American Defense Systems (OTCMKTS:ADFS – Get Free Report) and Hexcel (NYSE:HXL – Get Free Report) are both aerospace companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation and profitability.
Profitability
This table compares American Defense Systems and Hexcel’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| American Defense Systems | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Hexcel | 6.07% | 11.08% | 5.66% |
Institutional & Insider Ownership
95.5% of Hexcel shares are owned by institutional investors. 19.3% of American Defense Systems shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.8% of Hexcel shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Earnings & Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| American Defense Systems | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Hexcel | $1.89 billion | 3.53 | $109.40 million | $1.52 | 58.23 |
Hexcel has higher revenue and earnings than American Defense Systems.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings for American Defense Systems and Hexcel, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| American Defense Systems | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Hexcel | 1 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 2.27 |
Hexcel has a consensus target price of $91.00, suggesting a potential upside of 2.82%. Given Hexcel’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Hexcel is more favorable than American Defense Systems.
Summary
Hexcel beats American Defense Systems on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.
About American Defense Systems
American Defense Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design and supply of transparent and opaque armor solutions for military and commercial applications. It offers crew protection kits that provide armor protection of operator compartments; VistaSteel transparent armor, a laminated glass that provides defensive barrier to protect against firearms, physical attack, and explosive blasts; VistaSteel opaque armors; lightweight armor systems; and VistaGuard windows, which are forced entry blast resistant windows, window frames, and transparent armor assemblies used to mitigate forced entry, ballistic, and terrorist threats in high visibility targets. The company also provides portable transparent ballistic shield, a bullet-resistant transparent mobile shield; heated ballistic ship windows; and hardware products, such as hinges, rotary and slam latches, combat locks, and egress windows. Its armor solutions for construction equipment, and tactical and non-tactical transport vehicles are designed to protect their occupants from landmines, hostile fire, and improvised explosive devices. In addition, the company offers engineering and consulting services; and develops and installs detention and security hardware, entry control and monitoring systems, intrusion detection systems, and security glass. Its products are used in transport and fighting vehicles, construction equipment, sea craft, and various fixed structures, which require ballistic and blast attenuation. American Defense Systems, Inc. serves various branches of the United States military, including the United States Department of Defense; and other United States government, law enforcement, and correctional agencies, as well as private sector customers. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Lillington, North Carolina.
About Hexcel
Hexcel Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets carbon fibers, structural reinforcements, honeycomb structures, resins, and composite materials and parts for use in commercial aerospace, space and defense, and industrial applications. It operates through two segments, Composite Materials and Engineered Products. The Composite Materials segment manufactures and markets fabrics, multi-axials, specialty reinforcements, prepregs and other fiber-reinforced matrix materials, structural adhesives, molding compounds, tooling materials, polyurethane systems, and laminates that are used in military and commercial aircraft, wind turbine blades, recreational products, and other industrial applications, as well as in automotive, marine, and rail transportation. The Engineered Products segment manufactures and markets aircraft structures and finished aircraft components, including wing to body fairings, wing panels, flight deck panels, door liners, rotorcraft blades, spars, and tip caps; and aircraft structural sub-components and semi-finished components used in rotorcraft blades, engine nacelles, and aircraft surfaces, such as flaps, wings, elevators, and fairings; and RF interference control products for military and aerospace applications. This segment also provides interference control materials, structural composites, and services; dielectric absorber foams; magnetic absorbers; and thermoplastics for commercial and defense applications. The company sells its products directly through its managers, product managers, and sales personnel, as well as through independent distributors in the Americas, Europe, the Asia Pacific, India, and Africa. Hexcel Corporation was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut.
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