SemiLEDS (NASDAQ:LEDS – Get Free Report) and Ascent Solar Technologies (NASDAQ:ASTI – Get Free Report) are both small-cap technology companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, risk and analyst recommendations.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares SemiLEDS and Ascent Solar Technologies”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| SemiLEDS | $43.01 million | 0.45 | -$1.13 million | ($0.13) | -17.92 |
| Ascent Solar Technologies | $80,000.00 | 353.52 | -$7.83 million | ($1.48) | -1.95 |
Institutional & Insider Ownership
76.3% of SemiLEDS shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 10.6% of Ascent Solar Technologies shares are owned by institutional investors. 58.5% of SemiLEDS shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 4.1% of Ascent Solar Technologies shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for SemiLEDS and Ascent Solar Technologies, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| SemiLEDS | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
| Ascent Solar Technologies | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.00 |
Ascent Solar Technologies has a consensus target price of $20.00, indicating a potential upside of 594.44%. Given Ascent Solar Technologies’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Ascent Solar Technologies is more favorable than SemiLEDS.
Profitability
This table compares SemiLEDS and Ascent Solar Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| SemiLEDS | -3.92% | -43.09% | -6.39% |
| Ascent Solar Technologies | -4,217.19% | -85.21% | -64.83% |
Risk & Volatility
SemiLEDS has a beta of 1.58, suggesting that its stock price is 58% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Ascent Solar Technologies has a beta of 1.75, suggesting that its stock price is 75% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
SemiLEDS beats Ascent Solar Technologies on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About SemiLEDS
SemiLEDs Corporation develops, manufactures, and sells light emitting diode (LED) chips, LED components, and LED modules and systems in the United States, Taiwan, the Netherlands, Germany, Japan, and internationally. The company also sells enhanced vertical, LED product series in blue, white, green, and UV; LED chips to packagers or distributors; and lighting products primarily to original design manufacturers of lighting products and the end-users of lighting devices, as well as packs and sells its LED chips. Its products are used for general lighting applications, including commercial, industrial, and residential lighting; and specialty industrial applications, such as ultraviolet or UV, curing of polymers, LED light therapy in medical/cosmetic applications, counterfeit detection, germicidal and viricidal devices LED lighting for horticulture applications, architectural lighting, and entertainment lighting. The company was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Chu-Nan, Taiwan.
About Ascent Solar Technologies
Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a solar technology company, engages in the manufacture and sale of photovoltaic solar modules in the United States. The company markets and sells its products through OEMs, system integrators, distributors, retailers, and value-added resellers. It serves agrivoltaics, aerospace, satellites, near earth orbiting vehicles, and fixed wing unmanned aerial vehicles. Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Thornton, Colorado.
Receive News & Ratings for SemiLEDS Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for SemiLEDS and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
