American Realty Investors (NYSE:ARL – Get Free Report) and J. W. Mays (NASDAQ:MAYS – Get Free Report) are both small-cap real estate companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends, risk and earnings.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of current recommendations for American Realty Investors and J. W. Mays, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| American Realty Investors | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
| J. W. Mays | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.00 |
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares American Realty Investors and J. W. Mays”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| American Realty Investors | $50.01 million | 7.23 | $15.70 million | $0.52 | 43.03 |
| J. W. Mays | $21.09 million | 3.84 | -$1.40 million | ($0.70) | -57.30 |
American Realty Investors has higher revenue and earnings than J. W. Mays. J. W. Mays is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than American Realty Investors, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Risk & Volatility
American Realty Investors has a beta of 0.79, meaning that its share price is 21% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, J. W. Mays has a beta of 0.2, meaning that its share price is 80% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
3.2% of J. W. Mays shares are owned by institutional investors. 90.8% of American Realty Investors shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 40.8% of J. W. Mays shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Profitability
This table compares American Realty Investors and J. W. Mays’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| American Realty Investors | 16.36% | -0.37% | -0.28% |
| J. W. Mays | -6.64% | -2.70% | -1.55% |
Summary
American Realty Investors beats J. W. Mays on 11 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.
About American Realty Investors
American Realty Investors, Inc. is a real estate investment and operating company focused on acquiring, owning, developing and managing property. Its portfolio has included apartment communities, office buildings, hotels and undeveloped land. The company’s activities are centered primarily on properties in the United States, with a significant presence in Texas. Through its real estate holdings and related operations, American Realty Investors participates in both residential and commercial property markets.
About J. W. Mays
J. W. Mays, Inc. is a real estate company based in Brooklyn, New York. The company’s principal business is owning, leasing and managing commercial real estate properties, with an emphasis on retail and other income-producing properties. The company traces its history to the J. W. Mays department store business, which operated in the New York metropolitan area. Although its retail operations were discontinued, J. W. Mays continues to hold and manage real estate assets, primarily in the New York City region.
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