Nanophase Technologies (OTCMKTS:NANX) and FitLife Brands (NASDAQ:FTLF) Critical Contrast

FitLife Brands (NASDAQ:FTLF) and Nanophase Technologies (OTCMKTS:NANX) are both small-cap consumer staples companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, valuation and profitability.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for FitLife Brands and Nanophase Technologies, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
FitLife Brands	0	2	1	0	2.33
Nanophase Technologies	0	0	0	0	0.00

FitLife Brands presently has a consensus target price of $18.00, indicating a potential upside of 79.82%. Given FitLife Brands’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe FitLife Brands is more favorable than Nanophase Technologies.

Risk and Volatility

FitLife Brands has a beta of 0.01, suggesting that its share price is 99% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Nanophase Technologies has a beta of 1.22, suggesting that its share price is 22% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

2.3% of FitLife Brands shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 70.2% of Nanophase Technologies shares are held by institutional investors. 61.7% of FitLife Brands shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 5.1% of Nanophase Technologies shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares FitLife Brands and Nanophase Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
FitLife Brands	6.15%	18.10%	7.63%
Nanophase Technologies	5.59%	31.49%	6.67%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares FitLife Brands and Nanophase Technologies”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
FitLife Brands	$81.46 million	1.15	$6.33 million	$0.62	16.15
Nanophase Technologies	$37.30 million	0.00	-$4.39 million	$0.05	N/A

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

Summary

FitLife Brands beats Nanophase Technologies on 9 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About FitLife Brands

FitLife Brands, Inc. provides nutritional supplements for health-conscious consumers in the United States and internationally. The company provides weight loss, sports nutrition, and general health products; sports nutrition products; weight loss and sports nutrition products; sports nutrition and general wellness formulations with an emphasis on natural, vegan, and organic ingredients; and male health and weight loss products, as well as other diet, health, and sports nutrition supplements and related products; and value-oriented sports nutrition and weight loss products. It offers MRC products which includes general health supplements; and natural skincare and beauty products. In addition, it markets its products under the brand names of NDS Nutrition, PMD Sports, SirenLabs, CoreActive, Nutrology, Metis Nutrition, iSatori, BioGenetic Laboratories, Energize, Dr. Tobias, All-Natural Advice, and Maritime Naturals through franchised stores, as well as through retail locations, which include specialty, mass, and online. The company was formerly known as Bond Laboratories, Inc. and changed its name to FitLife Brands, Inc. in September 2013. FitLife Brands, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska.

About Nanophase Technologies

Nanophase Technologies Corporation, a science-driven company, develops, manufactures, and sells integrated family of nanomaterial technologies in the United States. It engages in engineered materials, formulation development, and commercial manufacturing. The company produces engineered nanomaterial products comprising antimony, bismuth, cerium, iron, and zinc oxide for use in a various markets, including surface finishing,exterior coatings, personal care, plastics, scratch resistant coatings, and textiles. It also provides skin care formulations with mineral-based UV protection under the under the Solésence brand; and advanced material products, including architectural coatings, industrial coatings, abrasion-resistant additives, plastics additives, medical diagnostics, and surface finishing technologies applications. The company was incorporated in 1989 and is headquartered in Romeoville, Illinois.