Asahi Kasei (OTCMKTS:AHKSY) and Intrepid Potash (NYSE:IPI) Financial Contrast

Asahi Kasei (OTCMKTS:AHKSY) and Intrepid Potash (NYSE:IPI) are both materials companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, risk, dividends, profitability and analyst recommendations.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Asahi Kasei and Intrepid Potash”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Asahi Kasei	$20.42 billion	0.70	$1.05 billion	$1.84	11.08
Intrepid Potash	$301.63 million	1.48	$11.19 million	$1.98	16.70

Asahi Kasei has higher revenue and earnings than Intrepid Potash. Asahi Kasei is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Intrepid Potash, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Asahi Kasei and Intrepid Potash, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Asahi Kasei	0	2	0	0	2.00
Intrepid Potash	1	2	0	1	2.25

Intrepid Potash has a consensus price target of $29.00, suggesting a potential downside of 12.30%. Given Intrepid Potash’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Intrepid Potash is more favorable than Asahi Kasei.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

56.1% of Intrepid Potash shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.3% of Intrepid Potash shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Risk & Volatility

Asahi Kasei has a beta of 0.57, meaning that its stock price is 43% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Intrepid Potash has a beta of 1.31, meaning that its stock price is 31% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Asahi Kasei and Intrepid Potash’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Asahi Kasei	6.10%	8.58%	4.31%
Intrepid Potash	8.94%	4.74%	3.73%

Summary

Intrepid Potash beats Asahi Kasei on 10 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Asahi Kasei

Asahi Kasei Corporation manufactures and sells chemicals. It offers caustic soda, chemical fertilizers, nitric acid, ammonia, acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate, styrene, adipic acid, hexamethylene diamine, AH salt, propionitrile, sodium cyanide, acetonitrile, methacrylonitrile, cyclohexyl methacrylate, polyethylenes, polyethylenes powder, PMMA resin, polystyrene, polybutadiene rubbers, styrene/butadiene rubbers, clear styrenic copolymer, styrenic thermoplastic elastomer, hydrogenated styrenic elastomers, membranes and systems, functional materials, foams, purging compound, polyisocyanates, polycarbonatediol, aluminum paste, latex, photopolymers and platemaking systems, films, cyclohexanol, cyclohexane, and cyclohexene. The company also offers lithium-ion battery and lead-acid battery separators, plastic optical fibers, artificial suede, nylon 66 filament, polyamide 66, polyacetal, polyphenyene ether, polypropylene compounds, 3D cubic knitted fabric, noise suppression sheets, audio devices, photosensitive polyimide/PBO precursor, latent hardeners, glass fabrics, specialty products, explosion-bonded metal clads, lining fabrics, cupro and stretch fibers, oil-water separators, cellulose nanobeads, and flame-resistant and synthetic fiber; magnetic, current, and gas sensors; deodorizing, spunbond, cupro, multifunctional, and heat-press formable thermoplastic nonwoven; and ecorise, biocradle, and bemliese products. It provides bags and containers; cooking products; cleaners; plastic packet cutting products; cyclohexyl methacrylate, bonded anchors, and microcrystalline cellulose; pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents, dialyzers, therapeutic apheresis, virus removal filters, defibrillators, AEDs, automated CPRs, fluid resuscitation pumps, wearable defibrillators, temperature management systems, and data solutions; construction materials; and remodeling services, as well as develops homes and apartments. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

About Intrepid Potash

Intrepid Potash, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the extraction and production of the potash in the United States and internationally. It operates through three segments: Potash, Trio, and Oilfield Solutions. The company offers muriate of potash for various markets, such as agricultural market as a fertilizer input; the industrial market as a component in drilling and fracturing fluids for oil and gas wells, as well as an input to other industrial processes; and the animal feed market as a nutrient supplement. It also provides Trio, a specialty fertilizer that delivers potassium, sulfate, and magnesium in a single particle; water for oil and gas services industry; salt for various markets, including animal feed, industrial applications, pool salt, and the treatment of roads and walkways for ice melting or to manage road conditions; magnesium chloride for use as a road treatment agent for deicing and dedusting; brines for use in oil and gas industry to support well workover and completion activities; and metal recovery salts. Intrepid Potash, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in Denver, Colorado.