Reviewing Asahi Kasei (OTCMKTS:AHKSY) & Air Liquide (OTCMKTS:AIQUY)

Air Liquide (OTCMKTS:AIQUY) and Asahi Kasei (OTCMKTS:AHKSY) are both large-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations and profitability.

Volatility & Risk

Air Liquide has a beta of 0.84, meaning that its stock price is 16% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Asahi Kasei has a beta of 0.41, meaning that its stock price is 59% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends

Air Liquide pays an annual dividend of $0.48 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.3%. Asahi Kasei pays an annual dividend of $0.31 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.7%. Asahi Kasei pays out 22.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Air Liquide and Asahi Kasei”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Air Liquide	$29.28 billion	3.67	$3.58 billion	N/A	N/A
Asahi Kasei	$19.95 billion	0.65	$890.97 million	$1.37	13.64

Air Liquide has higher revenue and earnings than Asahi Kasei.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

0.0% of Air Liquide shares are owned by institutional investors. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Air Liquide and Asahi Kasei’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Air Liquide	N/A	N/A	N/A
Asahi Kasei	4.64%	7.41%	3.56%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Air Liquide and Asahi Kasei, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Air Liquide	0	3	2	1	2.67
Asahi Kasei	0	2	0	0	2.00

Summary

Air Liquide beats Asahi Kasei on 9 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Air Liquide

L'Air Liquide S.A. provides gases, technologies, and services for the industrial and health sectors in Europe, the Americas, the Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and Africa. It operates in Gas & Services, Engineering & Construction, and Global Markets & Technologies segments. The Gas & Services segment comprises large industries business, which offers gas and energy solutions including oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, and carbon monoxide, as well as operates cogeneration plants to supply steam and electricity to metals, chemicals, refining, and energy industries; and industrial merchant business line provides industrial gases, equipment, hardgoods, and associated services to materials and energy, automotive and manufacturing, food and pharmaceuticals, technology and research, and craftsmen and retail sectors. This segment also includes healthcare business, which provides medical gases, home healthcare services, medical equipment, and specialty ingredient to patients, healthcare professionals, and hospitals; and electronic business supply carrier gases, electronic specialty and advanced materials, equipment and installation, and service to semiconductor, flat panel, and photovoltaic markets. The Engineering & Construction segment designs, develops, and builds industrial gas production plants to third parties; and design and manufacture plants in traditional, renewable and alternative energy sectors. The Global Markets & Technologies segment delivers technological solutions, such as molecules, equipment, and services to energy transition and deep technology. This segment also invests in and operates biomethane production units; designs hydrogen refueling stations; and supplies gases for the offshore oil and gas platforms, offshore wind turbines, and cryogenic transportation by sea. L'Air Liquide S.A. was incorporated in 1902 and is headquartered in Paris, France.

About Asahi Kasei

Asahi Kasei Corporation manufactures and sells chemicals. It offers caustic soda, chemical fertilizers, nitric acid, ammonia, acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate, styrene, adipic acid, hexamethylene diamine, AH salt, propionitrile, sodium cyanide, acetonitrile, methacrylonitrile, cyclohexyl methacrylate, polyethylenes, polyethylenes powder, PMMA resin, polystyrene, polybutadiene rubbers, styrene/butadiene rubbers, clear styrenic copolymer, styrenic thermoplastic elastomer, hydrogenated styrenic elastomers, membranes and systems, functional materials, foams, purging compound, polyisocyanates, polycarbonatediol, aluminum paste, latex, photopolymers and platemaking systems, films, cyclohexanol, cyclohexane, and cyclohexene. The company also offers lithium-ion battery and lead-acid battery separators, plastic optical fibers, artificial suede, nylon 66 filament, polyamide 66, polyacetal, polyphenyene ether, polypropylene compounds, 3D cubic knitted fabric, noise suppression sheets, audio devices, photosensitive polyimide/PBO precursor, latent hardeners, glass fabrics, specialty products, explosion-bonded metal clads, lining fabrics, cupro and stretch fibers, oil-water separators, cellulose nanobeads, and flame-resistant and synthetic fiber; magnetic, current, and gas sensors; deodorizing, spunbond, cupro, multifunctional, and heat-press formable thermoplastic nonwoven; and ecorise, biocradle, and bemliese products. It provides bags and containers; cooking products; cleaners; plastic packet cutting products; cyclohexyl methacrylate, bonded anchors, and microcrystalline cellulose; pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents, dialyzers, therapeutic apheresis, virus removal filters, defibrillators, AEDs, automated CPRs, fluid resuscitation pumps, wearable defibrillators, temperature management systems, and data solutions; construction materials; and remodeling services, as well as develops homes and apartments. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.