Head-To-Head Analysis: Itron (NASDAQ:ITRI) versus Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS)

Itron (NASDAQ:ITRI) and Littelfuse (NASDAQ:LFUS) are both technology companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations and risk.

Risk and Volatility

Itron has a beta of 1.33, meaning that its stock price is 33% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Littelfuse has a beta of 1.5, meaning that its stock price is 50% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Itron and Littelfuse’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Itron	12.05%	20.11%	8.55%
Littelfuse	1.37%	15.86%	10.16%

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Itron and Littelfuse”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Itron	$2.37 billion	1.78	$301.05 million	$6.19	15.52
Littelfuse	$2.39 billion	4.13	-$71.70 million	$1.22	317.74

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

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Itron and Littelfuse, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Itron	1	3	9	0	2.62
Littelfuse	0	1	5	1	3.00

Itron presently has a consensus target price of $129.20, indicating a potential upside of 34.50%. Littelfuse has a consensus target price of $466.57, indicating a potential upside of 20.36%. Given Itron’s higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Itron is more favorable than Littelfuse.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

96.2% of Itron shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.1% of Littelfuse shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.8% of Itron shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of Littelfuse shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Itron beats Littelfuse on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Itron

Itron, Inc. provides technology and services that help utilities and cities manage energy, water and other resources. Its offerings include smart meters, communications networks, software and related services for electric, gas and water utilities. The company’s solutions support functions such as collecting meter data, monitoring and managing utility networks, and improving operational efficiency. Itron also offers technologies for grid management, distributed energy resources and smart city applications, including connected street lighting.

About Littelfuse

Littelfuse, Inc. is a global manufacturer of products that help protect and control electrical systems. Its offerings include fuses and other circuit-protection components, power-control devices, sensors, and electronic components used in a range of applications. The company serves customers in markets including automotive, industrial, commercial vehicles, and electronics. Its products are used to protect equipment from electrical faults, manage power, and monitor conditions in systems and devices.