Head to Head Survey: Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) and STEP Energy Services (OTCMKTS:SNVVF)

STEP Energy Services (OTCMKTS:SNVVF) and Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) are both energy companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations, earnings and valuation.

Profitability

This table compares STEP Energy Services and Core Laboratories’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
STEP Energy Services	N/A	N/A	N/A
Core Laboratories	5.10%	10.03%	4.71%

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares STEP Energy Services and Core Laboratories”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
STEP Energy Services	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Core Laboratories	$526.52 million	1.05	$29.67 million	$0.56	21.52

Core Laboratories has higher revenue and earnings than STEP Energy Services.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings for STEP Energy Services and Core Laboratories, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
STEP Energy Services	0	1	0	0	2.00
Core Laboratories	0	1	1	0	2.50

Core Laboratories has a consensus target price of $21.00, indicating a potential upside of 74.29%. Given Core Laboratories’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Core Laboratories is more favorable than STEP Energy Services.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

97.8% of Core Laboratories shares are held by institutional investors. 1.3% of Core Laboratories shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Core Laboratories beats STEP Energy Services on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About STEP Energy Services

STEP Energy Services Ltd., an energy services company, provides integrated coiled tubing, fluid and nitrogen pumping, and hydraulic fracturing to service oil and natural gas industry in Canada and the United States. It also provides fluid pumping services for coiled tubing operations and involved in standalone projects; pipeline commissioning and maintenance services; fracturing logistics services; and laboratory services. In addition, the company offers pipeline, facility maintenance, pipeline pigging, and purging services. STEP Energy Services Ltd. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

About Core Laboratories

Core Laboratories Inc. provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock and reservoir fluid samples to enhance production and improve recovery of crude oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs. It offers laboratory-based analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and oil delivered products; and proprietary and joint industry studies, as well as services that support carbon capture, utilization and storage, geothermal projects, and the evaluation and appraisal of mining activities. The Production Enhancement segment provides services and products relating to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, production, and well abandonment. It offers integrated diagnostic services to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to improve the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The company markets and sells its products through a combination of sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through distributors. Core Laboratories Inc. was founded in 1936 and is based in Houston, Texas.