SLS
SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$617M
5Y Perf.+43.7%
Compare Stocks
2 / 10Try these comparisons:
Stock Comparison
SLS vs AGEN
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
AGEN
Agenus Inc.
Biotechnology
Market Cap$132M
5Y Perf.-95.0%
SLS vs AGEN — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | SLS | AGEN |
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Biotechnology | Biotechnology |
| Market Cap | $617M | $132M |
| Revenue (TTM) | $0.00 | $114M |
| Net Income (TTM) | $-26M | $115K |
| Gross Margin | — | 35.7% |
| Operating Margin | — | -17.7% |
| Forward P/E | — | 1.8x |
| Total Debt | $1M | $10M |
| Cash & Equiv. | $72M | $3M |
SLS vs AGEN — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
SLS
AGEN
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| SELLAS Life Science… (SLS) | 100 | 143.7 | +43.7% |
| Agenus Inc. (AGEN) | 100 | 5.0 | -95.0% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: SLS vs AGEN
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
Bottom line: SLS leads in 3 of 5 categories, making it the strongest pick for growth and revenue expansion and capital preservation and lower volatility. Agenus Inc. is the stronger pick specifically for operational efficiency and capital deployment. As sector peers, any of these can serve as alternatives in the same allocation.
SLS
SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.
The Income Pick
SLS carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and sleep-well-at-night.
- Dividend streak 0 yrs, beta 1.34
- Lower volatility, beta 1.34, Low D/E 1.4%, current ratio 10.72x
- Beta 1.34, current ratio 10.72x
Best for: income & stability and sleep-well-at-night
AGEN
Agenus Inc.
The Growth Play
AGEN is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 10.4%, EPS growth 100.0%, 3Y rev CAGR 5.2%
- -94.3% 10Y total return vs SLS's -100.0%
- 0.1% ROA vs SLS's -75.1%
Best for: growth exposure and long-term compounding
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | SLS | 102.2% revenue growth vs AGEN's 10.4% |
| Stability / Safety | SLS | Beta 1.34 vs AGEN's 2.72 |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither stock pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | SLS | +188.3% vs AGEN's +27.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AGEN | 0.1% ROA vs SLS's -75.1% |
SLS vs AGEN — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
FY 2025
SLS vs AGEN — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
BEST OVERALLAGENLAGGINGSLS
SLSSELLAS Life Sciences …
2leads
AGENAgenus Inc.
3leads
6 Total Categories
CATEGORYLEADERvs SLSMETRICS WON
Income & Cash FlowRevenue, margins, and cash flow strength
AGEN1/1
Valuation MetricsMultiples, price ratios, and targets
AGEN1/1
Profitability & EfficiencyROE, ROIC, leverage, and quality scores
Tied
—
Total Returns1Y, 3Y, 5Y total returns with dividends
SLS4/6
Risk & VolatilityBeta, volatility, and downside exposure
SLS2/2
Analyst OutlookRatings, price targets, and dividends
AGEN1/1
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AGEN leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
AGEN and SLS operate at a comparable scale, with $114M and $0 in trailing revenue.
| Metric | SLSSELLAS Life Scien… | AGENAgenus Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $0 | $114M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$29M | -$10M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$26M | $115,000 |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$31M | -$159M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +35.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | — | -17.7% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | — | +0.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | — | -139.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | — | +27.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +37.4% | +85.3% |
AGEN leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
AGEN leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | SLSSELLAS Life Scien… | AGENAgenus Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $617M | $132M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $546M | $140M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -19.72x | -1102.94x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 1.79x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | — | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | — | 1.16x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 7.59x | — |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
AGEN leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Profitability & Efficiency
Evenly matched — SLS and AGEN each lead in 2 of 4 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AGEN scores 6/9 vs SLS's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SLSSELLAS Life Scien… | AGENAgenus Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -95.2% | — |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -75.1% | +0.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | — | — |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -69.6% | — |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 3 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.01x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$71M | $7M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $72M | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1M | $10M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 1.11x |
Evenly matched — SLS and AGEN each lead in 2 of 4 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
SLS leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in SLS five years ago would be worth $6,109 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $611 for AGEN. Over the past 12 months, SLS leads with a +188.3% total return vs AGEN's +27.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SLS at 39.9% vs AGEN's -51.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SLSSELLAS Life Scien… | AGENAgenus Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +13.3% | +16.1% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +188.3% | +27.1% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +173.9% | -88.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -38.9% | -93.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -100.0% | -94.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +39.9% | -51.0% |
SLS leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SLS leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SLS is the less volatile stock with a 1.34 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AGEN's 2.72 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. SLS currently trades 80.3% from its 52-week high vs AGEN's 51.1% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SLSSELLAS Life Scien… | AGENAgenus Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.34x | 2.72x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $6.14 | $7.34 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.36 | $2.71 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +80.3% | +51.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 56.1 | 48.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 6.0M | 814K |
SLS leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
AGEN leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SLS as "Buy" and AGEN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 95.5% upside for AGEN (target: $7) vs -43.2% for SLS (target: $3).
| Metric | SLSSELLAS Life Scien… | AGENAgenus Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $2.80 | $7.33 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 5 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.1% |
AGEN leads this category, winning 1 of 1 comparable metric.
Key Takeaway
AGEN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Valuation Metrics). SLS leads in 2 (Total Returns, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Best OverallAgenus Inc. (AGEN)Leads 3 of 6 categories
Loading custom metrics...
SLS vs AGEN: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SLS or AGEN a better buy right now?
Analysts rate SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.
(SLS) a "Buy" — based on 5 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which is the better long-term investment — SLS or AGEN?
Over the past 5 years, SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.
(SLS) delivered a total return of -38. 9%, compared to -93. 9% for Agenus Inc. (AGEN). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AGEN returned -94. 3% versus SLS's -100. 0%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — SLS or AGEN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.
(SLS) is the lower-risk stock at 1. 34β versus Agenus Inc. 's 2. 72β — meaning AGEN is approximately 102% more volatile than SLS relative to the S&P 500.
04Which is growing faster — SLS or AGEN?
On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Agenus Inc.
grew EPS 100. 0% year-over-year, compared to 50. 0% for SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.
05Which has better profit margins — SLS or AGEN?
Agenus Inc.
(AGEN) is the more profitable company, earning 0. 1% net margin versus 0. 0% for SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc. — meaning it keeps 0. 1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: SLS leads at 0. 0% versus -18. 0% for AGEN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AGEN leads at 90. 3%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is SLS or AGEN more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AGEN: 95.
5% to $7. 33.
07Which pays a better dividend — SLS or AGEN?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.
All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
08Is SLS or AGEN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, SELLAS Life Sciences Group, Inc.
(SLS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding. Agenus Inc. (AGEN) carries a higher beta of 2. 72 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (SLS: -100. 0%, AGEN: -94. 3%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between SLS and AGEN?
Both stocks operate in the Healthcare sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.
These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that outperform both.
You Might Also Compare
Based on how these companies actually compete and overlap — not just which sector they're filed under.