Head-To-Head Analysis: Ascent Industries (NASDAQ:ACNT) versus Atlas Copco (OTCMKTS:ATLKY)

Atlas Copco (OTCMKTS:ATLKY) and Ascent Industries (NASDAQ:ACNT) are both industrials companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, dividends, earnings, analyst recommendations, profitability and risk.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Atlas Copco and Ascent Industries”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Atlas Copco	$17.21 billion	4.74	$2.70 billion	$0.55	30.44
Ascent Industries	$74.94 million	1.53	$870,000.00	$0.11	110.18

Atlas Copco has higher revenue and earnings than Ascent Industries. Atlas Copco is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Ascent Industries, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

0.0% of Atlas Copco shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.1% of Ascent Industries shares are owned by institutional investors. 9.3% of Ascent Industries shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Atlas Copco and Ascent Industries’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Atlas Copco	15.70%	24.94%	13.21%
Ascent Industries	1.06%	-2.89%	-2.02%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings for Atlas Copco and Ascent Industries, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Atlas Copco	1	4	4	0	2.33
Ascent Industries	0	1	0	0	2.00

Volatility and Risk

Atlas Copco has a beta of 1.41, meaning that its stock price is 41% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Ascent Industries has a beta of 0.43, meaning that its stock price is 57% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Atlas Copco beats Ascent Industries on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Atlas Copco

Atlas Copco AB provides compressed air and gas, vacuum, energy, dewatering and industrial pump, industrial power tool, and assembly and machine vision solutions in North America, South America, Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Oceania. It operates through Compressor Technique, Vacuum Technique, Industrial Technique, and Power Technique segments. The company offers piston compressors, oil-free tooth and scroll compressors, rotary screw compressors, oil-free blowers, oil-free centrifugal compressors, gas and process compressors, air and gas treatment equipment, expanders and pumps, and medical air solutions. It also provides oil-sealed rotary vane, dry, and liquid ring vacuum pumps; turbomolecular and cryogenic pumps; abatement and integrated systems; industrial assembly tools and solutions; self-pierce riveting solutions; adhesive dispensing and flow drill fastening equipment; material removal tools, and drills and other pneumatic products; machine vision solutions; construction and demolition tools; mobile compressors, generators, and energy storage systems; and industrial flow, portable power, portable flow, and portable air products, as well as specialty rental services. The company serves the semiconductor and flat panel, industrial manufacturing, civil engineering, demolition, exploration drilling, automotive, off-highway vehicles, electronics, aerospace, energy, food, pharmaceutical, textile, and other industries. Atlas Copco AB was founded in 1873 and is headquartered in Nacka, Sweden.

About Ascent Industries

Ascent Industries Co. an industrials company, produces and distributes stainless steel pipe and tube and specialty chemicals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Tubular Products and Specialty Chemicals. It manufactures welded pipes and tubes, primarily from stainless steel, duplex, and nickel alloys; and ornamental stainless steel tubes for automotive, commercial transportation, marine, food services, construction, furniture, healthcare, and other industries. The company also produces defoamers, surfactants, and lubricating agents for end users, including companies that supply agrochemical paper, metal working, coatings, water treatment, paint, mining, oil and gas, and janitorial and other applications. In addition, it provides contract manufacturing services, as well as operates as a multi-purpose plant to process various difficult to handle materials, including flammable solvents, viscous liquids, and granular solids. The company was formerly known as Synalloy Corporation and changed its name to Ascent Industries Co. in August 2022. Ascent Industries Co. was founded in 1945 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.