Arkema (OTCMKTS:ARKAY) & Asahi Kasei (OTCMKTS:AHKSY) Critical Survey

Asahi Kasei (OTCMKTS:AHKSY) and Arkema (OTCMKTS:ARKAY) are both basic materials companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, earnings, dividends, institutional ownership, profitability and valuation.

Volatility & Risk

Asahi Kasei has a beta of 0.44, meaning that its stock price is 56% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Arkema has a beta of 0.9, meaning that its stock price is 10% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Asahi Kasei and Arkema, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Asahi Kasei	0	2	0	0	2.00
Arkema	2	2	1	0	1.80

Dividends

Asahi Kasei pays an annual dividend of $0.31 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. Arkema pays an annual dividend of $3.03 per share and has a dividend yield of 5.1%. Asahi Kasei pays out 22.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Arkema pays out 145.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future.

Profitability

This table compares Asahi Kasei and Arkema’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Asahi Kasei	4.64%	7.41%	3.56%
Arkema	1.55%	5.15%	2.70%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Asahi Kasei and Arkema”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Asahi Kasei	$19.95 billion	0.60	$890.97 million	$1.37	12.53
Arkema	$10.33 billion	0.44	$383.06 million	$2.08	28.70

Asahi Kasei has higher revenue and earnings than Arkema. Asahi Kasei is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Arkema, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Asahi Kasei beats Arkema on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Asahi Kasei

Asahi Kasei Corporation manufactures and sells chemicals. It offers caustic soda, chemical fertilizers, nitric acid, ammonia, acrylonitrile, methyl methacrylate, styrene, adipic acid, hexamethylene diamine, AH salt, propionitrile, sodium cyanide, acetonitrile, methacrylonitrile, cyclohexyl methacrylate, polyethylenes, polyethylenes powder, PMMA resin, polystyrene, polybutadiene rubbers, styrene/butadiene rubbers, clear styrenic copolymer, styrenic thermoplastic elastomer, hydrogenated styrenic elastomers, membranes and systems, functional materials, foams, purging compound, polyisocyanates, polycarbonatediol, aluminum paste, latex, photopolymers and platemaking systems, films, cyclohexanol, cyclohexane, and cyclohexene. The company also offers lithium-ion battery and lead-acid battery separators, plastic optical fibers, artificial suede, nylon 66 filament, polyamide 66, polyacetal, polyphenyene ether, polypropylene compounds, 3D cubic knitted fabric, noise suppression sheets, audio devices, photosensitive polyimide/PBO precursor, latent hardeners, glass fabrics, specialty products, explosion-bonded metal clads, lining fabrics, cupro and stretch fibers, oil-water separators, cellulose nanobeads, and flame-resistant and synthetic fiber; magnetic, current, and gas sensors; deodorizing, spunbond, cupro, multifunctional, and heat-press formable thermoplastic nonwoven; and ecorise, biocradle, and bemliese products. It provides bags and containers; cooking products; cleaners; plastic packet cutting products; cyclohexyl methacrylate, bonded anchors, and microcrystalline cellulose; pharmaceuticals and diagnostic reagents, dialyzers, therapeutic apheresis, virus removal filters, defibrillators, AEDs, automated CPRs, fluid resuscitation pumps, wearable defibrillators, temperature management systems, and data solutions; construction materials; and remodeling services, as well as develops homes and apartments. The company was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

About Arkema

Arkema S.A. manufactures and sells specialty chemicals and advanced materials worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Adhesive Solutions, Advanced Materials and Coating Solutions, and Intermediates. The Adhesive Solutions segment provides solutions for construction, renovation of buildings, DIY, durable goods, and packaging and non-woven applications; and supplies technologies used in building activities for businesses and individuals, including sealants, tiles, flooring adhesives and waterproofing systems, and technologies used in industry, which include automotive, textiles, glazing, flexible and rigid packaging, and hygiene markets. This segment also offers performance polymers, such as specialty polyamides, PVDF, polyimides, fluorospecialties, and polyetherketoneketone; and performance additives which includes molecular sieves, organic peroxides, thiochemicals, and hydrogen peroxide. The Advance Materials and Coating Solutions segment offers coating solutions, including comprising EU/US acrylics and coating resins; coating additives, such as sartomer photocure resins and coatex rheology additives. This segment also provides decorative paints, industrial coatings, and adhesives; and solutions for applications in the paper, superabsorbent, water treatment and oil and gas extraction, and 3D printing and electronics industries. The Intermediates segment provides fluorogases and acrylics; and industrial intermediate chemicals used in construction, refrigeration and air conditioning, automotive, coatings, and water treatment sectors. Arkema S.A. was incorporated in 2003 and is headquartered in Colombes, France.