Comparing Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) & Vireo Growth (OTCMKTS:VREOD)

Vireo Growth (OTCMKTS:VREOD) and Zoetis (NYSE:ZTS) are both healthcare companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations and risk.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

92.8% of Zoetis shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.8% of Vireo Growth shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Zoetis shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Vireo Growth and Zoetis’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Vireo Growth	-23.37%	-19.76%	-7.15%
Zoetis	27.49%	74.89%	18.59%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Vireo Growth and Zoetis, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Vireo Growth	1	0	0	0	1.00
Zoetis	2	9	8	0	2.32

Zoetis has a consensus target price of $101.08, suggesting a potential upside of 35.18%. Given Zoetis’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Zoetis is more favorable than Vireo Growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Vireo Growth and Zoetis”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Vireo Growth	$268.77 million	1.68	-$68.11 million	($3.30)	-3.02
Zoetis	$9.47 billion	3.26	$2.67 billion	$6.07	12.32

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

Volatility & Risk

Vireo Growth has a beta of 1.78, indicating that its stock price is 78% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Zoetis has a beta of 0.74, indicating that its stock price is 26% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Zoetis beats Vireo Growth on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Vireo Growth

Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. operates as a cannabis company in the United States. The company cultivates, processes, and distributes medical and adult-use cannabis products. It sells cannabis products through its network of Green Goods and other Goodness Growth branded retail dispensaries and third-party dispensaries in Maryland, Minnesota, and New York. The company was formerly known as Vireo Health International Inc. and changed its name to Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. in June 2021. Goodness Growth Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

About Zoetis

Zoetis Inc. engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and commercialization of animal health medicines, vaccines, and diagnostic products and services in the United States and internationally. The company commercializes products primarily across species, including livestock, such as cattle, swine, poultry, fish, and sheep and others; and companion animals comprising dogs, cats, and horses. It also offers parasiticides, vaccines, dermatology, other pharmaceutical, anti-infectives, animal health diagnostics, and medicated feed additives. In addition, the company provides animal health diagnostics, including point-of-care diagnostic products, instruments and reagents, rapid immunoassay tests, reference laboratory kits and services, and blood glucose monitors; and other non-pharmaceutical products, which include nutritionals, as well as products and services in biodevices, genetic tests, and precision animal health. It markets its products to veterinarians, livestock producers, and pet owners. The company has collaboration Blacksmith Medicines, Inc. to discover and develop novel antibiotics for animal health. Zoetis Inc. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.