Milestone Scientific Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:MLSS) and the Importance of ROIC and WACC in the Medical Device Industry

• Milestone Scientific Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:MLSS) shows a concerning financial performance with a negative ROIC of -80.68% and a ROIC/WACC Ratio of -9.39, indicating inefficiency in generating sufficient returns on invested capital.
• PAVmed Inc. (NASDAQ:PAVM) demonstrates exceptional financial efficiency with a ROIC of 1151.73% and a ROIC/WACC Ratio of 311.17, suggesting it is creating substantial value for its investors.
• The analysis of peers within the medical device sector reveals varying degrees of financial efficiency, with most showing negative ROIC values or ROIC/WACC Ratios below one, except for PAVmed Inc., which stands out as a potentially attractive investment opportunity.

Milestone Scientific Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:MLSS) operates in the medical device industry, focusing on developing and commercializing innovative injection technologies. This sector is highly competitive, with companies constantly striving to innovate and improve their financial metrics to attract investors. Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) and Weighted Average Cost of Capital (WACC) are critical indicators of a company's financial health and efficiency. ROIC measures how well a company generates returns from its invested capital, while WACC represents the average rate a company expects to pay its security holders to finance its assets.

In the comparison with its peers, Milestone Scientific Inc. shows a negative ROIC of -80.68%, which is significantly lower than its WACC of 8.60%. This results in a ROIC/WACC Ratio of -9.39, indicating that the company is not generating sufficient returns on its invested capital to cover the cost of its capital. This is a concerning sign for investors as it suggests that the company is losing value.

On the other hand, PAVmed Inc. (NASDAQ:PAVM) demonstrates an exceptionally high ROIC of 1151.73% against a WACC of only 3.70%, leading to an astounding ROIC/WACC Ratio of 311.17. This indicates that PAVmed Inc. is highly efficient in generating returns on its invested capital, far exceeding the cost of its capital. Such a high ratio is indicative of a company that is not only growing but also creating substantial value for its investors, making it a potentially attractive investment opportunity.

The other peers in the comparison, including InfuSystem Holdings, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:INFU), STRATA Skin Sciences, Inc. (NASDAQ:SSKN), Retractable Technologies, Inc. (NYSEAMERICAN:RVP), and OncoCyte Corporation (NYSEAMERICAN:OCX), show varying degrees of financial efficiency. However, none come close to the performance of PAVmed Inc., with most showing negative ROIC values or ROIC/WACC Ratios that indicate they are not generating returns in excess of their capital costs.

This analysis highlights the importance of examining ROIC and WACC ratios when evaluating investment opportunities in the medical device sector. While Milestone Scientific Inc. and several of its peers struggle with negative returns on invested capital, PAVmed Inc. stands out as a clear leader, suggesting it may offer the most promising investment opportunity based on these metrics.