Brink’s (NYSE:BCO – Get Free Report) and Fuel Tech (NASDAQ:FTEK – Get Free Report) are both industrials companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, earnings, risk, valuation, profitability, institutional ownership and dividends.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Brink’s and Fuel Tech”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Brink’s | $5.26 billion | 0.84 | $199.70 million | $4.32 | 24.83 |
| Fuel Tech | $26.68 million | 1.61 | -$2.32 million | ($0.11) | -12.55 |
Brink’s has higher revenue and earnings than Fuel Tech. Fuel Tech is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Brink’s, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of recent recommendations and price targets for Brink’s and Fuel Tech, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Brink’s | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2.67 |
| Fuel Tech | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
Brink’s currently has a consensus price target of $154.00, indicating a potential upside of 43.57%. Given Brink’s’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Brink’s is more favorable than Fuel Tech.
Profitability
This table compares Brink’s and Fuel Tech’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Brink’s | 3.30% | 87.18% | 4.95% |
| Fuel Tech | -12.75% | -8.88% | -7.62% |
Institutional & Insider Ownership
95.0% of Brink’s shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 20.9% of Fuel Tech shares are held by institutional investors. 1.0% of Brink’s shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 9.8% of Fuel Tech shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Volatility and Risk
Brink’s has a beta of 0.97, suggesting that its stock price is 3% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Fuel Tech has a beta of 1.28, suggesting that its stock price is 28% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Brink’s beats Fuel Tech on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Brink’s
The Brink’s Co. engages in providing cash management services, digital retail solutions, and ATM managed services. It operates through the following geographical segments: North America, Latin America, Europe, and Rest of World. The North America segment operates in the U.S. and Canada. The Latin America segment refers to the operations in Latin American countries. The Europe segment relates to operations in European countries. The Rest of World segment focuses on the operations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The company was founded by Perry Brink and Fidelia Brink on May 5, 1859 and is headquartered in Richmond, VA.
About Fuel Tech
Fuel Tech, Inc. provides boiler optimization, efficiency improvement, and air pollution reduction and control solutions to utility and industrial customers worldwide. The company operates through Air Pollution Control Technology and FUEL CHEM Technology segments. The Air Pollution Control Technology segment offers technologies to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions in flue gas from boilers, incinerators, furnaces, and other stationary combustion sources; NOxOUT and HERT selective non-catalytic reduction systems; selective catalytic reduction systems comprising ammonia injection grid, and graduated straightening grid systems; I-NOx systems; ESP Processes and Services; ULTRA technology; and flue gas conditioning systems. The FUEL CHEM Technology segment provides programs to improve the efficiency, reliability, fuel flexibility, boiler heat rate, and environmental status of combustion units by controlling slagging, fouling, corrosion, opacity, and acid plume, as well as the formation of sulfur trioxide, ammonium bisulfate, particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and carbon dioxide through the addition of chemicals into the furnace using TIFI targeted in-furnace injection technology. This segment offers its FUEL CHEM program for plants operating in the electric utility, industrial, pulp and paper, waste-to-energy, and university and district heating markets; and the owners of boilers, furnaces, and other combustion units. Fuel Tech, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is headquartered in Warrenville, Illinois.
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