Liberty Energy (NYSE:LBRT – Get Free Report) and Western Energy Services (OTCMKTS:WEEEF – Get Free Report) are both energy companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, profitability, valuation, earnings and institutional ownership.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Liberty Energy and Western Energy Services, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Liberty Energy | 0 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Western Energy Services | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
Liberty Energy currently has a consensus target price of $26.08, indicating a potential downside of 7.00%. Given Liberty Energy’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Liberty Energy is more favorable than Western Energy Services.
Earnings & Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Liberty Energy | $4.01 billion | 1.13 | $147.87 million | $0.89 | 31.51 |
| Western Energy Services | $155.66 million | 0.38 | -$5.22 million | ($0.14) | -12.50 |
Liberty Energy has higher revenue and earnings than Western Energy Services. Western Energy Services is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Liberty Energy, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Risk and Volatility
Liberty Energy has a beta of 0.49, indicating that its stock price is 51% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Western Energy Services has a beta of 0.54, indicating that its stock price is 46% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
98.2% of Liberty Energy shares are held by institutional investors. 1.9% of Liberty Energy shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 50.0% of Western Energy Services shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares Liberty Energy and Western Energy Services’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Liberty Energy | 3.69% | 1.24% | 0.73% |
| Western Energy Services | -11.90% | -0.22% | -0.15% |
Summary
Liberty Energy beats Western Energy Services on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Liberty Energy
Liberty Energy Inc. provides hydraulic services and related technologies to onshore oil and natural gas exploration, and production companies in North America. The company offers hydraulic fracturing services, including complementary services, such as wireline services, proppant delivery solutions, field gas processing and treating, compressed natural gas (CNG) delivery, data analytics, related goods comprising sand mine operations, and technologies; and well site fueling and logistics. As of as of December 31, 2023, the company owned and operated a fleet of approximately 40 active hydraulic fracturing; and two sand mines in the Permian Basin. In addition, the company provides services primarily in the Permian Basin, the Williston Basin, the Eagle Ford Shale, the Haynesville Shale, the Appalachian Basin (Marcellus Shale and Utica Shale), the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin, the Denver-Julesburg Basin (the DJ Basin), and the Anadarko Basin. Liberty Energy Inc. was formerly known as Liberty Oilfield Services Inc. and changed its name to Liberty Energy Inc. in April 2022. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.
About Western Energy Services
Western Energy Services Corp. operates as an oilfield service company in Canada and the United States. It operates through Contract Drilling and Production Services segments. The Contract Drilling segment provides contract drilling services using drilling rigs and auxiliary equipment. The Production Services segment offers well servicing rig and related equipment, as well as rental equipment services. Western Energy Services Corp. is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
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