Analyzing Lsl Property (OTCMKTS:LSLPF) & Stratus Properties (NASDAQ:STRS)

Lsl Property (OTCMKTS:LSLPF) and Stratus Properties (NASDAQ:STRS) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, institutional ownership, risk, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares Lsl Property and Stratus Properties’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Lsl Property	N/A	N/A	N/A
Stratus Properties	-9.73%	-1.13%	-0.64%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings for Lsl Property and Stratus Properties, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Lsl Property	0	0	1	0	3.00
Stratus Properties	1	0	0	0	1.00

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Lsl Property and Stratus Properties”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Lsl Property	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Stratus Properties	$54.18 million	3.06	$1.96 million	($0.44)	-46.66

Stratus Properties has higher revenue and earnings than Lsl Property.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

61.6% of Stratus Properties shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.0% of Stratus Properties shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Risk & Volatility

Lsl Property has a beta of 0.72, meaning that its stock price is 28% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Stratus Properties has a beta of 1.3, meaning that its stock price is 30% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Lsl Property beats Stratus Properties on 5 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Lsl Property

LSL Property Services plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of business-to-business services to mortgage intermediaries and estate agency franchisees, and valuation services to lenders in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Financial Services, Surveying & Valuation, and Estate Agency Franchising. The Financial Services segment offers compliance and other services to mortgage and insurance networks. The Surveying & Valuation segment provides valuations and professional surveying services of residential properties to various lenders and individual customers; data services to lenders; and asset management services, including managing the sale of residential properties on behalf of corporate clients and property investors. The Estate Agency Franchising segment offers brand marketing, and commercial and information technology support services under brands, including Your Move and Reeds Rains, as well as various local brands; repossession services; and conveyancing panel management and support services to its franchisees and their customers. It also offers business and domestic software development; and conveyancing packaging services. The company was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, the United Kingdom.

About Stratus Properties

Stratus Properties Inc., a real estate company, engages in the entitlement, development, management, leasing, and sale of multi and single family residential and commercial real estate properties in the Austin, Texas area and other select markets in Texas. The company operates in two segments, Real Estate Operations and Leasing Operations. Its leasing operations cover lease of space at retail and mixed-use and multi-family properties. The company was incorporated in 1992 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.