ACRS

Aclaris Therapeutics

Fundamental data last updated:April 13, 2026

company profile

SECTOR

Healthcare

industry

Biotechnology

Exchange

Nasdaq

County of HQ

United States

Next Earnings Date

05/14/26

Business Summary

Aclaris Therapeutics operates as a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapies, generating cash primarily through capital raises rather than operating profits. Its economic model depends on advancing drug candidates through trials and monetizing them via partnerships, licensing, or eventual commercialization. In biotech, moat strength typically derives from intellectual property, regulatory exclusivity, and clinical differentiation rather than scale efficiencies. However, with negative margins and returns, the moat today is prospective rather than proven—its value rests entirely on pipeline success and the ability to convert R&D into protected, revenue-generating assets.

VALUATION

P/E

-

Market Cap ($M USD)

$489

Forward P/E

-

PEG

-

PRICE TO SALES

63.3

PRICE TO BOOK

4.8

EV / EBITDA

-5.7

5-Year Average P/E

DIVIDEND

Yield

-

Annual Payout

-

Payout Ratio

-

Consecutive Years of Dividend Growth

0

5-Year Dividend Growth Rate

-

Financial Health & Profitability

Earnings Per Share

-$0.53

Next Year EPS Growth Estimate

-$0.75

Next Year Revenue Growth Estimate

0.00%

Return on Equity (ROE)

-63.00%

Operating Margin

-897.80%

Debt-to-Equity

0

Piotroski F-Score

3

Altman Z-Score

-4.2

Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)

-56.10%%

Current Ratio

3.4

Quick Ratio

Gainseekers Quantitative Analysis

Summary

ACRS is a deeply distressed small-cap biotech with a $489M market cap trading at an extreme 63.3x sales despite having negative earnings, a -63.00% operating margin, and -56.10% ROIC. There is no P/E or Forward P/E because profitability is absent, and the Altman Z-Score of -4.2 is outright distress territory, signaling material bankruptcy risk rather than cyclical weakness. A Piotroski F-Score of 3 confirms weak fundamental quality, and the absurd -897.80% Debt/Equity ratio reflects a severely impaired balance sheet structure. This is not a misunderstood compounder; it is a speculative biotech burning capital with fragile solvency metrics. The market is not mispricing safety here—it is pricing survival probability.

AI Exposure / Tech Reliance

As a biotechnology company within Healthcare, ACRS operates in a sector increasingly driven by data science, AI-assisted drug discovery, and computational biology. The industry’s structural shift toward AI-enhanced target identification and trial optimization could theoretically improve capital efficiency, but none of the provided metrics indicate that this has translated into financial performance. With a -63.00% operating margin and deeply negative ROIC, technological leverage has yet to produce economic returns.

The Bull Case

The only rational bull argument rests on balance sheet liquidity and forward operating inflection. A current ratio of 3.4 suggests short-term liquidity is adequate despite ongoing losses, and EPS is projected to improve from -5.7 to -0.53 next year, implying a dramatic reduction in net losses. Consensus Rating of 4.50% paired with a Mean Target Price of 1.44 suggests some level of analyst optimism, and the relatively modest $489M market cap leaves room for asymmetric upside if clinical or revenue inflection materializes. For aggressive GARP investors, the thesis would hinge on operating leverage—if margins recover from -63.00% and ROIC improves from -56.10%, the equity could re-rate sharply given how depressed the profitability base currently is.

The Bear Case

The bear case is overwhelming. A 63.3 Price/Sales ratio for a company with collapsing economics and Sales Growth Next Year of -$0.75 is detached from fundamental value creation. The -897.80% Debt/Equity ratio signals severe capital structure stress, while the -4.2 Altman Z-Score screams financial distress. A Piotroski F-Score of 3 indicates weak financial momentum, and with ROE at 0.00% and no dividend support, shareholders are fully exposed to dilution or restructuring risk. This is a capital-consuming biotech with negative operating leverage and no profitability anchor.

Market Sentiment & Smart Money

Short Interest %

4.50%

Analyst Consensus

1.44

Average Analyst Price Target

$8.29

Institutional Ownership %

84.00%

1-Year Beta

0.44

Insider Buying % (6 Mo)

2.60%%

Distance to 52-Week High

82.60%%

Distance to 52-Week Low

374.10%%