Hub Group (NASDAQ:HUBG) and PTL (NASDAQ:PTLE) Critical Review

PTL (NASDAQ:PTLE) and Hub Group (NASDAQ:HUBG) are both transportation companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, risk, profitability, valuation and dividends.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

46.8% of Hub Group shares are held by institutional investors. 3.5% of Hub Group shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares PTL and Hub Group”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
PTL	$98.13 million	0.06	-$4.98 million	N/A	N/A
Hub Group	$3.95 billion	0.64	$103.99 million	$1.73	24.05

Hub Group has higher revenue and earnings than PTL.

Volatility and Risk

PTL has a beta of -0.81, suggesting that its share price is 181% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Hub Group has a beta of 1.16, suggesting that its share price is 16% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares PTL and Hub Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
PTL	N/A	N/A	N/A
Hub Group	2.82%	6.58%	3.97%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for PTL and Hub Group, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
PTL	1	0	0	0	1.00
Hub Group	0	9	6	2	2.59

Hub Group has a consensus target price of $40.79, suggesting a potential downside of 1.99%. Given Hub Group’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Hub Group is more favorable than PTL.

Summary

Hub Group beats PTL on 13 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About PTL

PTL Limited is an established bunkering facilitator providing marine fuel logistics services for vessel refueling, primarily container ships, bulk carriers, general cargo vessels and chemical tankers principally serving the Asia Pacific market. PTL Limited is based in Hong Kong.

About Hub Group

Hub Group, Inc., a supply chain solutions provider, offers transportation and logistics management services in North America. The company's transportation services include intermodal, truckload, less-than-truckload, flatbed, temperature-controlled, and dedicated and regional trucking, as well as final mile, railcar, small parcel, and international transportation. Its logistics services comprise full outsource logistics solution, transportation management, freight consolidation, warehousing and fulfillment, final mile delivery, and parcel and international services. The company also provides dry van, expedited, less-than-truckload, refrigerated, and flatbed truck brokerage services. It offers a fleet of approximately 2,300 tractors, 460 independent owner-operators, and 4,300 trailers to its customers, as well as the management and infrastructure. The company serves a range of industries, including retail, consumer products, and durable goods. As of December 31, 2023, it owned approximately 50,000 dry, 53-foot containers, as well as 900 refrigerated and 53-foot containers. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Oak Brook, Illinois.