Analyzing Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) & Tetra Technologies (NYSE:TTI)

Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) and Tetra Technologies (NYSE:TTI) are both small-cap energy companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, valuation, dividends and analyst recommendations.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Core Laboratories and Tetra Technologies”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Core Laboratories	$523.85 million	1.34	$31.40 million	$0.67	22.54
Tetra Technologies	$618.76 million	1.68	$108.28 million	$0.91	8.54

Tetra Technologies has higher revenue and earnings than Core Laboratories. Tetra Technologies is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Core Laboratories, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

97.8% of Core Laboratories shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 70.2% of Tetra Technologies shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.9% of Core Laboratories shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.7% of Tetra Technologies shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Core Laboratories and Tetra Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Core Laboratories	6.21%	12.85%	5.74%
Tetra Technologies	19.75%	13.07%	5.76%

Volatility & Risk

Core Laboratories has a beta of 1.4, indicating that its share price is 40% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Tetra Technologies has a beta of 1.36, indicating that its share price is 36% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current recommendations for Core Laboratories and Tetra Technologies, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Core Laboratories	0	4	0	0	2.00
Tetra Technologies	0	1	3	0	2.75

Core Laboratories presently has a consensus price target of $12.50, indicating a potential downside of 17.22%. Tetra Technologies has a consensus price target of $7.50, indicating a potential downside of 3.47%. Given Tetra Technologies’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Tetra Technologies is more favorable than Core Laboratories.

Summary

Tetra Technologies beats Core Laboratories on 11 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Core Laboratories

Core Laboratories Inc. provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock and reservoir fluid samples to enhance production and improve recovery of crude oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs. It offers laboratory-based analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and oil delivered products; and proprietary and joint industry studies, as well as services that support carbon capture, utilization and storage, geothermal projects, and the evaluation and appraisal of mining activities. The Production Enhancement segment provides services and products relating to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, production, and well abandonment. It offers integrated diagnostic services to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to improve the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The company markets and sells its products through a combination of sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through distributors. Core Laboratories Inc. was founded in 1936 and is based in Houston, Texas.

About Tetra Technologies

TETRA Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy services and solutions company. It operates through two segments, Completion Fluids & Products Division and Water & Flowback Services. The Completion Fluids & Products segment manufactures and markets clear brine fluids, additives, and associated products and services to the oil and gas industry for use in well drilling, completion, and workover operations in the United States, as well as in Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment also markets liquid and dry calcium chloride products; and TETRA PureFlow ultra-pure zinc bromide to battery technology companies. The Water & Flowback Services segment provides water management services for onshore oil and gas operators. This segment also offers frac flowback, production well testing, and other associated services in oil and gas producing regions in the United States, as well as in various basins in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. TETRA Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.