharma	2	1	0	0	1.33
Pyxis Oncology	1	1	4	1	2.71

Lyell Immunopharma presently has a consensus target price of $15.00, suggesting a potential downside of 13.69%. Pyxis Oncology has a consensus target price of $7.75, suggesting a potential upside of 111.75%. Given Pyxis Oncology’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Pyxis Oncology is more favorable than Lyell Immunopharma.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

66.1% of Lyell Immunopharma shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 39.1% of Pyxis Oncology shares are held by institutional investors. 22.3% of Lyell Immunopharma shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 10.6% of Pyxis Oncology shares are held by company 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.

Profitability

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

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Lyell Immunopharma	-552,328.31%	-85.58%	-68.85%
Pyxis Oncology	N/A	-68.56%	-52.14%

Summary

Pyxis Oncology beats Lyell Immunopharma on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Lyell Immunopharma

Lyell Immunopharma, Inc., a clinical-stage cell therapy company, develops T cell reprogramming technologies for patients with solid tumors. The company develops therapies using an ex vivo genetic reprogramming technologies, such as c Jun overexpression and NR4A3 gene knockout, to endow resistance to T cell exhaustion; and an ex vivo epigenetic reprogramming technologies, including Epi R to generate population of T cells with durable stemness, and Stim R, a proprietary synthetic cell mimetic. It is also developing LYL797, a genetically and epigenetically reprogrammed ROR1 chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell product candidate that is in Phase 1 clinical trial for the treatment of various solid tumors; and LYL845, a novel epigenetically reprogrammed tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes product candidate, which is in Phase 1 clinical trial targeting multiple solid tumor indications. In addition, the company's preclinical product candidates include LYL119, a ROR1 CAR T-cell product for the treatment of enhanced cytotoxicity; and second generation TIL product. Lyell Immunopharma, Inc. was incorporated in 2018 and is headquartered in South San Francisco, California.

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.