Reviewing Vistance Networks (NASDAQ:VISN) and NETGEAR (NASDAQ:NTGR)

NETGEAR (NASDAQ:NTGR) and Vistance Networks (NASDAQ:VISN) are both small-cap technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for NETGEAR and Vistance Networks, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
NETGEAR	1	1	2	0	2.25
Vistance Networks	0	4	0	0	2.00

NETGEAR currently has a consensus price target of $36.50, suggesting a potential upside of 71.28%. Vistance Networks has a consensus price target of $19.33, suggesting a potential upside of 202.08%. Given Vistance Networks’ higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Vistance Networks is more favorable than NETGEAR.

Volatility and Risk

NETGEAR has a beta of 1.17, suggesting that its stock price is 17% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Vistance Networks has a beta of 2.39, suggesting that its stock price is 139% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

83.0% of NETGEAR shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 88.0% of Vistance Networks shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.1% of NETGEAR shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 3.5% of Vistance Networks shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares NETGEAR and Vistance Networks’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
NETGEAR	-3.71%	-2.79%	-1.67%
Vistance Networks	247.69%	32.28%	4.61%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares NETGEAR and Vistance Networks”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
NETGEAR	$699.62 million	0.83	-$17.92 million	($0.93)	-22.91
Vistance Networks	$1.93 billion	0.76	$2.28 billion	$30.80	0.21

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

Summary

Vistance Networks beats NETGEAR on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About NETGEAR

NETGEAR, Inc. provides connectivity solutions the Americas; Europe, the Middle East, Africa; and the Asia Pacific. The company operates in two segments, Connected Home, and NETGEAR for Business. The Connected Home segment offers Wi-Fi routers and home Wi-Fi mesh systems, Wi-Fi hotspots, digital displays, broadband modems, Wi-Fi gateways, Wi-Fi range extenders, powerline adapters, and Wi-Fi network adapters; and provides value-added service offerings, including security and privacy, technical support, and parental controls. The NETGEAR for Business segment provides pro AV Solutions; pro routers; enterprise grade cloud managed or standalone access points; general purpose ethernet switches; NETGEAR Insight remote management software; and NETGEAR engage controller. It markets and sells its products through wholesale distributors, traditional and online retailers, direct market resellers, value-added resellers, and broadband service providers, as well as through its direct online store. The company was incorporated in 1996 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

About Vistance Networks

CommScope Holding Company, Inc. provides infrastructure solutions for communications and entertainment networks. It operates through four segments: Broadband Networks (Broadband), Outdoor Wireless Networks (OWN), Venue and Campus Networks (VCN), and Home Networks (Home). The Broadband segment provides converged cable access platforms, passive optical networking products, video systems, access technologies, fiber and coaxial cables, fiber and copper connectivity products, and hardened closures to the telco and cable provider broadband market. The OWN segment provides base station antennas, radio frequency filters, tower connectivity, microwave antennas, metro cell products, cabinets, steel towers, accessories, Spectrum Access System, and Comsearch products to the macro and metro cell markets. The VCN segment offers Wi-Fi and switching, distributed antenna systems, licensed and unlicensed small cells, enterprise fiber, and copper infrastructures for campuses, venues, data centers, and buildings. The Home segment provides devices and related software, and management solutions that offer residential connectivity and services to subscribers, such as digital subscriber lines, cable modems, and telephony and data gateways; and set top boxes and software that support cable, satellite, and Internet protocol television content delivery, which include digital video recorders, high definition set top boxes, and hybrid set top devices. It offers its products and services through specialized resellers and distributors, satellite video distributors, and system integrators, as well as directly to customers in the United States, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, the Caribbean, Latin America, and Canada. The company was formerly known as Cedar I Holding Company, Inc. and changed its name to CommScope Holding Company, Inc. in January 2011. CommScope Holding Company, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Hickory, North Carolina.