Just Energy Group (OTCMKTS:JENGQ – Get Free Report) and MDU Resources Group (NYSE:MDU – Get Free Report) are both utilities companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation, risk and earnings.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a summary of recent recommendations for Just Energy Group and MDU Resources Group, as provided by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Just Energy Group | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| MDU Resources Group | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 2.43 |
MDU Resources Group has a consensus target price of $23.40, suggesting a potential upside of 13.65%. Given MDU Resources Group’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe MDU Resources Group is more favorable than Just Energy Group.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Just Energy Group and MDU Resources Group”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Just Energy Group | $2.15 billion | 0.00 | $678.53 million | $2.84 | 0.01 |
| MDU Resources Group | $1.88 billion | 2.25 | $190.40 million | $0.92 | 22.38 |
Just Energy Group has higher revenue and earnings than MDU Resources Group. Just Energy Group is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than MDU Resources Group, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares Just Energy Group and MDU Resources Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Just Energy Group | 6.16% | 98.77% | 9.12% |
| MDU Resources Group | 10.47% | 6.82% | 2.58% |
Risk and Volatility
Just Energy Group has a beta of 0.36, indicating that its stock price is 64% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, MDU Resources Group has a beta of 0.67, indicating that its stock price is 33% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Summary
MDU Resources Group beats Just Energy Group on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Just Energy Group
Just Energy Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides electricity and natural gas commodities in the United States and Canada. It operates through two segments, The Mass Market and The Commercial. The company offers fixed, variable, index and flat rate commodity products, as well as Just Green products; smart thermostats; and subscription-based home water filtration systems, including under-counter and whole-home water filtration solution, as well as sustainable carbon emissions solutions. It offers energy solutions under the Just Energy, Tara Energy, Amigo Energy, and terrapass brands. The company serves residential and commercial customers through brokers, door-to-door commercial independent contractors, and inside commercial sales representatives. Just Energy Group Inc. was founded in 1997 and is based in Toronto, Canada.
About MDU Resources Group
MDU Resources Group, Inc. engages in the regulated energy delivery, and construction materials and services businesses in the United States. It operates through four segments: Electric, Natural Gas Distribution, Pipeline, and Construction Services. The Electric segment generates, transmits, and distributes electricity for residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wyoming; and operates 3,400 miles of transmission lines, 4,800 miles of distribution lines, and 82 transmission and 298 distribution substations. The Natural Gas Distribution segment distributes natural gas for residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Idaho, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Washington, and Wyoming; and supplies related value-added services. The Pipeline segment provides natural gas transportation and underground storage services through a regulated pipeline system primarily in the Rocky Mountain and northern Great Plains regions; and cathodic protection and other energy-related services. The Construction Services segment offers electrical and mechanical contracting services, including the construction and maintenance of electrical and communication wiring and infrastructure, fire suppression systems, mechanical piping, and services; transmission and distribution contracting services, comprise construction and maintenance of overhead and underground electrical, and gas and communication infrastructure; and manufactures and supplies transmission and distribution lines construction equipment and tools. It serves manufacturing, commercial, industrial, transportation, institutional, and renewable and government customers, as well as utilities. MDU Resources Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1924 and is headquartered in Bismarck, North Dakota.
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