Analyzing VAT Group (OTCMKTS:VACNY) and Crane (NYSE:CR)

Crane (NYSE:CR) and VAT Group (OTCMKTS:VACNY) are both large-cap industrials companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, dividends, risk, earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations and valuation.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

75.1% of Crane shares are held by institutional investors. 2.1% of Crane shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Crane and VAT Group”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Crane	$2.44 billion	4.27	$401.10 million	$5.56	32.52
VAT Group	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Crane has higher revenue and earnings than VAT Group.

Dividends

Crane pays an annual dividend of $1.02 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.6%. VAT Group pays an annual dividend of $0.51 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.6%. Crane pays out 18.3% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Crane has raised its dividend for 3 consecutive years.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Crane and VAT Group, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Crane	0	1	5	2	3.13
VAT Group	0	3	3	1	2.71

Crane currently has a consensus target price of $226.33, indicating a potential upside of 25.19%. Given Crane’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Crane is more favorable than VAT Group.

Profitability

This table compares Crane and VAT Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Crane	13.10%	24.45%	10.14%
VAT Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Summary

Crane beats VAT Group on 11 of the 13 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 VAT Group

VAT Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and supplies vacuum valves, multi-valve units, vacuum modules, and edge-welded metal bellows in Switzerland, rest of Europe, the United States, Japan, Korea, Singapore, China, rest of Asia, and internationally. It operates through two segments, Valves and Global Service. The Valves segment offers vacuum valves for the semiconductor, displays, photovoltaics, and vacuum coating industries, as well as for the industrial and research sector. The Global Service segment provides spare parts, repairs, and upgrades, as well as support services. The company offers vacuum isolation, gate, angle, inline, cylinder, and all-metal valves; vacuum pendulum and butterfly valves; 3 position and vacuum control valves; vacuum transfer valves and doors; and pressure relief, venting, gas dosing, fast closing, and beam stopper valves. VAT Group AG was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Sennwald, Switzerland.