Contrasting Astrotech (NASDAQ:ASTC) and Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB)

Astrotech (NASDAQ:ASTC) and Bel Fuse (NASDAQ:BELFB) are both technology companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, profitability, earnings, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation and institutional ownership.

Volatility and Risk

Astrotech has a beta of 4.88, meaning that its share price is 388% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Bel Fuse has a beta of 1.71, meaning that its share price is 71% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Astrotech and Bel Fuse’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Astrotech	-1,397.82%	-81.85%	-65.46%
Bel Fuse	7.21%	9.75%	5.23%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Astrotech and Bel Fuse”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Astrotech	$1.01 million	12.96	-$13.85 million	($8.41)	-0.74
Bel Fuse	$675.46 million	5.09	$61.54 million	$4.14	57.55

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

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Astrotech and Bel Fuse, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Astrotech	1	0	0	0	1.00
Bel Fuse	0	2	7	0	2.78

Bel Fuse has a consensus price target of $324.00, indicating a potential upside of 35.98%. Given Bel Fuse’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Bel Fuse is more favorable than Astrotech.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

24.4% of Astrotech shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 58.4% of Bel Fuse shares are owned by institutional investors. 16.8% of Astrotech shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.4% of Bel Fuse shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Bel Fuse beats Astrotech on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Astrotech

Astrotech Corporation operates as a mass spectrometry company worldwide. It owns and licenses the intellectual property related to the Astrotech Mass Spectrometer Technology, a platform mass spectrometry technology. The company also develops TRACER 1000, a mass spectrometer-based explosive trace detector to replace the explosives trace detectors used at airports, cargo and other secured facilities, and borders. In addition, it develops AgLAB-1000, a mass spectrometer for use in the hemp and cannabis market. Further, the company develops BreathTest-1000, a breath analysis tool to screen for volatile organic compound metabolites found in a person's breath. The company was formerly known as SPACEHAB, Inc. and changed its name to Astrotech Corporation in 2009. The company was incorporated in 1984 and is based in Austin, Texas.

About Bel Fuse

Bel Fuse Inc. designs, manufactures, markets, and sells products that power, protect, and connect electronic circuits. The company’s products are used in the networking, telecommunications, computing, general industrial, high-speed data transmission, military, commercial aerospace, transportation, and e-Mobility industries. It provides power solutions and protection products, including front-end power supplies, board-mount power products, industrial and transportation power products, external power products, and circuit protection products. The company also offers connectivity solutions, such as expanded beam fiber optic connectors, cable assemblies, and active optical devices; copper-based connectors/cable assemblies; radio frequency connectors, cable assemblies, microwave devices, and low loss cables; and ethernet, I/O, and industrial and power connectivity products. In addition, it provides magnetic solutions comprising integrated connector modules, power transformers, SMD power inductors and SMPS transformers, and ethernet discrete components. The company sells its products through direct strategic account managers, regional sales managers working with independent sales representative organizations, and authorized distributors in the United States, the People’s Republic of China, Macao, the United Kingdom, Slovakia, Germany, India, Switzerland, and internationally. Bel Fuse Inc. was incorporated in 1949 and is headquartered in West Orange, New Jersey.