Axalta Coating Systems (NYSE:AXTA – Get Free Report) and Ascent Industries (NASDAQ:ACNT – Get Free Report) are both materials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, risk and valuation.
Risk & Volatility
Axalta Coating Systems has a beta of 1.24, meaning that its stock price is 24% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Ascent Industries has a beta of 0.49, meaning that its stock price is 51% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Axalta Coating Systems and Ascent Industries’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Axalta Coating Systems | 6.78% | 22.35% | 7.12% |
| Ascent Industries | -5.31% | -2.72% | -2.07% |
Earnings and Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Axalta Coating Systems | $5.12 billion | 1.41 | $378.00 million | $1.62 | 20.80 |
| Ascent Industries | $83.54 million | 1.61 | $870,000.00 | ($0.45) | -33.22 |
Axalta Coating Systems has higher revenue and earnings than Ascent Industries. Ascent Industries is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Axalta Coating Systems, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for Axalta Coating Systems and Ascent Industries, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Axalta Coating Systems | 0 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 2.36 |
| Ascent Industries | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
Axalta Coating Systems currently has a consensus price target of $36.85, suggesting a potential upside of 9.36%. Given Axalta Coating Systems’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Axalta Coating Systems is more favorable than Ascent Industries.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
98.3% of Axalta Coating Systems shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 26.0% of Ascent Industries shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.5% of Axalta Coating Systems shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 7.5% of Ascent Industries shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
Axalta Coating Systems beats Ascent Industries on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Axalta Coating Systems
Axalta Coating Systems Ltd., through its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, and distributes high-performance coatings systems in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates through two segments, Performance Coatings and Mobility Coatings. It also offers water and solvent-borne products and systems to repair damaged vehicles for independent body shops, multi-shop operators, and original equipment manufacturer (OEM) dealership body shops. In addition, the company provides functional and decorative liquid, and powder coatings used in various industrial applications, including building materials, cabinet, wood and luxury vinyl flooring and furniture market under the Voltatex, AquaEC, Durapon, Hydropon, UNRIVALED, Ceranamel, Industrial, Corlar Industrial, Tufcote, Imron Industrial, Alesta, Teodur, Nap-Gard, Abcite, and Plascoat brands for powder coatings. Further, it develops and supplies electrocoat, primer, the basecoat, and clearcoat products for OEMs of light and commercial vehicles; and coatings systems for various commercial applications, including HDT, MDT, bus, and rail under the Imron, Imron Elite, Centari, Rival, Corlar epoxy undercoats, and AquaEC brands. The company offers products under the Audurra, Abcite, Alesta, AquaEC, Centari, Ceranamel, Challenger, Chemophan, ColorNet, Cromax, Cromax Mosaic, Durapon 70, Duxone, Harmonized Coating Technologies, Imron ExcelPro, Lutophen, Nason, Spies Hecker, Standox, Stollaquid, Syntopal, Syrox, Raptor, U-POL, and Vermeera brand names. The company was formerly known as Axalta Coating Systems Bermuda Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. in August 2014. Axalta Coating Systems Ltd. was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania.
About Ascent Industries
Ascent Industries Co. an industrials company, produces and distributes stainless steel pipe and tube and specialty chemicals in the United States and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Tubular Products and Specialty Chemicals. It manufactures welded pipes and tubes, primarily from stainless steel, duplex, and nickel alloys; and ornamental stainless steel tubes for automotive, commercial transportation, marine, food services, construction, furniture, healthcare, and other industries. The company also produces defoamers, surfactants, and lubricating agents for end users, including companies that supply agrochemical paper, metal working, coatings, water treatment, paint, mining, oil and gas, and janitorial and other applications. In addition, it provides contract manufacturing services, as well as operates as a multi-purpose plant to process various difficult to handle materials, including flammable solvents, viscous liquids, and granular solids. The company was formerly known as Synalloy Corporation and changed its name to Ascent Industries Co. in August 2022. Ascent Industries Co. was founded in 1945 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.
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