Hallador Energy (NASDAQ:HNRG) versus Otter Tail (NASDAQ:OTTR) Financial Contrast

Otter Tail (NASDAQ:OTTR) and Hallador Energy (NASDAQ:HNRG) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, risk, institutional ownership, profitability, analyst recommendations, valuation and dividends.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Otter Tail and Hallador Energy”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Otter Tail	$1.33 billion	2.45	$294.19 million	$7.17	10.86
Hallador Energy	$404.39 million	1.56	$44.79 million	($5.73)	-2.56

Otter Tail has higher revenue and earnings than Hallador Energy. Hallador Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Otter Tail, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

61.3% of Otter Tail shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 61.4% of Hallador Energy shares are held by institutional investors. 1.9% of Otter Tail shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 32.3% of Hallador Energy shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Otter Tail and Hallador Energy, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Otter Tail	0	1	0	0	2.00
Hallador Energy	0	0	2	0	3.00

Hallador Energy has a consensus price target of $16.00, indicating a potential upside of 8.92%. Given Hallador Energy’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Hallador Energy is more favorable than Otter Tail.

Profitability

This table compares Otter Tail and Hallador Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Otter Tail	22.67%	18.96%	8.62%
Hallador Energy	-4.85%	-6.71%	-3.39%

Risk and Volatility

Otter Tail has a beta of 0.49, indicating that its stock price is 51% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Hallador Energy has a beta of 0.18, indicating that its stock price is 82% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends

Otter Tail pays an annual dividend of $2.10 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.7%. Hallador Energy pays an annual dividend of $0.16 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.1%. Otter Tail pays out 29.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Hallador Energy pays out -2.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Otter Tail has increased its dividend for 12 consecutive years. Otter Tail is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Summary

Otter Tail beats Hallador Energy on 11 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Otter Tail

Otter Tail Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in electric utility, manufacturing, and plastic pipe businesses in the United States. It operates through three segments: Electric, Manufacturing, and Plastics. The Electric segment produces, transmits, distributes, and sells electric energy in Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota; and operates as a participant in the Midcontinent Independent System Operator markets. This segment generates electricity through coal, fuel oil, solar, wind, and natural gas. It serves approximately residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The Manufacturing segment engages in the contract machining, metal parts stamping, fabrication and painting, production of plastic thermoformed horticultural containers, life science and industrial packaging, and material handling components and extruded raw material stock for the recreational vehicle, lawn and garden, agricultural, construction, and industrial and energy equipment end markets. The Plastics segment manufactures polyvinyl chloride pipes for municipal water, rural water, wastewater, storm drainage and water reclamation system, and other uses for customers in the horticulture, medical and life sciences, industrial, recreation, and electronics industries. This segment markets its products to wholesalers and distributors through independent sales representatives, company salespersons, and customer service representatives. The company was formerly known as Otter Tail Power Company and changed its name to Otter Tail Corporation in 2001. Otter Tail Corporation was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Fergus Falls, Minnesota.

About Hallador Energy

Hallador Energy Company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production of steam coal in the State of Indiana for the electric power generation industry. The company owns the Oaktown Mine 1 and Oaktown Mine 2 underground mines in Oaktown; Freelandville Center Pit surface mine in Freelandville; and Prosperity Surface mine in Petersburg, Indiana. It is also involved in gas exploration activities in Indiana; and operation of logistics transport facility. Hallador Energy Company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana.