Head-To-Head Survey: NOV (NYSE:NOV) & MIND Technology (NASDAQ:MIND)

MIND Technology (NASDAQ:MIND) and NOV (NYSE:NOV) are both energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, risk, earnings and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares MIND Technology and NOV’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
MIND Technology	-6.77%	-5.77%	-4.85%
NOV	1.65%	4.23%	2.37%

Volatility & Risk

MIND Technology has a beta of 0.4, meaning that its stock price is 60% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, NOV has a beta of 0.96, meaning that its stock price is 4% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

9.8% of MIND Technology shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 93.3% of NOV shares are held by institutional investors. 3.3% of MIND Technology shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.1% of NOV shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares MIND Technology and NOV”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
MIND Technology	$40.95 million	0.70	$750,000.00	($0.26)	-12.21
NOV	$8.74 billion	0.73	$145.00 million	$0.40	44.91

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

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for MIND Technology and NOV, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
MIND Technology	1	0	0	0	1.00
NOV	2	9	4	0	2.13

NOV has a consensus target price of $21.58, suggesting a potential upside of 20.15%. Given NOV’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe NOV is more favorable than MIND Technology.

Summary

NOV beats MIND Technology on 13 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About MIND Technology

MIND Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MIND) is a marine technology company that develops, manufactures and sells specialized equipment used in oceanographic, hydrographic, marine seismic and defense applications. Its products support the collection, processing and interpretation of underwater data for activities such as seabed mapping, offshore energy exploration and maritime surveillance. The company operates through its Klein Marine Systems and Seamap businesses. Klein Marine Systems produces side-scan sonar and related marine sensing systems used to detect and identify objects and features on or beneath the seafloor.

About NOV

NOV Inc. designs, manufactures and supports equipment and technology used across the oil and gas industry. Its offerings include drilling systems and components, downhole tools, tubular-handling equipment, and products and services for well completion and production. The company also provides equipment and integrated systems for land and offshore drilling rigs, along with aftermarket parts, maintenance and other field services. NOV serves customers worldwide, including drilling contractors, oilfield service companies and energy producers.