Head-To-Head Review: Kardex (OTCMKTS:KRDXF) versus Crane (NYSE:CR)

Crane (NYSE:CR) and Kardex (OTCMKTS:KRDXF) are both industrials companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability, risk, valuation and earnings.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

75.1% of Crane shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 24.4% of Kardex shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.4% of Crane shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Valuation & Earnings

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

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Crane	$2.28 billion	4.57	$401.10 million	$4.54	40.00
Kardex	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Crane has higher revenue and earnings than Kardex.

Profitability

This table compares Crane and Kardex’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%
Kardex	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Crane and Kardex, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Crane	0	2	4	0	2.67
Kardex	0	0	0	0	0.00

Crane currently has a consensus target price of $167.00, indicating a potential downside of 8.04%. Given Crane’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Crane is more favorable than Kardex.

Summary

Crane beats Kardex on 9 of the 9 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 Kardex

Kardex Holding AG provides intralogistics solutions; and supplies automated storage solutions and materials handling systems worldwide. It operates in two segments, Kardex Remstar and Kardex Mlog. The Kardex Remstar segment develops, produces, and maintains dynamic storage and retrieval systems. The Kardex Mlog segment offers integrated material handling systems and automated high bay warehouses. The company provides vertical buffer, carousel, and lift, as well as horizontal carousel modules; heavy duty units; office solutions; stacker cranes; pick and place robotics; conveyor systems; software and control solutions; and accessories, as well as AutoStore solutions. Its products are used in automated storage and retrieval systems, buffering and sequencing, order fulfillment, controlled environment, document storage, and general contractor applications. Kardex Holding AG is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.