Reviewing 36Kr (NASDAQ:KRKR) and MediaAlpha (NYSE:MAX)

MediaAlpha (NYSE:MAX) and 36Kr (NASDAQ:KRKR) are both small-cap communication services companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, dividends, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation and profitability.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for MediaAlpha and 36Kr, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
MediaAlpha	0	5	3	1	2.56
36Kr	1	0	0	0	1.00

MediaAlpha presently has a consensus price target of $14.71, indicating a potential upside of 2.51%. Given MediaAlpha’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe MediaAlpha is more favorable than 36Kr.

Volatility and Risk

MediaAlpha has a beta of 1.12, suggesting that its share price is 12% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, 36Kr has a beta of 0.53, suggesting that its share price is 47% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares MediaAlpha and 36Kr”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
MediaAlpha	$1.11 billion	0.76	$25.62 million	$1.82	7.89
36Kr	$32.59 million	0.16	$1.55 million	($2.40)	-1.13

MediaAlpha has higher revenue and earnings than 36Kr. 36Kr is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than MediaAlpha, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Profitability

This table compares MediaAlpha and 36Kr’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
MediaAlpha	8.35%	-994.23%	29.14%
36Kr	N/A	N/A	N/A

Institutional and Insider Ownership

64.4% of MediaAlpha shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.1% of 36Kr shares are held by institutional investors. 14.6% of MediaAlpha shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 39.4% of 36Kr shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

MediaAlpha beats 36Kr on 13 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About MediaAlpha

MediaAlpha operates a technology platform that connects consumers shopping for insurance with insurance carriers and distributors. Its marketplace uses consumer-intent data and real-time bidding to help match shoppers with relevant insurance products and providers. The company focuses on insurance categories including auto, home, health and life. Its platform serves carriers, agents, brokers and other insurance distributors, with its business primarily centered on the U.S. market. MediaAlpha became an independent company in 2014 after operating within White Mountains Insurance Group.

About 36Kr

36Kr Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: KRKR) operates a business and technology media platform focused on China’s new economy. Through its website, mobile applications and other digital channels, the company provides news, analysis, interviews and commentary covering technology, startups, entrepreneurship, venture capital, consumer brands and broader business trends. The company also serves businesses, entrepreneurs, investors and corporate decision-makers through online and offline events, conferences, professional communities and content-related services.