Critical Comparison: Bentley Systems (NASDAQ:BSY) versus Validian (OTCMKTS:VLDI)

Validian (OTCMKTS:VLDI) and Bentley Systems (NASDAQ:BSY) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and risk.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Validian and Bentley Systems”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Validian	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Bentley Systems	$1.50 billion	7.41	$277.86 million	$0.86	44.41

Bentley Systems has higher revenue and earnings than Validian.

Profitability

This table compares Validian and Bentley Systems’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Validian	N/A	N/A	N/A
Bentley Systems	18.50%	28.82%	9.67%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for Validian and Bentley Systems, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Validian	0	0	0	0	0.00
Bentley Systems	1	5	7	0	2.46

Bentley Systems has a consensus price target of $48.50, suggesting a potential upside of 27.00%. Given Bentley Systems’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Bentley Systems is more favorable than Validian.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

44.2% of Bentley Systems shares are held by institutional investors. 28.3% of Validian shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 20.6% of Bentley Systems shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Bentley Systems beats Validian on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Validian

Validian Corporation, a development stage company, provides software products to assist public and private enterprises in Canada and internationally. The company primarily offers ValidianProtect, a software only cyber security technology comprising an application and data protection platform and a data protection module, which protect the life cycle of data by providing secure access, retrieval, transfer, receipt, storage, and usage of digital information on mobile, cloud, Web, local and network applications, devices, servers, databases, and memory at rest, as well as in transit and in usage using wired, and wireless and mobile networks. Its ValidianProtect also provides secure mobile messaging and communications, cloud computing, cloud storage, distributed computing and Web application and Web portal access and usage, software defined networking, and the Internet of Things and SCADA for computers, servers, databases, intelligent sensors, and tablets and smartphones. In addition, the company offers solutions customized to the client's business process to ensure authenticity, integrity, and custody of digital assets. It offers its products through direct sales, as well as through channel partners, such as independent software vendors, application service providers, value-added resellers, independent marketing representatives, system integrators, and original equipment manufacturers. The company was formerly known as Sochrys.com Inc. and changed its name to Validian Corporation in January 2003. Validian Corporation was incorporated in 1989 and is based in Ottawa, Canada.

About Bentley Systems

Bentley Systems, Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides infrastructure engineering software solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia-Pacific. The company offers open modeling engineering applications, such as MicroStation, OpenBridge, OpenBuildings, OpenCities, OpenComms, OpenFlows, OpenPlant, OpenRail, OpenRoads, OpenSite, OpenTower, OpenTunnel, OpenUtilities, and OpenWindowPower; and open simulation engineering applications, including ADINA, AutoPIPE, CUBE, DYNAMEQ, EMME, LEGION, Power Line Systems, RAM, SACS, SPIDA, and STAAD; and geoprofessional applications for modeling and simulation of near and deep subsurface conditions, including AGS, Central, GeoStudio, Imago, Leapfrog, MX Deposit, Oasis montaj, OpenGround, and PLAXIS. It also provides infrastructure cloud applications, such as ProjectWise, SYNCHRO, and AssetWise, as well as iTwin platform that enables users to create and curate cloud native 4D/5D digital representations of physical infrastructure assets consisting of iTwin Capture, iTwin Experience, and iTwin IoT platforms. The company serves civil, structural, geotechnical, subsurface, process engineers, architects, geospatial professionals, city and regional planners, contractors, fabricators, and operations and maintenance engineers. Bentley Systems, Incorporated was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Exton, Pennsylvania.