Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) and Mistras Group (NYSE:MG) Head-To-Head Comparison

Rockwell Automation (NYSE:ROK) and Mistras Group (NYSE:MG) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, dividends, risk and analyst recommendations.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

75.8% of Rockwell Automation shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 74.9% of Mistras Group shares are held by institutional investors. 0.7% of Rockwell Automation shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 4.8% of Mistras Group shares are held 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.

Profitability

This table compares Rockwell Automation and Mistras Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Rockwell Automation	12.03%	30.14%	9.83%
Mistras Group	1.64%	9.37%	3.54%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Rockwell Automation and Mistras Group”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Rockwell Automation	$8.26 billion	4.75	$952.50 million	$8.52	40.97
Mistras Group	$729.64 million	0.42	$18.96 million	$0.37	26.30

Rockwell Automation has higher revenue and earnings than Mistras Group. Mistras Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Rockwell Automation, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Volatility & Risk

Rockwell Automation has a beta of 1.41, indicating that its share price is 41% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Mistras Group has a beta of 1.27, indicating that its share price is 27% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Rockwell Automation and Mistras Group, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Rockwell Automation	1	6	12	1	2.65
Mistras Group	0	1	0	0	2.00

Rockwell Automation currently has a consensus target price of $340.16, indicating a potential downside of 2.55%. Given Rockwell Automation’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Rockwell Automation is more favorable than Mistras Group.

Summary

Rockwell Automation beats Mistras Group on 14 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Rockwell Automation

Rockwell Automation, Inc. provides industrial automation and digital transformation solutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company operates through three segments, Intelligent Devices, Software & Control, and Lifecycle Services. Its solutions include hardware and software products and services. The Intelligent Devices segment offers drives, motion, safety, sensing, industrial components, and configured-to-order products. The Software & Control segment provides control and visualization software and hardware, information software, and network and security infrastructure solutions. The Lifecycle Services segment provides consulting, professional services and solutions, and connected and maintenance services. The company sells its solutions primarily through independent distributors in relation with its direct sales force. It serves discrete end markets, including automotive, semiconductor, and warehousing and logistics, as well as general industries comprising printing and publishing, marine, glass, fiber and textiles, airports, and aerospace; hybrid end markets, such as food and beverage, life sciences, household and personal care, and tire, as well as eco industrial, including water/wastewater, waste management, mass transit, and renewable energy; and process end markets comprising oil and gas, mining, metals, chemicals, pulp and paper, and others. Rockwell Automation, Inc. was founded in 1903 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

About Mistras Group

Mistras Group, Inc. provides technology-enabled asset protection solutions in the United States, other Americas, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific. The company offers non-destructive testing services; inline inspection for pipelines; and plant condition management software. It also provides maintenance and light mechanical services, such as corrosion removal, mitigation and prevention, insulation installation and removal, electrical, heat tracing, industrial cleaning, pipefitting, and welding; engineering consulting services primarily for process equipment, technologies, and facilities; and utilizes scaffolding and rope access to access at-height and confined assets. In addition, the company offers certified divers for subsea inspection and maintenance; unmanned aerial, land-based, and subsea systems for inspection applications; online condition-monitoring solutions; quality assurance and quality control solutions for new and existing metal and alloy components, materials, and composites. Further, it builds monitoring systems, as well as provides inspection, maintenance, monitoring and data services; and Web-based solutions. Additionally, the company designs, manufactures, and sells acoustic emission sensors, instruments, and turnkey systems for monitoring and testing materials, pressure components, processes, and structures; and ultrasonic testing equipment. It serves oil and gas, aerospace and defense, fossil and nuclear power, power generation and transmission, civil infrastructure, manufacturing, industrial, public infrastructure, petrochemical, transportation, and other process industries, as well as infrastructure, research, and engineering industries. Mistras Group, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Princeton Junction, New Jersey.