Knightscope (NASDAQ:KSCP – Get Free Report) and Aqua Metals (NASDAQ:AQMS – Get Free Report) are both small-cap industrials companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.
Volatility and Risk
Knightscope has a beta of 1.33, suggesting that its share price is 33% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Aqua Metals has a beta of 0.32, suggesting that its share price is 68% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Earnings & Valuation
This table compares Knightscope and Aqua Metals”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Knightscope | $11.34 million | 1.55 | -$33.81 million | ($3.43) | -0.22 |
| Aqua Metals | $30,000.00 | 276.49 | -$22.65 million | ($4.72) | -0.49 |
Aqua Metals has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Knightscope. Aqua Metals is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Knightscope, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Knightscope and Aqua Metals, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Knightscope | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Aqua Metals | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2.00 |
Knightscope currently has a consensus target price of $12.67, suggesting a potential upside of 1,585.52%. Aqua Metals has a consensus target price of $5.00, suggesting a potential upside of 114.59%. Given Knightscope’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Knightscope is more favorable than Aqua Metals.
Profitability
This table compares Knightscope and Aqua Metals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Knightscope | -217.29% | -152.20% | -90.99% |
| Aqua Metals | N/A | -145.58% | -106.72% |
Insider and Institutional Ownership
14.6% of Knightscope shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 22.0% of Aqua Metals shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.8% of Knightscope shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.1% of Aqua Metals shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
Knightscope beats Aqua Metals on 8 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Knightscope
Knightscope, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, markets, deploys, and supports autonomous security robots (ASR) in the United States. Its products include K3 and K5 ASRs designed to roam a geo-fenced area autonomously by utilizing numerous sensors and lasers, either on a random basis or based on a particular patrolling algorithm to navigate around people, vehicles, and objects in dynamic indoor or outdoor environments; K1, an ASR for used in indoors or outdoors and at ingress/egress points for both people and vehicles; and K7, a multi-terrain ASR. The company also develops and operates the Knightscope security operations center (KSOC), a browser-based interface, which allows real-time data access service to its clients for alert of an abnormal event; and Knightscope network operations center (KNOC), a custom set of tools that enables it to manage and monitor the network of ASRs with alerts related to critical indicators and statistics, including charging, software, navigation, and temperatures, as well as to execute over-the-air software upgrades, patches, and other related items. In addition, it offers Knightscope+, a virtual monitoring and response solution that provides an alternative for client sites. The company serves airports, commercial real estate, corporate campus, homeowner associations, hotels, universities, municipalities, rail, healthcare, public parks, schools, casinos, corporations, logistics, manufacturing, law enforcement, Parking areas, municipalities, universities, and property management companies, as well as the U.S. federal government. Knightscope, Inc. was incorporated in 2013 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.
About Aqua Metals
Aqua Metals, Inc. engages in reinventing metals recycling activities with its patented AquaRefining technology. The company's technology produces metals and alloys that can be returned into the battery manufacturing supply chain markets, as well as sells metals for use in various advanced manufacturing industries. Its AquaRefining, a low-emissions and recycling technology that replaces polluting furnaces and hazardous chemicals with electricity-powered electroplating to recover valuable metals and materials from spent batteries. Aqua Metals, Inc. was incorporated in 2014 and is headquartered in Reno, Nevada.
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