Critical Analysis: Intevac (NASDAQ:IVAC) vs. OriginClear (OTCMKTS:OCLN)

Intevac (NASDAQ:IVAC) and OriginClear (OTCMKTS:OCLN) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk, valuation and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Intevac and OriginClear’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Intevac	-13.55%	-8.82%	-6.64%
OriginClear	N/A	N/A	-11.62%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for Intevac and OriginClear, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Intevac	0	1	0	0	2.00
OriginClear	0	0	0	0	0.00

Risk & Volatility

Intevac has a beta of 0.66, suggesting that its stock price is 34% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, OriginClear has a beta of 1.1, suggesting that its stock price is 10% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

60.3% of Intevac shares are held by institutional investors. 3.0% of Intevac shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.4% of OriginClear shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Intevac and OriginClear”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Intevac	$52.67 million	1.80	-$12.19 million	($0.33)	-10.64
OriginClear	$30,000.00	160.04	-$11.63 million	N/A	N/A

OriginClear has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Intevac.

About Intevac

Intevac, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the designing, developing, and manufacturing thin-film processing systems in the United States, Europe, and Asia. It designs, develops, and markets vacuum process equipment solutions for manufacturing small substrates with precise thin-film properties, such as hard disk drive, advanced coatings, and other adjacent thin-film markets. The company sells its products primarily through its direct sales force, as well as through distributors in Japan and China. Intevac, Inc. was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Santa Clara, California.

About OriginClear

OriginClear, Inc. provides water treatment solutions worldwide. The company designs and manufactures a line of water treatment systems for municipal, industrial, and pure water applications. It also offers a range of services, including maintenance contracts, retrofits, and replacement assistance; and rents equipment through contracts of varying duration, as well as provides prefabricated water transport and treatment systems. The company was formerly known as OriginOil, Inc. and changed its name to OriginClear, Inc. in April 2015. OriginClear, Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida.