Comparing Matrix Service (NASDAQ:MTRX) and WillScot (NASDAQ:WSC)

Matrix Service (NASDAQ:MTRX) and WillScot (NASDAQ:WSC) are both industrials companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, institutional ownership, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations and risk.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Matrix Service and WillScot”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Matrix Service	$873.63 million	0.32	-$2.58 million	($0.09)	-111.44
WillScot	$2.28 billion	1.44	-$52.99 million	($0.38)	-47.63

Matrix Service has higher earnings, but lower revenue than WillScot. Matrix Service is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than WillScot, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Matrix Service and WillScot, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Matrix Service	1	0	1	1	2.67
WillScot	1	7	3	0	2.18

Matrix Service presently has a consensus target price of $16.50, indicating a potential upside of 64.51%. WillScot has a consensus target price of $26.50, indicating a potential upside of 46.41%. Given Matrix Service’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Matrix Service is more favorable than WillScot.

Profitability

This table compares Matrix Service and WillScot’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Matrix Service	-0.30%	5.32%	1.20%
WillScot	-3.00%	21.62%	3.39%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

78.4% of Matrix Service shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 95.8% of WillScot shares are held by institutional investors. 4.4% of Matrix Service shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.4% of WillScot shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility and Risk

Matrix Service has a beta of 0.98, indicating that its share price is 2% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, WillScot has a beta of 1.31, indicating that its share price is 31% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

WillScot beats Matrix Service on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Matrix Service

Matrix Service Company provides engineering, fabrication, construction, and maintenance services to support critical energy infrastructure and industrial markets in the United States, Canada, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Utility and Power Infrastructure; Process and Industrial Facilities; and Storage and Terminal Solutions. The Utility and Power Infrastructure segment offers power delivery services, including construction of new substations, upgrades of existing substations, transmission and distribution line installations, and upgrades and maintenance, and emergency and storm restoration services. This segment also provides engineering, fabrication, and construction services for LNG utility peak shaving facilities; and construction and maintenance services to power generation facilities, including natural gas fired facilities. The Process and Industrial Facilities segment engages in the refining and processing of crude oil; fractionating and marketing of natural, gas and natural gas liquids; and offers plant maintenance, turnarounds, engineering, industrial cleaning services, and capital construction services. The Storage and Terminal Solutions segment undertakes work related to aboveground crude oil and refined product storage tanks and terminals; engineering, procurement, fabrication, and construction services related to cryogenic and other specialty tanks and terminals for LNG, NGLs, hydrogen, ammonia, propane, butane, liquid nitrogen/liquid oxygen, and liquid petroleum; and provides plant work, truck and rail loading/offloading facilities, and marine structures, as well as storage tank and terminal maintenance and repair. This segment also manufactures and sells precision engineered specialty tank products, including geodesic domes, aluminum internal floating roofs, floating suction and skimmer systems, roof drain systems, and floating roof seals. Matrix Service Company was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

About WillScot

WillScot Holdings Corporation provides workspace and portable storage solutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It operates in two segments, Modular Solutions and Storage Solutions. Its modular solutions include panelized and stackable offices, single-wide modular space units, section modulars and redi-plex, classrooms, ground level offices, blast-resistant modules, clearspan structures, and other modular space; and portable storage solutions, such as portable and cold storage containers, as well as trailers. The company leases modular space and portable storage units to customers in the construction, commercial and industrial, retail and wholesale trade, energy and natural resources, education, government and institutions, and healthcare markets. The company offers its solutions primarily under the WillScot and Mobile Mini brand names. The company was formerly known as WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. and changed its name to WillScot Holdings Corporation in July 2024. WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.