Luxfer (NYSE:LXFR – Get Free Report) and Alta Equipment Group (NYSE:ALTG – Get Free Report) are both small-cap industrials companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, earnings, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability and risk.
Risk and Volatility
Luxfer has a beta of 1.12, suggesting that its share price is 12% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Alta Equipment Group has a beta of 1.73, suggesting that its share price is 73% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and price targets for Luxfer and Alta Equipment Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Luxfer | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2.67 |
| Alta Equipment Group | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2.00 |
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Luxfer and Alta Equipment Group”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Luxfer | $384.60 million | 1.20 | $7.70 million | $0.22 | 77.75 |
| Alta Equipment Group | $1.84 billion | 0.12 | -$80.30 million | ($2.53) | -2.61 |
Luxfer has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Alta Equipment Group. Alta Equipment Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Luxfer, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
90.8% of Luxfer shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 73.6% of Alta Equipment Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.0% of Luxfer shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 20.5% of Alta Equipment Group shares are owned by company 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 Luxfer and Alta Equipment Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Luxfer | 1.56% | 12.14% | 7.25% |
| Alta Equipment Group | -4.33% | -3,253.61% | -5.70% |
Summary
Luxfer beats Alta Equipment Group on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Luxfer
Luxfer Holdings PLC, together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and supplies high-performance materials, components, and high-pressure gas containment devices for defense and first response, healthcare, transportation, and general industrial applications. The company operates through three segments: Elektron, Gas Cylinders, and graphic Arts. The Elektron segment focuses on specialty materials based primarily on magnesium and zirconium. This segment also provides magnesium alloys for use in aerospace, healthcare, and oil and gas applications; magnesium powders for use in countermeasure flares, as well as heater meals; and zirconium-based materials and oxides used as catalysts and in the manufacture of advanced ceramics, fiber-optic fuel cells, pharmaceuticals, and other performance products. The Gas Cylinders segment manufactures and markets specialized products using carbon composites and aluminum alloys, including pressurized cylinders for use in various applications comprising self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) for firefighters, containment of oxygen, and other medical gases for healthcare, alternative fuel vehicles, and general industrial applications. The Graphic Art segments provides magnesium photo-engraving plates, engraving metals, and etching chemicals. This segment also offers magnesium, copper, and zinc photo-engraving plates for graphic arts and luxury packaging; developer solutions; and solid wrought magnesium slab and sheet. Luxfer Holdings PLC has operations in the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, Canada, rest of Europe, the Asia Pacific, and internationally. The company was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
About Alta Equipment Group
Alta Equipment Group Inc. owns and operates integrated equipment dealership platforms in the United States. It operates through three segments: Material Handling, Construction Equipment, and Master Distribution. The company operates a branch network that sells, rents, and provides parts and service support for various categories of specialized equipment, including lift trucks and other material handling equipment, heavy and compact earthmoving equipment, crushing and screening equipment, environmental processing equipment, cranes and aerial work platforms, paving and asphalt equipment, and other construction equipment and related products. It also offers repair and maintenance services for its equipment. In addition, the company designs and builds warehouses; provides automated equipment installation and system integration solutions; and distributes environmental processing equipment. It serves various manufacturing, food and beverage, automotive, municipal/government, education, pharmaceutical and medical, wholesale and retail distribution, construction, agriculture, road building, mining, recycling, and waste management sectors. Alta Equipment Group Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Livonia, Michigan.
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