Reviewing Integer (NYSE:ITGR) & Sysmex (OTCMKTS:SSMXY)

Sysmex (OTCMKTS:SSMXY) and Integer (NYSE:ITGR) are both mid-cap medical companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, risk, analyst recommendations, earnings, dividends and profitability.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Sysmex and Integer, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Sysmex	0	1	1	0	2.50
Integer	0	7	4	0	2.36

Integer has a consensus target price of $96.75, indicating a potential upside of 44.72%. Given Integer’s higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Integer is more favorable than Sysmex.

Risk & Volatility

Sysmex has a beta of 1.16, indicating that its stock price is 16% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Integer has a beta of 0.97, indicating that its stock price is 3% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Sysmex and Integer’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Sysmex	9.35%	10.20%	7.25%
Integer	4.75%	12.84%	6.52%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Sysmex and Integer”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Sysmex	$3.34 billion	2.09	$357.79 million	$0.50	22.22
Integer	$1.83 billion	1.28	$119.90 million	$2.39	27.97

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

Institutional & Insider Ownership

99.3% of Integer shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.2% of Integer shares are owned 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.

About Sysmex

Sysmex Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and sale of diagnostic instruments, reagents, and related software in Japan. It offers three-part and five-part white blood cell differentiation instruments for use in hematology; and transport systems for high-volume testing in labs. The company also provides automated urine particle analyzers; automated blood coagulation analyzers; automated immunochemistry systems, which perform assays on minute sample quantities, as well as reagents to test for infectious disease and tumor markers; and flow cytometers to perform analysis in diagnosing leukemia, malignant lymphoma, and HIV/AIDS. In addition, it offers cancer lymph node metastasis testing systems to detect information to help in diagnosing lymph node metastasis; and lab assay services. Further, the company is involved in the development and sale of software for diagnostic information systems; provision of facility management, office, welfare, and genetic analysis services; development, operation, and maintenance of IT solutions, platforms, and applications related to digital medicine; marketing, development, design, manufacture, sale, and after-sales service related to medical robots; and distribution and after sales support of medical devices and reagents for biotechnology, medical technology, and molecular cell analysis. Additionally, it researches, develops, manufactures, and sells regenerative medicine products; develops, manufactures, and sells biodevices; develops, maintains, and sells computer software; and offers blood DNA testing service. The company serves national and other public hospitals, private hospitals, universities, research institutes, other medical institutions, etc. It also exports its products to approximately 190 countries. The company was formerly known as TOA Medical Electronics Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Sysmex Corporation in October 1998. Sysmex Corporation was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Kobe, Japan.

About Integer

Integer Holdings Corporation operates as a medical device outsource manufacturer in the United States, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Medical and Non-Medical. The company offers products for interventional cardiology, structural heart, heart failure, peripheral vascular, neurovascular, interventional oncology, electrophysiology, vascular access, infusion therapy, hemodialysis, non-vascular, urology, and gastroenterology procedures. It also provides cardiac rhythm management products, including implantable pacemakers, implantable cardioverter defibrillators, insertable cardiac monitors, implantable cardiac pacing and defibrillation leads, and heart failure therapies; neuromodulation products, such as implantable spinal cord stimulators; and non-rechargeable batteries, feedthroughs, device enclosures, machined components, and lead components and sub-assemblies. In addition, the company offers rechargeable batteries and chargers; and arthroscopic, laparoscopic, and general surgery devices and components, such as harmonic scalpels, shaver blades, burr shavers, radio frequency probes, biopsy probes, trocars, electrocautery components, wound dressings, GERD treatment components, and phacoemulsification needles. Further, it provides orthopedic products that include instruments used in hip, knee, and spine surgeries, as well as reamers and chisels. Additionally, the company offers customized battery power and power management systems, and battery solutions for the energy, military, and environmental markets. Furthermore, the company provides medical technologies. It serves multi-national original equipment manufacturers and their affiliated subsidiaries in the cardiac rhythm management, neuromodulation, orthopedics, vascular, and advanced surgical and portable medical markets. Integer Holdings Corporation was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Plano, Texas.