Critical Contrast: Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) & Symbotic (NASDAQ:SYM)

Symbotic (NASDAQ:SYM) and Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) are both industrials companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, dividends and profitability.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

95.6% of Greenbrier Companies shares are owned by institutional investors. 8.2% of Symbotic shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.7% of Greenbrier Companies shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Symbotic and Greenbrier Companies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Symbotic	0.48%	1.40%	0.41%
Greenbrier Companies	4.07%	6.49%	2.55%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings for Symbotic and Greenbrier Companies, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Symbotic	4	4	7	0	2.20
Greenbrier Companies	1	3	0	0	1.75

Symbotic currently has a consensus price target of $65.42, indicating a potential upside of 51.08%. Greenbrier Companies has a consensus price target of $45.00, indicating a potential upside of 5.15%. Given Symbotic’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Symbotic is more favorable than Greenbrier Companies.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Symbotic and Greenbrier Companies”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Symbotic	$2.25 billion	11.65	-$16.94 million	$0.09	481.11
Greenbrier Companies	$2.63 billion	0.50	$204.10 million	$3.37	12.70

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

Volatility & Risk

Symbotic has a beta of 1.94, indicating that its share price is 94% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Greenbrier Companies has a beta of 1.42, indicating that its share price is 42% more volatile than the S&P 500.

About Symbotic

Symbotic Inc., an automation technology company, engages in developing technologies to improve operating efficiencies in modern warehouses. The company automates the processing of pallets and cases in large warehouses or distribution centers for retail companies. Its systems enhance operations at the front end of the supply chain. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.

About Greenbrier Companies

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets railroad freight car equipment in North America, Europe, and South America. It operates through three segments: Manufacturing; Maintenance Services; and Leasing & Management Services. The Manufacturing segment offers covered hopper cars, gondolas, open top hoppers, boxcars, center partition cars, tank cars, sustainable conversions, double-stack railcars, auto-max ii, multi-max, and multi-max plus products, intermodal cars, automobile transport, coil steel and metals, flat cars, sliding wall cars, pressurized tank cars, and non-pressurized tank cars. The Maintenance Services segment provides wheel services, including reconditioning of wheels and axles, new axle machining and finishing, and downsizing; operates a railcar repair, refurbishment, and maintenance network; and reconditions and manufactures railcar cushioning units, couplers, yokes, side frames, bolsters, and various other parts. The Leasing & Management Services segment offers operating leases and per diem leases for a fleet of approximately 13,400 railcars; and management services comprising railcar maintenance management, railcar accounting services, fleet management and logistics, administration, and railcar re-marketing. This segment provides management services for railroads, shippers, carriers, institutional investors, and other leasing and transportation companies. It serves railroads, leasing companies, financial institutions, shippers, carriers, and transportation companies. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon.