Reviewing OceanPal (NASDAQ:OP) & C3is (NASDAQ:CISS)

OceanPal (NASDAQ:OP) and C3is (NASDAQ:CISS) are both small-cap transportation companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, risk, dividends, profitability and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares OceanPal and C3is’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
OceanPal	-16.24%	-3.63%	-3.51%
C3is	32.12%	22.99%	14.33%

Institutional & Insider Ownership

10.5% of C3is shares are owned by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for OceanPal and C3is, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
OceanPal	0	0	0	0	N/A
C3is	0	0	0	0	N/A

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares OceanPal and C3is’ revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
OceanPal	$4.72 billion	0.00	-$1.98 million	($2.83)	-0.56
C3is	$36.90 million	0.01	$9.29 million	$30.11	0.04

C3is has lower revenue, but higher earnings than OceanPal. OceanPal is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than C3is, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk & Volatility

OceanPal has a beta of 0.52, meaning that its stock price is 48% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, C3is has a beta of 2.89, meaning that its stock price is 189% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

C3is beats OceanPal on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About OceanPal

OceanPal Inc. provides ocean-going transportation services worldwide. The company owns and operates dry bulk carriers that transport major bulks, such as iron ore, coal, and grains, as well as minor bulks, including bauxite, phosphate, and fertilizers. As of December 31, 2023, its fleet consisted of five dry bulk carriers, which include three Panamaxes and two Capesize vessels with a cargo carrying capacity of approximately 572,599 deadweight tons. The company was incorporated in 2021 and is based in Athens, Greece.

About C3is

C3is Inc. offers international seaborne transportation services. It provides its services to dry bulk charterers, including national and private industrial users, commodity producers and traders, oil producers, refineries, and commodities traders and producers. The company owns and operates a fleet of two drybulk carriers, which transport major bulks, such as iron ore, coal and grains, as well as minor bulks comprising bauxite, phosphate, and fertilizers, and one Aframax crude oil tanker that transports crude oil. C3is Inc. was founded in 2021 and is based in Athens, Greece.