Reviewing GEA Group (OTCMKTS:GEAGF) and Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH)

Parker-Hannifin (NYSE:PH) and GEA Group (OTCMKTS:GEAGF) are both large-cap industrials companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk, dividends, earnings and profitability.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Parker-Hannifin and GEA Group”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Parker-Hannifin	$19.85 billion	5.97	$3.53 billion	$27.11	34.69
GEA Group	$6.22 billion	1.66	$468.41 million	$2.32	27.30

Parker-Hannifin has higher revenue and earnings than GEA Group. GEA Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Parker-Hannifin, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares Parker-Hannifin and GEA Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Parker-Hannifin	16.58%	27.97%	13.00%
GEA Group	7.61%	18.04%	7.39%

Volatility & Risk

Parker-Hannifin has a beta of 1.11, indicating that its stock price is 11% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, GEA Group has a beta of 0.21, indicating that its stock price is 79% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Parker-Hannifin and GEA Group, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Parker-Hannifin	0	4	17	1	2.86
GEA Group	0	0	0	1	4.00

Parker-Hannifin presently has a consensus target price of $1,026.86, indicating a potential upside of 9.20%. Given Parker-Hannifin’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Parker-Hannifin is more favorable than GEA Group.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

82.4% of Parker-Hannifin shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.3% of Parker-Hannifin shares are owned by 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.

Summary

Parker-Hannifin beats GEA Group on 13 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Parker-Hannifin

Parker-Hannifin Corporation manufactures and sells motion and control technologies and systems for various mobile, industrial, and aerospace markets worldwide. The company operates through two segments: Diversified Industrial and Aerospace Systems. The Diversified Industrial segment offers sealing, shielding, thermal products and systems, adhesives, coatings, and noise vibration and harshness solutions; filters, systems, and diagnostics solutions to ensure purity and remove contaminants from fuel, air, oil, water, and other liquids and gases; connectors used in fluid and gas handling; and hydraulic, pneumatic, and electromechanical components and systems for builders and users of mobile and industrial machinery and equipment. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and distributors who serve the replacement markets in manufacturing, packaging, processing, transportation, construction, refrigeration and air conditioning, agricultural, and military machinery and equipment industries. The Aerospace Systems segment offers products for use in commercial and military airframe and engine programs, such as control actuation systems and components, engine build-up ducting, engine exhaust nozzles and assemblies, engine systems and components, fluid conveyance systems and components, fuel systems and components, fuel tank inerting systems, hydraulic systems and components, lubrication components, avionics, sensors, pneumatic control components, thermal management products, fire detection and suppression systems and components, and wheels and brakes, as well as fluid metering, delivery, and atomization devices. This segment markets its products directly to OEMs and end users. The company markets its products through direct-sales employees, independent distributors, and sales representatives. Parker-Hannifin Corporation was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

About GEA Group

GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft engages in the development and production of systems and components to the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. It operates through Separation & Flow Technologies, Liquid & Power Technologies, Food & Health Technologies, Farm Technologies, and Heating & Refrigeration Technologies segments. The Separation & Flow Technologies segment manufacture process-related components and machinery including notably separators, decanters, homogenizers, valves, and pumps. The Liquid & Power Technologies segment offers brewing systems, liquid processing and filling, concentration, precision fermentation, crystallization, purification, drying, powder handling, and packaging, as well as systems for emission control for dairy, beverage, food, chemical, and other industries. The Food & Health Technologies segment engages in the preparation, marination, and processing of meat, poultry, seafood, and vegan products, pasta and confectionery products, baking, slicing, packaging, and frozen food processing for food processing industry; and provides tablet presses for pharmaceutical industry. The Farm Technologies segment offers customer solution for milk production and livestock farming, which includes automatic milking and feeding system, conventional milking solutions, manure handling, and digital herd management tool. The Heating & Refrigeration Technologies segment provides energy solution in the field of industrial refrigeration and heating for an array of industries including food, beverage, dairy, and oil and gas. The company was formerly known as mg technologies ag and changed its name to GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft in 2005. GEA Group Aktiengesellschaft was founded in 1881 and is headquartered in Düsseldorf, Germany.