Financial Comparison: CONMED (NYSE:CNMD) versus Guided Therapeutics (OTCMKTS:GTHP)

Guided Therapeutics (OTCMKTS:GTHP) and CONMED (NYSE:CNMD) are both medical companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk and valuation.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

9.7% of Guided Therapeutics shares are owned by institutional investors. 66.8% of Guided Therapeutics shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.6% of CONMED shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Guided Therapeutics and CONMED’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Guided Therapeutics	N/A	N/A	-158.84%
CONMED	5.18%	13.69%	4.67%

Volatility & Risk

Guided Therapeutics has a beta of 0.34, indicating that its stock price is 66% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, CONMED has a beta of 1.33, indicating that its stock price is 33% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Guided Therapeutics and CONMED’s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Guided Therapeutics	$100,000.00	53.39	-$3.49 million	N/A	N/A
CONMED	$1.24 billion	1.86	$64.46 million	$2.04	36.87

CONMED has higher revenue and earnings than Guided Therapeutics.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Guided Therapeutics and CONMED, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Guided Therapeutics	0	0	0	0	N/A
CONMED	0	1	6	0	2.86

CONMED has a consensus price target of $120.43, indicating a potential upside of 60.12%. Given CONMED’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe CONMED is more favorable than Guided Therapeutics.

Summary

CONMED beats Guided Therapeutics on 8 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Guided Therapeutics

Guided Therapeutics, Inc., a medical technology company, focuses on developing medical devices. It focuses on the commercialization of LuViva, a non-invasive cervical cancer detection device that identifies cervical cancers and precancers painlessly, non-invasively, and at the point-of-care by scanning the cervix with light, then analyzing the light reflected and fluorescent light. The company was formerly known as SpectRx, Inc. and changed its name to Guided Therapeutics, Inc. in February 2008. Guided Therapeutics, Inc. was incorporated in 1992 and is based in Norcross, Georgia.

About CONMED

CONMED Corporation, a medical technology company, develops, manufactures, and sells surgical devices and related equipment for surgical procedures worldwide. The company offers orthopedic surgery products, including BioBrace, TruShot with Y-Knot All-In-One Soft Tissue Fixation System, Y-knot All-Suture Anchors, and Agro Knotless Suture Anchors, which provide clinical solutions to orthopedic surgeons for the augmentation and repair of soft tissue injuries, as well as provides supporting products that enable surgeons to perform minimally invasive sports medicine surgeries. It markets orthopedic surgery products under the Hall, CONMED Linvatec, Concept, and Shutt brands. The company also provides battery-powered and autoclavable bone power tool systems for use in orthopedic, arthroscopic, oral/maxillofacial, podiatric, spinal, and cardiothoracic surgeries under Hall surgical brand name. In addition, it offers general surgery products, including clinical insufflation systems under AirSeal brand; smoke removal devices under Buffalo Filter brand; endomechanical products, such as tissue retrieval bags, trocars, suction irrigation devices, graspers, scissors, and dissectors used in minimally invasive surgeries; and electrosurgical solution comprising monopolar and bipolar generators, argon beam coagulation generators, handpieces, smoke management systems and other accessories. Further, the company provides endoscopic technologies, including therapeutic and diagnostic products for use in gastroenterology procedures, and products for the treatment of diseases of the dilatation, hemostasis, biliary, structure management, and infection prevention and patient monitoring, including ECG and EEG electrodes, and cardiac defibrillation pads. It markets its products directly to hospitals, surgery centers, and other healthcare institutions, as well as through medical specialty distributors. CONMED Corporation was incorporated in 1970 and is headquartered in Largo, Florida.