Analyzing Vital Energy (NYSE:VTLE) and Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE)

Vital Energy (NYSE:VTLE) and Bloom Energy (NYSE:BE) are both energy companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, risk, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, earnings and institutional ownership.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Vital Energy and Bloom Energy”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vital Energy	$1.95 billion	0.36	-$173.52 million	($34.87)	-0.52
Bloom Energy	$1.82 billion	11.92	-$29.23 million	N/A	N/A

Bloom Energy has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Vital Energy.

Risk & Volatility

Vital Energy has a beta of 1.12, indicating that its share price is 12% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Bloom Energy has a beta of 3, indicating that its share price is 200% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

86.5% of Vital Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 77.0% of Bloom Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.2% of Vital Energy shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 3.6% of Bloom Energy shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Vital Energy and Bloom Energy, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vital Energy	4	7	1	0	1.75
Bloom Energy	3	12	10	1	2.35

Vital Energy currently has a consensus target price of $27.22, indicating a potential upside of 50.31%. Bloom Energy has a consensus target price of $93.77, indicating a potential upside of 2.30%. Given Vital Energy’s higher probable upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Vital Energy is more favorable than Bloom Energy.

Profitability

This table compares Vital Energy and Bloom Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vital Energy	-69.28%	13.40%	5.79%
Bloom Energy	0.84%	8.74%	2.08%

Summary

Bloom Energy beats Vital Energy on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Vital Energy

Vital Energy, Inc., an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of oil and natural gas properties in the Permian Basin of West Texas, the United States. The company was formerly known as Laredo Petroleum, Inc. and changed its name to Vital Energy, Inc. in January 2023. Vital Energy, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

About Bloom Energy

Bloom Energy Corporation designs, manufactures, sells, and installs solid-oxide fuel cell systems for on-site power generation in the United States and internationally. The company offers Bloom Energy Server, a solid oxide technology that converts fuel, such as natural gas, biogas, hydrogen, or a blend of these fuels into electricity through an electrochemical process without combustion. It sells its products through direct and indirect sales channels to utilities, data centers, agriculture, retail, hospitals, higher education, biotech, and manufacturing industries. The company was formerly known as Ion America Corp. and changed its name to Bloom Energy Corporation in 2006. Bloom Energy Corporation was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.