Head to Head Comparison: Vitesse Energy (NYSE:VTS) and Blue Dolphin Energy (OTCMKTS:BDCO)

Blue Dolphin Energy (OTCMKTS:BDCO) and Vitesse Energy (NYSE:VTS) are both small-cap energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, profitability, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation and dividends.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

51.6% of Vitesse Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. 88.3% of Blue Dolphin Energy shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 18.2% of Vitesse Energy 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.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Blue Dolphin Energy and Vitesse Energy”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Blue Dolphin Energy	$317.52 million	0.07	-$8.64 million	($0.57)	-2.54
Vitesse Energy	$242.00 million	4.13	$21.06 million	$1.06	24.39

Vitesse Energy has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Blue Dolphin Energy. Blue Dolphin Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Vitesse Energy, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk and Volatility

Blue Dolphin Energy has a beta of 0.47, suggesting that its stock price is 53% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Vitesse Energy has a beta of 0.68, suggesting that its stock price is 32% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Blue Dolphin Energy and Vitesse Energy, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Blue Dolphin Energy	0	0	0	0	0.00
Vitesse Energy	0	3	2	1	2.67

Vitesse Energy has a consensus target price of $26.50, suggesting a potential upside of 2.49%. Given Vitesse Energy’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Vitesse Energy is more favorable than Blue Dolphin Energy.

Profitability

This table compares Blue Dolphin Energy and Vitesse Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Blue Dolphin Energy	-2.82%	-24.22%	-7.98%
Vitesse Energy	15.12%	7.25%	4.85%

Summary

Vitesse Energy beats Blue Dolphin Energy on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Blue Dolphin Energy

Blue Dolphin Energy Company, an independent downstream energy company, engages in the refining and marketing of petroleum products in the United States. It operates through two segments, Refinery Operations, and Tolling and Terminaling. The company produces finished products, including jet fuel, as well as various intermediate products, such as naphtha, heavy oil mud blendstock, and atmospheric gas oil; and conducts tolling and terminaling services at the Nixon facility. It also provides storage tank rentals and ancillary services. The company was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Blue Dolphin Energy Company is a subsidiary of Lazarus Energy Holdings, LLC.

About Vitesse Energy

Vitesse Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, development, and production of non-operated oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It owns and acquires non-operated working interest and royalty interest ownership in the Williston Basin properties located in North Dakota and Montana. The company also owns non-operated interests in the Central Rockies properties located in Colorado and Wyoming. Vitesse Energy, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in Centennial, Colorado.