Analyzing 908 Devices (NASDAQ:MASS) and Astrotech (NASDAQ:ASTC)

Astrotech (NASDAQ:ASTC) and 908 Devices (NASDAQ:MASS) are both small-cap technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, analyst recommendations and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Astrotech and 908 Devices’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Astrotech	-1,397.82%	-81.85%	-65.46%
908 Devices	-56.96%	-12.54%	-8.87%

Volatility & Risk

Astrotech has a beta of 4.88, indicating that its share price is 388% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, 908 Devices has a beta of 0.68, indicating that its share price is 32% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Astrotech and 908 Devices”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Astrotech	$1.05 million	14.43	-$13.85 million	($8.41)	-0.85
908 Devices	$56.20 million	8.47	$19.49 million	($0.95)	-12.13

908 Devices has higher revenue and earnings than Astrotech. 908 Devices is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Astrotech, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

24.4% of Astrotech shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 88.1% of 908 Devices shares are owned by institutional investors. 16.8% of Astrotech shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 28.2% of 908 Devices shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Astrotech and 908 Devices, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Astrotech	1	0	0	0	1.00
908 Devices	1	0	3	0	2.50

908 Devices has a consensus target price of $12.83, suggesting a potential upside of 11.40%. Given 908 Devices’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe 908 Devices is more favorable than Astrotech.

Summary

908 Devices beats Astrotech on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Astrotech

Astrotech Corporation operates as a mass spectrometry company worldwide. It owns and licenses the intellectual property related to the Astrotech Mass Spectrometer Technology, a platform mass spectrometry technology. The company also develops TRACER 1000, a mass spectrometer-based explosive trace detector to replace the explosives trace detectors used at airports, cargo and other secured facilities, and borders. In addition, it develops AgLAB-1000, a mass spectrometer for use in the hemp and cannabis market. Further, the company develops BreathTest-1000, a breath analysis tool to screen for volatile organic compound metabolites found in a person's breath. The company was formerly known as SPACEHAB, Inc. and changed its name to Astrotech Corporation in 2009. The company was incorporated in 1984 and is based in Austin, Texas.

About 908 Devices

908 Devices Inc., a commercial-stage technology company, provides various purpose-built handheld and desktop mass spectrometry devices to interrogate unknown and invisible materials in life sciences research, bioprocessing, pharma/biopharma, forensics, and adjacent markets. The company's products include MX908, a handheld, battery-powered, and Mass Spec device that is designed for rapid analysis of solid, liquid, vapor, and aerosol materials of unknown identity; Rebel, a small desktop analyzer that provides real-time information on the extracellular environment in bioprocesses; and Maverick, an optical in-line analyzer that offers real-time monitoring and control of multiple bioprocess parameters, including glucose, lactate, and total biomass in mammalian cell cultures, as well as provides process fingerprint data to support large-scale efforts in predictive bioprocess modeling. Its products also comprise Maven and Trace C2, an online device for bioprocess monitoring and control; and ZipChip solution, a plug-and-play, high-resolution separation platform that optimizes Mass Spec sample analysis. The company operates in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and rest of the Americas. 908 Devices Inc. was incorporated in 2012 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.