Head-To-Head Analysis: Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX) versus Statera Biopharma (NASDAQ:STAB)

Statera Biopharma (NASDAQ:STAB) and Pliant Therapeutics (NASDAQ:PLRX) are both small-cap medical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability and risk.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Statera Biopharma and Pliant Therapeutics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Statera Biopharma	$1.49 million	0.00	-$101.85 million	N/A	N/A
Pliant Therapeutics	$1.58 million	467.16	-$161.34 million	N/A	N/A

Statera Biopharma has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Pliant Therapeutics.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

97.3% of Pliant Therapeutics shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.5% of Statera Biopharma shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 6.4% of Pliant Therapeutics shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Statera Biopharma and Pliant Therapeutics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Statera Biopharma	N/A	N/A	N/A
Pliant Therapeutics	N/A	-41.05%	-36.04%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings for Statera Biopharma and Pliant Therapeutics, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Statera Biopharma	0	0	0	0	N/A
Pliant Therapeutics	0	0	8	1	3.11

Pliant Therapeutics has a consensus target price of $40.57, suggesting a potential upside of 234.20%.

Volatility and Risk

Statera Biopharma has a beta of 0.42, meaning that its stock price is 58% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Pliant Therapeutics has a beta of 1.14, meaning that its stock price is 14% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Pliant Therapeutics beats Statera Biopharma on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Statera Biopharma

Statera BioPharma, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, develops novel immunotherapies targeting autoimmune, neutropenia/anemia, emerging viruses, and cancers based on a proprietary platform designed to rebalance the body's immune system and restore homeostasis. The company is developing therapies designed to directly elicit within patients a response of antigen-specific killer T-cells and antibodies, thereby activating essential immune defenses against autoimmune, inflammatory, infectious diseases, and cancers. It has clinical programs for Crohn's disease (STAT-201), hematology (Entolimod), pancreatic cancer (STAT-401), and COVID-19 (STAT-205), as well as fibromyalgia and multiple sclerosis. The company was formerly known as Cytocom, Inc. and changed its name to Statera Biopharma, Inc. in September 2021. Statera Biopharma, Inc. is based in Fort Collins, Colorado.

About Pliant Therapeutics

Pliant Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, discovers, develops, and commercializes novel therapies for the treatment of fibrosis and related diseases in the United States. The company's lead candidate is bexotegrast, an oral, small-molecule, dual selective inhibitor of avß6 and avß1 integrins, which is in phase 2b trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and in phase 2a trial for primary sclerosing cholangitis. It also develops PLN-1474, an oral, small-molecule selective inhibitor of avß1 for the treatment of liver fibrosis associated with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis; PLN-101095, a dual inhibitor of integrins avß8 and avß1 for the treatment of solid tumors; and PLN-101325 for treatment of muscular dystrophies. Pliant Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 2015 and is based in South San Francisco, California.