NXT Energy Solutions (OTCMKTS:NSFDF – Get Free Report) and Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX – Get Free Report) are both small-cap energy companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, institutional ownership, risk, earnings and analyst recommendations.
Risk & Volatility
NXT Energy Solutions has a beta of 1.53, meaning that its stock price is 53% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Helix Energy Solutions Group has a beta of 1.53, meaning that its stock price is 53% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of current ratings for NXT Energy Solutions and Helix Energy Solutions Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| NXT Energy Solutions | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Helix Energy Solutions Group | 1 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2.40 |
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares NXT Energy Solutions and Helix Energy Solutions Group”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| NXT Energy Solutions | $470,000.00 | 67.41 | -$6.62 million | ($0.04) | -7.25 |
| Helix Energy Solutions Group | $1.31 billion | 0.74 | $55.64 million | $0.28 | 23.73 |
Helix Energy Solutions Group has higher revenue and earnings than NXT Energy Solutions. NXT Energy Solutions is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Helix Energy Solutions Group, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
26.2% of NXT Energy Solutions shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 91.3% of Helix Energy Solutions Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 34.1% of NXT Energy Solutions shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 6.6% of Helix Energy Solutions Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares NXT Energy Solutions and Helix Energy Solutions Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| NXT Energy Solutions | N/A | -65.19% | -22.05% |
| Helix Energy Solutions Group | 3.25% | 2.75% | 1.62% |
Summary
Helix Energy Solutions Group beats NXT Energy Solutions on 11 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.
About NXT Energy Solutions
NXT Energy Solutions Inc., a technology company, provides services to the oil and gas industry through its proprietary stress field detection (SFD) technology worldwide. Its SFD technology, a remote sensing airborne survey system utilizes quantum-scale sensors to detect gravity field perturbations in an airborne survey method which can be used onshore and offshore to remotely identify traps and reservoirs with hydrocarbon and geothermal exploration potential. The company was formerly known as Energy Exploration Technologies Inc. and changed its name to NXT Energy Solutions Inc. in September 2008. NXT Energy Solutions Inc. was incorporated in 1994 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
About Helix Energy Solutions Group
Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, an offshore energy services company, provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, the East Coast of the United States, North Sea, the Asia Pacific, and West Africa regions. The company operates through four segments: Well Intervention, Robotics, Production Facilities, and Shallow Water Abandonment segments. It engages in the installation of flowlines, control umbilicals, and manifold assemblies and risers; trenching and burial of pipelines; installation and tie-in of riser and manifold assembly; commissioning, testing, and inspection activities; and provision of cable and umbilical lay, and connection services. The company also provides well intervention, intervention engineering, and production enhancement services; coiled tubing operations; inspection, repair, and maintenance of production structures, trees, jumpers, risers, pipelines, and subsea equipment; and related support services. In addition, it offers reclamation and remediation services; well plug and abandonment services; pipeline, cable and umbilical abandonment services; and site inspections. Additionally, the company offers oil and natural gas processing facilities and services; and fast response system, as well as site clearance and subsea support services. Further, it provides offshore oilfield decommissioning and reclamation, project management, engineered solutions, intervention, maintenance, repair, heavy lift, and commercial diving services. It serves independent oil and gas producers and suppliers, pipeline transmission companies, renewable energy companies, and offshore engineering and construction firms. The company was formerly known as Cal Dive International, Inc. and changed its name to Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. in March 2006. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
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