Fuel Tech (NASDAQ:FTEK – Get Free Report) and Acco Brands (NYSE:ACCO – Get Free Report) are both small-cap industrials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, dividends, earnings and risk.
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares Fuel Tech and Acco Brands”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Fuel Tech | $26.68 million | 1.58 | -$2.32 million | ($0.13) | -10.38 |
| Acco Brands | $1.52 billion | 0.31 | $41.30 million | $0.70 | 7.24 |
Acco Brands has higher revenue and earnings than Fuel Tech. Fuel Tech is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Acco Brands, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Fuel Tech and Acco Brands, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Fuel Tech | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1.50 |
| Acco Brands | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3.00 |
Acco Brands has a consensus price target of $6.00, indicating a potential upside of 18.46%. Given Acco Brands’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Acco Brands is more favorable than Fuel Tech.
Profitability
This table compares Fuel Tech and Acco Brands’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Fuel Tech | -14.22% | -10.59% | -9.11% |
| Acco Brands | 4.23% | 13.48% | 4.03% |
Insider & Institutional Ownership
20.9% of Fuel Tech shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 84.6% of Acco Brands shares are owned by institutional investors. 9.8% of Fuel Tech shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 5.3% of Acco Brands shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Volatility & Risk
Fuel Tech has a beta of 1.24, meaning that its share price is 24% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Acco Brands has a beta of 1.2, meaning that its share price is 20% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
Acco Brands beats Fuel Tech on 12 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
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.
About Acco Brands
ACCO Brands Corporation designs, manufactures, and markets consumer, school, technology, and office products. It operates through three segments: ACCO Brands North America, ACCO Brands EMEA, and ACCO Brands International. The company provides computer and gaming accessories, planners, dry erase boards, school notebooks, and janitorial supplies; storage and organization products, such as lever-arch binders, sheet protectors, and indexes; sheet protectors and indexes; laminating, binding, and shredding machines; writing instruments and art products; stapling and punching products; and do-it-yourself tools. It offers its products under the AT-A-GLANCE, Barrilito, Derwent, Esselte, Five Star, Foroni, GBC, Hilroy, Kensington, Leitz, Marbig, Mead, NOBO, PowerA, Quartet, Rapid, Rexel, Swingline, Tilibra, Artline, and Spirax brand names. The company markets and sells its products through various channels, including mass retailers, e-tailers, discount, drug/grocery, and variety chains; warehouse clubs; hardware and specialty stores; independent office product dealers; office superstores; wholesalers; contract stationers; and technology specialty businesses, as well as sells products directly to commercial and consumer end-users through its e-commerce platform and direct sales organization. The company was founded in 1893 and is headquartered in Lake Zurich, Illinois.
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