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Nephros Inc (NEPH)
NASDAQ:NEPH

Nephros (NEPH) AI Stock Analysis

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NEPH

Nephros

(NASDAQ:NEPH)

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Outperform 71 (OpenAI - 5.2)
Rating:71Outperform
Price Target:
$5.50
▲(9.78% Upside)
Action:UpgradedDate:01/21/26
The score is driven primarily by the improving financial performance and a strong, upbeat earnings call (accelerating revenue growth, sustained profitability, improving cash flow, and low leverage). These positives are tempered by a relatively high P/E with no dividend support and only modest/neutral technical momentum.
Positive Factors
Sustained profitability
Achieving five consecutive profitable quarters demonstrates the business model can generate consistent earnings, reducing reliance on external financing. Sustained profitability improves capacity to reinvest in R&D, scale sales, and absorb cyclical downturns, materially strengthening long-term resilience.
Strong cash generation & low leverage
Positive operating and free cash flow combined with minimal debt provide financial flexibility to fund growth initiatives, weather demand volatility, and negotiate partnerships. This cash strength supports durable operations and reduces refinancing risk over the medium term.
Product & market expansion (PFAS, Medica deal)
Strategic product innovation (PFAS removal) and an exclusive licensing deal with Medica broaden addressable markets beyond dialysis into municipalities and labs. These structural moves diversify revenue streams and create durable channels for recurring consumable sales and scale.
Negative Factors
Historical earnings volatility
Although recent results improved, the company has prior multi-year losses and uneven cash flow. That track record implies execution and demand sensitivity risks remain, meaning future profitability could reverse if growth slows or one-time benefits fade.
Relatively thin margins
Modest operating and net margins limit the firm's ability to absorb cost inflation, tariffs, or competitive pricing pressure. Lower margin buffers restrict reinvestment capacity and make earnings more sensitive to cost swings, raising execution risk over 2–6 months.
Rising opex and tariff pressure
Increasing R&D and SG&A, plus tariff-driven inventory handling costs, compress margins and raise the breakeven required for profitable growth. If operating expenses remain elevated or tariffs persist, cash generation and margin sustainability could be impaired long term.

Nephros (NEPH) vs. SPDR S&P 500 ETF (SPY)

Nephros Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionNephros, Inc. develops and sells high performance water solutions to the medical and commercial markets in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Water Filtration, Pathogen Detection, and Renal Products. It offers ultrafiltration products that are used in dialysis centers for the removal of biological contaminants from water and bicarbonate concentrate; and in hospitals for the prevention of infection from waterborne pathogens, such as legionella and pseudomonas, as well as in military and outdoor recreation, commercial, and other healthcare facilities. The company also develops and sells real-time water testing systems to provide actionable data on waterborne pathogens; and medical device products for patients with renal disease, including a 2nd generation hemodiafiltration system for the treatment of patients with end stage renal disease. In addition, it offers water filters that improve the taste and odor of water, as well as reduce biofilm, bacteria, and scale build-up in downstream equipment under the Nephros and AETHER brands for the food service, hospitality, convenience store, and health care markets. The company was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in South Orange, New Jersey.
How the Company Makes MoneyNephros generates revenue through the sale of its proprietary products, which include water filtration systems and dialysis-related devices. The company's revenue model is based on direct sales to hospitals, dialysis centers, and healthcare providers, as well as recurring revenue from consumables associated with its filtration systems. Key revenue streams include the sale of both capital equipment and ongoing consumable products, contributing to a steady income flow. Additionally, partnerships with healthcare institutions and collaborations with other medical device manufacturers play a significant role in expanding its market reach and driving sales.

Nephros Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Nov 06, 2025
(Q3-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Mar 05, 2026
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call reflects a strong performance for Nephros, highlighted by substantial revenue growth, sustained profitability, and strategic innovation in new markets. Despite challenges with increased operating expenses and tariff impacts, the company's robust cash flow and expanding customer base indicate a positive outlook.
Q3-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Significant Revenue Growth
Nephros reported third quarter net revenue of $4.8 million, representing a 35% increase over the corresponding period in 2024.
Sustained Profitability
The company marked its fifth consecutive quarter of profitability with a net income of $337,000, compared to $183,000 in the same period last year.
Expanded Customer Base
Active customer sites grew to over 1,650 as of September 30, 2025, indicating strong customer retention and expansion.
Innovation in PFAS Filtration
The launch of the PFAS removal solution opens new markets beyond traditional patient care, potentially driving future growth.
Improved Cash Flow
Net cash provided by operating activities was $99,000 in Q3 2025, a significant improvement from net cash used of $623,000 in the prior year period.
Negative Updates
Increased Operating Expenses
Research and development expenses rose to $338,000 from $188,000, and SG&A expenses increased by 30% to $2.2 million due to higher sales commissions and employee bonuses.
Impact of Tariffs on Margins
Gross margins remained flat at 61%, affected by increased inventory handling expenses, including tariffs.
Company Guidance
During Nephros, Inc.'s third quarter 2025 conference call, the company reported $4.8 million in revenue, marking a 35% increase over the same period in 2024, and celebrated their fifth consecutive quarter of profitability. They highlighted a gross margin of 61%, consistent with the prior year, despite increased inventory handling expenses. Net income rose significantly to $337,000 from $183,000 a year earlier, while adjusted EBITDA improved to $418,000. The company also noted a strategic focus on expanding into new markets, such as municipalities and labs, with innovations like their PFAS removal solution. Year-to-date results showed a 37% revenue increase to $14.1 million, with gross margins improving to 63%. Nephros maintained a debt-free status with a cash balance of $5.2 million as of September 30, 2025, up from $3.8 million at the end of 2024.

Nephros Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Financials show a clear TTM turnaround: improving revenue growth, restored profitability (positive operating and net margins), stronger free cash flow, and conservative leverage. The main risk is durability given the history of losses and uneven cash flow in recent years.
Income Statement
74
Positive
Profitability has improved meaningfully versus prior years, with TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months) showing solid gross margin (~63%) and a return to healthy operating and net profitability (about 6.6% operating margin and 8.3% net margin). Revenue growth is positive in TTM (about +7.5%), a notable re-acceleration after a roughly flat 2024. The main weakness is that profitability is still relatively thin for the industry after several loss-making years (2020–2023), so results could be more sensitive to cost pressure or demand softness.
Balance Sheet
80
Positive
Leverage looks conservative, with low debt relative to equity in TTM (debt-to-equity ~0.12), supporting financial flexibility. Equity has grown from 2023 to TTM, and returns on equity improved sharply to ~15.8% in TTM after being minimal in 2024 and negative in 2022–2023. The key watch item is the company’s historically volatile earnings profile, which can quickly swing reported returns even with a clean capital structure.
Cash Flow
78
Positive
Cash generation strengthened significantly in TTM (Trailing-Twelve-Months), with positive operating cash flow (~$2.7M) and positive free cash flow (~$2.7M), a major turnaround from negative free cash flow in 2024 and 2022. Free cash flow growth is strong in TTM (about +36%), and cash conversion appears solid with free cash flow roughly matching net income in TTM. The primary weakness is historical inconsistency—cash flow was negative as recently as 2024—so durability through different demand conditions remains the key question.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue17.93M14.16M14.24M9.97M10.22M8.56M
Gross Profit11.34M8.72M8.40M4.73M5.63M4.91M
EBITDA1.65M227.00K-1.36M-3.69M-2.49M-4.21M
Net Income1.48M74.00K-1.57M-7.38M-4.11M-4.77M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets13.25M11.21M11.86M11.00M17.65M18.51M
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments5.17M3.76M4.31M3.63M6.97M8.25M
Total Debt1.15M1.41M1.84M1.09M1.00M2.17M
Total Liabilities3.24M2.63M3.50M2.12M2.90M2.94M
Stockholders Equity10.01M8.59M8.36M5.59M11.70M12.52M
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow2.72M-547.00K752.00K-3.37M-1.45M-7.14M
Operating Cash Flow2.72M-492.00K827.00K-3.23M-1.42M-6.90M
Investing Cash Flow0.00-50.00K-75.00K-137.00K-85.00K-239.00K
Financing Cash Flow-5.00K-5.00K-79.00K34.00K237.00K11.22M

Nephros Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Negative
Last Price5.01
Price Trends
50DMA
4.58
Negative
100DMA
4.86
Negative
200DMA
4.23
Negative
Market Momentum
MACD
-0.20
Negative
RSI
46.69
Neutral
STOCH
47.62
Neutral
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For NEPH, the sentiment is Negative. The current price of 5.01 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 4.15, above the 50-day MA of 4.58, and above the 200-day MA of 4.23, indicating a bearish trend. The MACD of -0.20 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 46.69 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 47.62 is Neutral, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Negative sentiment for NEPH.

Nephros Risk Analysis

Nephros disclosed 25 risk factors in its most recent earnings report. Nephros reported the most risks in the "Finance & Corporate" category.
Finance & Corporate - Financial and accounting risks. Risks related to the execution of corporate activity and strategy
Latest Risks Added 0 New Risks

Nephros Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (51)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
71
Outperform
$40.06M28.1716.29%32.36%
51
Neutral
$7.86B-0.30-43.30%2.27%22.53%-2.21%
48
Neutral
$26.52M-0.48-135.62%-10.60%-271.93%
48
Neutral
$20.36M-3.08-8.05%-0.95%58.17%
42
Neutral
$20.93M-3.20-136.47%0.59%-39.76%
41
Neutral
$31.44M-376.23%63.53%12.49%
* Healthcare Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
NEPH
Nephros
4.08
2.52
161.54%
HBIO
Harvard Bioscience
0.58
-0.35
-37.31%
RVP
Retractable Technologies
0.67
-0.15
-18.66%
MLSS
Milestone Scientific
0.26
-0.74
-74.17%
FEMY
Femasys
0.54
-1.08
-66.60%

Nephros Corporate Events

Business Operations and StrategyProduct-Related Announcements
Nephros Enters New License Agreement with Medica
Neutral
Nov 26, 2025

On November 21, 2025, Nephros, Inc. entered into a new license and supply agreement with Medica S.p.A. to market and sell filtration products based on Medica’s ultrafiltration technology, replacing a prior agreement from December 2023. This agreement, effective through December 31, 2030, involves exclusive licensing rights, minimum annual purchase commitments, and mutual termination clauses, potentially impacting Nephros’s market positioning and operational strategy.

The most recent analyst rating on (NEPH) stock is a Hold with a $6.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Nephros stock, see the NEPH Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Jan 21, 2026