Leslie’s (NASDAQ:LESL – Get Free Report) and Church & Dwight (NYSE:CHD – Get Free Report) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, dividends, earnings and risk.
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares Leslie’s and Church & Dwight”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Leslie’s | $1.22 billion | 0.02 | -$236.97 million | ($29.69) | -0.10 |
| Church & Dwight | $6.20 billion | 3.59 | $736.80 million | $3.04 | 30.94 |
Profitability
This table compares Leslie’s and Church & Dwight’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Leslie’s | -22.64% | N/A | -8.22% |
| Church & Dwight | 11.81% | 20.51% | 9.62% |
Volatility and Risk
Leslie’s has a beta of 1.53, suggesting that its stock price is 53% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Church & Dwight has a beta of 0.48, suggesting that its stock price is 52% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Leslie’s and Church & Dwight, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Leslie’s | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1.86 |
| Church & Dwight | 1 | 8 | 9 | 0 | 2.44 |
Leslie’s presently has a consensus price target of $2.85, suggesting a potential downside of 5.94%. Church & Dwight has a consensus price target of $102.53, suggesting a potential upside of 8.99%. Given Church & Dwight’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Church & Dwight is more favorable than Leslie’s.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
86.6% of Church & Dwight shares are held by institutional investors. 0.5% of Leslie’s shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 1.2% of Church & Dwight shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
Church & Dwight beats Leslie’s on 13 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Leslie’s
Leslie’s, Inc. operates as a direct-to-consumer pool and spa care brand in the United States. The company markets and sells pool and spa supplies and related products and services. It also offers various pool and spa maintenance items, such as chemicals, equipment and parts, cleaning and maintenance equipment, safety, recreational, and fitness related products. In addition, the company provides installation and repair services for pool and spa equipment. It also sells its products through e-commerce websites and third-party marketplaces. The company offers complimentary, commercial-grade in-store, water testing, and analysis services. It serves the residential, professional, and commercial consumers. Leslie’s, Inc. was founded in 1963 and is based in Phoenix, Arizona.
About Church & Dwight
Church & Dwight Co., Inc. engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of household, personal care, and specialty products. It operates through the following segments: Consumer Domestic, Consumer International, Specialty Products Division (SPD), and Corporate. The Consumer Domestic segment offers household products, such as laundry detergents, fabric softener sheets, cat litter, household cleaning products, and personal care products including antiperspirants, oral care products, depilatories, reproductive health products, oral analgesics, nasal saline moisturizers, and dietary supplements. The Consumer International segment is involved in the personal care, household and over-the-counter products in international subsidiary markets, including Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Japan, Mexico, China, and the United Kingdom. The SPD segment consists of sales to businesses and participates in three product areas namely, animal nutrition, specialty chemicals, and commercial and professional. The Corporate segment includes equity in earnings of affiliates. The company was founded by Dwight John and Austin Church in 1846 and is headquartered in Ewing, NJ.
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