Head to Head Analysis: Aeries Technology (NASDAQ:AERT) vs. Willdan Group (NASDAQ:WLDN)

Willdan Group (NASDAQ:WLDN) and Aeries Technology (NASDAQ:AERT) are both small-cap industrials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, earnings, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership and risk.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

72.3% of Willdan Group shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 99.2% of Aeries Technology shares are owned by institutional investors. 5.6% of Willdan Group shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 63.6% of Aeries Technology shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility & Risk

Willdan Group has a beta of 1.28, indicating that its share price is 28% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Aeries Technology has a beta of 0.67, indicating that its share price is 33% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings for Willdan Group and Aeries Technology, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Willdan Group	0	2	2	0	2.50
Aeries Technology	0	1	0	0	2.00

Willdan Group presently has a consensus price target of $118.33, suggesting a potential upside of 76.14%. Given Willdan Group’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts clearly believe Willdan Group is more favorable than Aeries Technology.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Willdan Group and Aeries Technology”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Willdan Group	$681.55 million	1.51	$52.56 million	$4.12	16.31
Aeries Technology	$70.01 million	0.40	$2.55 million	$0.43	12.40

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

Profitability

This table compares Willdan Group and Aeries Technology’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Willdan Group	8.19%	22.62%	12.94%
Aeries Technology	3.68%	-114.69%	6.81%

Summary

Willdan Group beats Aeries Technology on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Willdan Group

Willdan Group, Inc. provides professional, technical and consulting services to utilities, government agencies and private-sector clients. Its work includes energy-efficiency programs, energy engineering, grid modernization and planning, and support for decarbonization and other energy initiatives. The company also offers engineering, planning and building-related services, as well as financial and economic consulting for public agencies. Its services can support projects ranging from infrastructure and community planning to building safety and energy management.

About Aeries Technology

Aeries Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: AERT) is a global professional services and consulting company that helps businesses and investment firms manage transformation, transition, and growth initiatives. The company provides technology-enabled solutions designed to support clients’ operational, financial, and strategic needs. Its services include finance and accounting, tax and audit support, technology consulting, digital transformation, data and analytics, and managed services. Aeries Technology also offers talent and staffing solutions, helping clients access specialized professionals and scalable teams for business operations and technology projects.