Contrasting Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) and Marks and Spencer Group (OTCMKTS:MAKSY)

Andersons (NASDAQ:ANDE) and Marks and Spencer Group (OTCMKTS:MAKSY) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership and risk.

Risk & Volatility

Andersons has a beta of 0.66, meaning that its share price is 34% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Marks and Spencer Group has a beta of 1.05, meaning that its share price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Andersons and Marks and Spencer Group”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Andersons	$10.94 billion	0.21	$95.71 million	$5.18	13.14
Marks and Spencer Group	$23.15 billion	0.47	$347.67 million	N/A	N/A

Marks and Spencer Group has higher revenue and earnings than Andersons.

Profitability

This table compares Andersons and Marks and Spencer Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Andersons	1.62%	16.23%	5.84%
Marks and Spencer Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Andersons and Marks and Spencer Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Andersons	0	0	4	1	3.20
Marks and Spencer Group	0	1	2	2	3.20

Andersons presently has a consensus price target of $95.00, suggesting a potential upside of 39.58%. Given Andersons’ higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Andersons is more favorable than Marks and Spencer Group.

Dividends

Andersons pays an annual dividend of $0.80 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.2%. Marks and Spencer Group pays an annual dividend of $0.16 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.5%. Andersons pays out 15.4% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Andersons has increased its dividend for 28 consecutive years.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

87.1% of Andersons shares are held by institutional investors. 4.3% of Andersons shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Andersons beats Marks and Spencer Group on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Andersons

The Andersons, Inc. operates in trade, renewables, and nutrient and industrial sectors in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Egypt, Switzerland, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Trade, Renewables, and Nutrient & Industrial. The company’s Trade segment operates grain elevators; stores commodities; and provides grain marketing, risk management, and origination services, as well as sells commodities, such as corn, soybeans, wheat, oats, ethanol, and corn oil. This segment also engages in the commodity merchandising business, as well as offers logistics for physical commodities, such as whole grains, grain products, feed ingredients, domestic fuel products, and other agricultural commodities. Its Renewables segment produces, purchases, and sells ethanol, and co-products, as well as offers facility operations, risk management, and marketing services to the ethanol plants it invests in and operates. The company’s Nutrient & Industrial segment manufactures, distributes, and retails agricultural and related plant nutrients, liquid industrial products, corncob-based products, and pelleted lime and gypsum products, as well as turf fertilizer, pesticide, and herbicide products; and crop nutrients, crop protection chemicals, and seed products, as well as provides application and agronomic services to commercial and family farmers. In addition, this segment produces corncob-based products for laboratory animal bedding and private-label cat litter, as well as absorbents, blast cleaners, carriers, and polishers; professional lawn care products for golf course and turf care markets; fertilizer and weed, and pest control products; dry and liquid agricultural nutrients, pelleted lime, gypsum, and soil amendments; and micronutrients, as well as industrial products comprising nitrogen reagents, calcium nitrate, deicers, and dust abatement products. The Andersons, Inc. was founded in 1947 and is based in Maumee, Ohio.

About Marks and Spencer Group

Marks and Spencer Group plc operates various retail stores. It operates through five segments: UK Clothing & Home, UK Food, International, Ocado, and All Other. The company offers protein deli and dairy; produce; ambient and in-store bakery; meals dessert and frozen; and hospitality and Food on the Move' products. The company also provides womenswear, menswear, lingerie, kids wear, and home products; financial services, including credit cards, payment solutions, insurances, savings, and loans; and renewable energy services. In addition, it invests in and develops real estate properties; operates international franchises; and provides its products online. The company also exports its products. The company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.