Reviewing Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ:AXON) and Moog (NYSE:MOG.A)

Moog (NYSE:MOG.A) and Axon Enterprise (NASDAQ:AXON) are both large-cap aerospace companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, dividends, profitability, risk, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

88.0% of Moog shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 79.1% of Axon Enterprise shares are held by institutional investors. 1.5% of Moog shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.2% of Axon Enterprise shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Moog and Axon Enterprise”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Moog	$3.86 billion	3.36	$235.03 million	$8.89	46.05
Axon Enterprise	$2.78 billion	16.88	$124.66 million	$2.49	233.73

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

Risk and Volatility

Moog has a beta of 0.96, meaning that its stock price is 4% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Axon Enterprise has a beta of 1.38, meaning that its stock price is 38% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Moog and Axon Enterprise’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Moog	6.83%	16.11%	7.15%
Axon Enterprise	6.90%	3.78%	1.76%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for Moog and Axon Enterprise, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Moog	0	0	1	1	3.50
Axon Enterprise	0	2	15	1	2.94

Moog currently has a consensus price target of $450.00, indicating a potential upside of 9.92%. Axon Enterprise has a consensus price target of $722.12, indicating a potential upside of 24.08%. Given Axon Enterprise’s higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Axon Enterprise is more favorable than Moog.

About Moog

Moog Inc. designs, manufactures, and integrates precision motion and fluid controls and controls systems for original equipment manufacturers and end users in the aerospace, defense, and industrial markets worldwide. The company's Aircrafts Controls segment offers primary and secondary flight controls for military and commercial aircrafts; aftermarket support services; and ground-based navigation aids. Its Space and Defense Controls segment provides controls for satellites, space vehicles, launch vehicles, armored combat vehicles, tactical and strategic missiles, security and surveillance, and other defense applications; and gun aiming, stabilization, and automatic ammunition loading for armored combat vehicles. This segment also offers controls for steering tactical and strategic missiles, and naval surface ships and submarines; and weapons stores management systems for light attack aerial reconnaissance, ground, and sea platforms, as well as slip rings, fiber optic rotary joints, and motors. The company's Industrial Systems segment provides components and systems for applications in injection and blow molding machinery, metal forming presses, and heavy industry customers in steel and aluminum production; supplies electromechanical motion simulation bases for the flight simulation and training applications; and supplies solutions for power generation applications, as well as custom test systems and controls for automotive, structural, and fatigue testing. This segment also offers systems and components for applications in oil and gas exploration and production; components for wind turbine applications; components and systems for diagnostic imaging CT scan medical equipment, sleep apnea equipment, oxygen concentrators, infusion therapy, and enteral clinical nutrition; and hydraulics, slip rings, rotary unions and fiber optic rotary joints, motors, and infusion and enteral pumps. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in East Aurora, New York.

About Axon Enterprise

Axon Enterprise, Inc. develops, manufactures, and sells conducted energy devices (CEDs) under the TASER brand in the United States and internationally. It operates through two segments, Software and Sensors, and TASER. The company also offers hardware and cloud-based software solutions that enable law enforcement to capture, securely store, manage, share, and analyze video and other digital evidence. Its products include axon officer safety plan; taser 10, taser7, taser X26P, taser X2, taser 7 CQ, and civilian series; cameras, such as axon body, axon flex, axon fleet, axon air, axon signal sidearm, axon signal vehicle, axon interview, and axon interview portable kit; software, including axon records, evidence, standards, commander, performance, auto-transcribe, justice, investigate, respond, and justice, my90, and redaction assistant; mobile applications, and training services, as well as hardware extended warranties; and Axon docks, cartridges, and batteries. The company sells its products through its direct sales, distribution partners, online store, and third-party resellers. Axon Enterprise, Inc. has a strategic partnership with Fusus, Inc. to expand bility to aggregate live video, data, and sensor feeds. It serves law enforcement, federal, correction, fire, EMS, campus, justice healthcare, retail, private security, and personal safety industries. The company was formerly known as TASER International, Inc. and changed its name to Axon Enterprise, Inc. in April 2017. Axon Enterprise, Inc. was incorporated in 1993 and is headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona.