Reviewing Akzo Nobel (OTCMKTS:AKZOY) and Olin (NYSE:OLN)

Olin (NYSE:OLN) and Akzo Nobel (OTCMKTS:AKZOY) are both materials companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation and institutional ownership.

Dividends

Olin pays an annual dividend of $0.80 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.3%. Akzo Nobel pays an annual dividend of $0.98 per share and has a dividend yield of 4.2%. Olin pays out -65.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Akzo Nobel pays out 68.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Olin is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and lower payout ratio.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Olin and Akzo Nobel, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Olin	4	10	1	1	1.94
Akzo Nobel	0	6	1	1	2.38

Olin presently has a consensus target price of $23.08, indicating a potential upside of 23.80%. Given Olin’s higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Olin is more favorable than Akzo Nobel.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

88.7% of Olin shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.4% of Akzo Nobel shares are held by institutional investors. 1.6% of Olin shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility and Risk

Olin has a beta of 1.22, suggesting that its stock price is 22% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Akzo Nobel has a beta of 1.17, suggesting that its stock price is 17% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Olin and Akzo Nobel’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Olin	-2.08%	-4.76%	-1.17%
Akzo Nobel	6.49%	12.77%	4.09%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Olin and Akzo Nobel”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Olin	$6.78 billion	0.31	-$100.50 million	($1.23)	-15.15
Akzo Nobel	$11.49 billion	1.04	$718.44 million	$1.43	16.29

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

Summary

Akzo Nobel beats Olin on 9 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Olin

Olin Corporation manufactures and distributes chemical products in the United States, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and Canada. It operates through three segments: Chlor Alkali Products and Vinyls; Epoxy; and Winchester. The Chlor Alkali Products and Vinyls segment offers chlorine and caustic soda, ethylene dichloride and vinyl chloride monomers, methyl chloride, methylene chloride, chloroform, carbon tetrachloride, perchloroethylene, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen, bleach products, potassium hydroxide, and chlorinated organics intermediates and solvents. The Epoxy segment provides Allylics, such as allyl chloride, epichlorohydrin, and glycerin; aromatics, including acetone, bisphenol, cumene, and phenol; liquid and solid epoxy resins; and converted epoxy resins and additives. The Winchester segment offers sporting ammunition products, including shotshells, small caliber centerfire, and rimfire ammunition products for hunters and recreational shooters, and law enforcement agencies; small caliber military ammunition products for use in infantry and mounted weapons; and industrial products comprising gauge loads and powder-actuated tool loads for maintenance applications in power and concrete industries, and powder-actuated tools in construction industry. The company markets its products through its sales force, as well as directly to various industrial customers, mass merchants, retailers, wholesalers, gun clubs, other distributors, and the U.S. Government and its prime contractors. Olin Corporation was incorporated in 1892 and is based in Clayton, Missouri.

About Akzo Nobel

Akzo Nobel N.V. engages in the production and sale of paints and coatings worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Decorative Paints and Performance Coatings. It offers decorative paints, including paints, lacquers, and varnishes; and a range of mixing machines and color concepts for the building and renovation industry, as well as specialty coatings. The company also provides performance coatings that protect and enhance ships, cars, aircraft, yachts, architectural components, consumer goods, and oil and gas facilities. It offers its products under AkzoNobel, Alabastine, Alba, Andercol, Apla, Armstead Trade, Astral, Astral Batiment, AwlGrip, Brikol, Dulux, Bruguer, Cetabever, Cetol, Chemcraft, Colourland Paints, CONSOLAN, Coral, Cromadex, Cuprinol, Dynacoat, Flexa, Glitsa, Grip-Gard, Herbol, Hammerite, International, Interlux, Innenweis, Interpon, Inca, Luxol, Levis, Lesonal, Molto, Modern Classikk, Maxilite, Mauvilac, Mason CT, Marshall, Mactra, Nordsjo, Oxirite, Protecto, Procolor, Polyfilla, Polycell, Pinotex, Pintuco, Resicoat, Relest, Sparlack, Sadolin, Sikkens, Sea Hawk, Savana, Salcomix, Trimetal, Titanlux, Taubmans, U-tech, Vpowdertech, Vivechrom, Xylazel, Xyladecor, Wanda, and Zweihorn brands. The company serves to energy, packaging, infrastructure, and shipbuilding and maintenance industries, as well as general industries, such as agricultural and construction equipment, construction-related steel, metal fabrication, pipes, appliances, and transportation. The company was formerly known as Akzo NV and changed its name to Akzo Nobel N.V. in 1994. Akzo Nobel N.V. was founded in 1646 and is headquartered in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.