Analyzing Crane (NYSE:CR) & Laser Photonics (NASDAQ:LASE)

Crane (NYSE:CR) and Laser Photonics (NASDAQ:LASE) are both industrials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, dividends, profitability, risk, valuation and analyst recommendations.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

75.1% of Crane shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 1.9% of Laser Photonics shares are held by institutional investors. 2.4% of Crane shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 2.5% of Laser Photonics shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Crane and Laser Photonics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Crane	$2.13 billion	4.65	$401.10 million	$5.06	34.26
Laser Photonics	$3.08 million	20.63	-$6.09 million	($0.44)	-10.43

Crane has higher revenue and earnings than Laser Photonics. Laser Photonics is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Crane, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk and Volatility

Crane has a beta of 1.22, indicating that its share price is 22% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Laser Photonics has a beta of 3.48, indicating that its share price is 248% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Crane and Laser Photonics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Crane	13.10%	24.45%	10.14%
Laser Photonics	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Crane and Laser Photonics, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Crane	0	2	4	0	2.67
Laser Photonics	0	0	0	0	0.00

Crane presently has a consensus price target of $174.80, suggesting a potential upside of 0.84%. Given Crane’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Crane is more favorable than Laser Photonics.

Summary

Crane beats Laser Photonics on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Crane

Crane Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells engineered industrial products in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, and internationally. The company operates in three segments: Aerospace & Electronics, Process Flow Technologies, and Engineered Materials. The Aerospace & Electronics segment supplies critical components and systems, including original equipment and aftermarket parts for commercial aerospace, as well as the military aerospace, defense, and space markets. This segment also offers pressure sensors for aircraft engine control, aircraft braking systems for commercial aircraft and fighter jets, power conversion solutions for spacecraft, and lubrication systems. The Process Flow Technologies segment provides engineered fluid handling equipment for mission-critical applications. It offers process valves and related products, such as lined pipe, fittings and hoses, air-operated diaphragm and peristaltic pumps, instrumentation and sampling systems, valve positioning and control systems, and valve diagnostic and calibration systems; commercial valves; and pumps and systems. The Engineered Materials segment manufactures fiberglass-reinforced plastic panels and coils for use in the manufacturing of recreational vehicles, as well as in commercial and industrial building applications. This segment sells directly to RV, trailer, and truck manufacturers, as well as through distributors and retailers. The company provides its products and solutions to end markets, including commercial and military aerospace, defense, and space; chemical and pharmaceutical production; water and wastewater; non-residential and municipal construction; energy; and other general industrial and consumer-related applications. The company was formerly known as Crane Holdings, Co. Crane Company was founded in 1855 and is based in Stamford, Connecticut.

About Laser Photonics

Laser Photonics Corporation provides integrated laser blasting solutions for corrosion control, rust removal, de-coating, pre- and post-welding, laser cleaning, and surface conditioning in the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. It offers laser cleaning systems, such as CleanTech Titan FX for cleaning, rust removal, and surface conditioning; CleanTech Titan Express, a high-power fiber laser for cleaning and surface conditioning; CleanTech MegaCenter, an industrial-grade laser parts cleaning, rust removal, and surface conditioning system; CleanTech Handheld LPC-50-CTHD, an entry-level dual axis laser cleaning and surface treatment system; CleanTech Handheld LPC-100-CTHD, an air-cooled pulsed laser systems; CleanTech Handheld LPC-200-CTHD for cleaning rust, remove paints, and other coatings; CleanTech Handheld LPC-300-CTHD, a air-cooled laser system; CleanTech Handheld LPC-1000-CTHS, a single axis laser cleaning and surface treatment system; CleanTech Handheld LPC-1000-CTHD, a portable handheld roughing laser cleaner; CleanTech Handheld-1500-CTHS, an handheld laser cleaning, roughing, and surface preparation system; CleanTech Handheld-1500-CTHD, a dual axis fiber laser system; CleanTech Handheld LPC-2000-CTHD for cleaning rust and remove coatings; CleanTech LPC-3000-CTHD for cleaning and removing rust, corrosion, and other materials; CleanTech Laser Blaster Cabinet, a laser cleaning machine; CleanTech Robotic Cell Enclosure, an AI-capable laser cleaning system that eliminates the concerns over human hazard and eye safety; CleanTech EZ- Rider, a laser cleaning tool; and CleanTech Robot, an industrial robotic laser cleaning system. The company also provides laser cutting machines; laser engraving machines; laser marking machines; laser welding machines; 3D metal printers; laser glass scribing systems; ITO removal systems; glass cutting lasers; glass wafer dicing products; laser glass marking; microscope slide and covers laser cutting systems; precision glass scribers; semiconductor laser systems; OEM laser marking and engraving parts; fiber lasers; scanning and cutting heads; mobile handheld laser HD cart; mobile rugged cases; enclosures; fume extractors; rotary indexers; water chiller machines; X-Y tables; USB controllers; and custom lasers. Laser Photonics Corporation was incorporated in 2019 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.