Head-To-Head Comparison: Rakuten (OTCMKTS:RKUNY) versus Taoping (NASDAQ:TAOP)

Taoping (NASDAQ:TAOP) and Rakuten (OTCMKTS:RKUNY) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability and dividends.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Taoping and Rakuten, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Taoping	1	0	0	0	1.00
Rakuten	0	1	0	1	3.00

Risk and Volatility

Taoping has a beta of 0.26, indicating that its stock price is 74% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Rakuten has a beta of 1.12, indicating that its stock price is 12% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

4.0% of Taoping shares are owned by institutional investors. 45.4% of Taoping shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Taoping and Rakuten’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Taoping	N/A	N/A	N/A
Rakuten	-4.83%	-10.02%	-0.44%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Taoping and Rakuten”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Taoping	$30.82 million	0.42	-$10.06 million	N/A	N/A
Rakuten	$16.70 billion	0.59	-$1.19 billion	($0.37)	-12.14

Taoping has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Rakuten.

Summary

Taoping beats Rakuten on 6 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Taoping

Taoping Inc. provides cloud-based platform, resource sharing, and big data solutions to the Chinese new media, education residential community management, and elevator Internet of Things (IoT) industries in the People's Republic of China. It operates through Cloud-Based Technology and Traditional Information Technology segments. The company offers cloud-based software as a service to automate the interactive workflows between advertising agencies and their customers, including establishing new advertising projects, submitting advertisement proposals, revising and approving advertising proposals, processing payment online, remotely uploading advertisement content, and tracking and analyzing performance data. It also provides project-based technology products and services for the public sector; and software and hardware with integrated solutions, such as information technology infrastructure, internet-enabled display technologies, and IoT platforms to customers in government, education, residential community management, media, transportation, and other private sectors, as well as related maintenance and support services. In addition, the company offers cloud-application-terminal, IoT technology based digital advertising distribution network, and media resource sharing platform in the out-of-home advertising markets. Further, it operates Taoping Net, an advertising-resources trading service platform, which connect screen owners, advertisers, and consumers; and Taoping App that enable customers to distribute and manage ads from mobile terminals. The company was formerly known as China Information Technology, Inc. and changed its name to Taoping Inc. in June 2018. Taoping Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People's Republic of China.

About Rakuten

Rakuten Group, Inc. provides services in e-commerce, fintech, digital content, and communications to various users in Japan and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Internet Services, FinTech, and Mobile. The Internet Services segment provides range of e-commerce sites, such as Rakuten Ichiba, an Internet shopping mall, online cash-back sites, travel booking sites, portal sites, and digital content sites. It also offers messaging services and sells advertising; and manages professional sport teams. The FinTech segment offers financial services over the internet related to banking and securities, credit cards, life insurance, general insurance, electronic payment business, crypto asset (virtual currency) spot transaction, etc. The Mobile segment provides communication services and technology, electricity supply, and digital content site services. The company was formerly known as Rakuten, Inc. and changed its name to Rakuten Group, Inc. in April 2021. Rakuten Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1997 and is headquartered in Setagaya, Japan.