Contrasting Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD) and Vistance Networks (NASDAQ:VISN)

Vistance Networks (NASDAQ:VISN) and Clearfield (NASDAQ:CLFD) are both small-cap technology companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, earnings, dividends, valuation, risk and institutional ownership.

Risk & Volatility

Vistance Networks has a beta of 2.38, indicating that its share price is 138% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Clearfield has a beta of 2.14, indicating that its share price is 114% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Vistance Networks and Clearfield, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vistance Networks	0	4	0	0	2.00
Clearfield	2	0	5	0	2.43

Vistance Networks presently has a consensus target price of $19.33, suggesting a potential upside of 196.98%. Clearfield has a consensus target price of $41.75, suggesting a potential upside of 31.21%. Given Vistance Networks’ higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Vistance Networks is more favorable than Clearfield.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Vistance Networks and Clearfield”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vistance Networks	$1.99 billion	0.75	$2.28 billion	$30.80	0.21
Clearfield	$150.13 million	2.88	-$8.05 million	($0.51)	-62.39

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

Institutional and Insider Ownership

88.0% of Vistance Networks shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 88.7% of Clearfield shares are held by institutional investors. 3.5% of Vistance Networks shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 17.8% of Clearfield shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Vistance Networks and Clearfield’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vistance Networks	247.69%	32.28%	4.61%
Clearfield	-4.71%	1.61%	1.45%

Summary

Vistance Networks beats Clearfield on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Vistance Networks

CommScope Holding Company, Inc. provides infrastructure solutions for communications and entertainment networks. It operates through four segments: Broadband Networks (Broadband), Outdoor Wireless Networks (OWN), Venue and Campus Networks (VCN), and Home Networks (Home). The Broadband segment provides converged cable access platforms, passive optical networking products, video systems, access technologies, fiber and coaxial cables, fiber and copper connectivity products, and hardened closures to the telco and cable provider broadband market. The OWN segment provides base station antennas, radio frequency filters, tower connectivity, microwave antennas, metro cell products, cabinets, steel towers, accessories, Spectrum Access System, and Comsearch products to the macro and metro cell markets. The VCN segment offers Wi-Fi and switching, distributed antenna systems, licensed and unlicensed small cells, enterprise fiber, and copper infrastructures for campuses, venues, data centers, and buildings. The Home segment provides devices and related software, and management solutions that offer residential connectivity and services to subscribers, such as digital subscriber lines, cable modems, and telephony and data gateways; and set top boxes and software that support cable, satellite, and Internet protocol television content delivery, which include digital video recorders, high definition set top boxes, and hybrid set top devices. It offers its products and services through specialized resellers and distributors, satellite video distributors, and system integrators, as well as directly to customers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Canada. The company was formerly known as Cedar I Holding Company, Inc. and changed its name to CommScope Holding Company, Inc. in January 2011. CommScope Holding Company, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Hickory, North Carolina.

About Clearfield

Clearfield, Inc. manufactures and sells various fiber connectivity products in the United States and internationally. The company offers FieldSmart, a series of panels, cabinets, wall boxes, and other enclosures; WaveSmart, an optical components integrated for signal coupling, splitting, termination, multiplexing, demultiplexing, and attenuation for integration within its fiber management platform; and active cabinet products. It also provides CraftSmart FiberFirst pedestals, an access terminal that offers a cable management and mounting bracket kit to support the deployment of access terminals; YOURx, an access terminal that provides flexibility with cable mid-span and internal splicing options; and FieldShield, a fiber pathway and protection method for reducing the cost of broadband deployment. In addition, the company offers fiber assemblies; fiber optic and copper cables, microducts, microduct accessories, and tools; and installation and connection accessories for fiber optic networks. It serves community broadband customers, multiple system operators, large regional service providers, and wireline/wireless national telco carriers. The company was formerly known as APA Enterprises, Inc. and changed its name to Clearfield, Inc. in January 2008. Clearfield, Inc. was incorpoarted in 1979 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.