Financial Contrast: Symbotic (NASDAQ:SYM) vs. Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX)

Greenbrier Companies (NYSE:GBX) and Symbotic (NASDAQ:SYM) are both industrials 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

Greenbrier Companies has a beta of 1.42, meaning that its share price is 42% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Symbotic has a beta of 1.94, meaning that its share price is 94% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Greenbrier Companies and Symbotic’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Greenbrier Companies	4.07%	6.49%	2.55%
Symbotic	0.48%	1.40%	0.41%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Greenbrier Companies and Symbotic”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Greenbrier Companies	$2.63 billion	0.50	$204.10 million	$3.37	12.70
Symbotic	$2.25 billion	11.65	-$16.94 million	$0.09	481.11

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

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Greenbrier Companies and Symbotic, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Greenbrier Companies	1	3	0	0	1.75
Symbotic	4	4	7	0	2.20

Greenbrier Companies currently has a consensus price target of $45.00, indicating a potential upside of 5.15%. Symbotic has a consensus price target of $65.42, indicating a potential upside of 51.08%. Given Symbotic’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Symbotic is more favorable than Greenbrier Companies.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

95.6% of Greenbrier Companies shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.7% of Greenbrier Companies shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 8.2% of Symbotic 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.

About Greenbrier Companies

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets railroad freight car equipment in North America, Europe, and South America. It operates through three segments: Manufacturing; Maintenance Services; and Leasing & Management Services. The Manufacturing segment offers covered hopper cars, gondolas, open top hoppers, boxcars, center partition cars, tank cars, sustainable conversions, double-stack railcars, auto-max ii, multi-max, and multi-max plus products, intermodal cars, automobile transport, coil steel and metals, flat cars, sliding wall cars, pressurized tank cars, and non-pressurized tank cars. The Maintenance Services segment provides wheel services, including reconditioning of wheels and axles, new axle machining and finishing, and downsizing; operates a railcar repair, refurbishment, and maintenance network; and reconditions and manufactures railcar cushioning units, couplers, yokes, side frames, bolsters, and various other parts. The Leasing & Management Services segment offers operating leases and per diem leases for a fleet of approximately 13,400 railcars; and management services comprising railcar maintenance management, railcar accounting services, fleet management and logistics, administration, and railcar re-marketing. This segment provides management services for railroads, shippers, carriers, institutional investors, and other leasing and transportation companies. It serves railroads, leasing companies, financial institutions, shippers, carriers, and transportation companies. The company was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Lake Oswego, Oregon.

About Symbotic

Symbotic Inc., an automation technology company, engages in developing technologies to improve operating efficiencies in modern warehouses. The company automates the processing of pallets and cases in large warehouses or distribution centers for retail companies. Its systems enhance operations at the front end of the supply chain. The company was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Massachusetts.