Helix Energy Solutions Group (NYSE:HLX – Get Free Report) and Dawson Geophysical (NASDAQ:DWSN – Get Free Report) are both small-cap energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, valuation, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and risk.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Helix Energy Solutions Group and Dawson Geophysical”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Helix Energy Solutions Group | $1.29 billion | 1.09 | $30.83 million | $0.10 | 95.65 |
| Dawson Geophysical | $96.25 million | 1.26 | -$1.94 million | $0.15 | 26.00 |
Insider and Institutional Ownership
91.3% of Helix Energy Solutions Group shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 7.9% of Dawson Geophysical shares are held by institutional investors. 6.8% of Helix Energy Solutions Group shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.3% of Dawson Geophysical shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Risk & Volatility
Helix Energy Solutions Group has a beta of 1.16, indicating that its stock price is 16% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Dawson Geophysical has a beta of -0.13, indicating that its stock price is 113% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Helix Energy Solutions Group and Dawson Geophysical, as reported by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Helix Energy Solutions Group | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2.25 |
| Dawson Geophysical | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
Helix Energy Solutions Group currently has a consensus target price of $11.50, indicating a potential upside of 20.23%. Given Helix Energy Solutions Group’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Helix Energy Solutions Group is more favorable than Dawson Geophysical.
Profitability
This table compares Helix Energy Solutions Group and Dawson Geophysical’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Helix Energy Solutions Group | 1.10% | 1.82% | 1.09% |
| Dawson Geophysical | 4.91% | 26.74% | 9.15% |
Summary
Helix Energy Solutions Group beats Dawson Geophysical on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Helix Energy Solutions Group
Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, an offshore energy services company, provides specialty services to the offshore energy industry in Brazil, the Gulf of Mexico, the East Coast of the United States, North Sea, the Asia Pacific, and West Africa regions. The company operates through four segments: Well Intervention, Robotics, Production Facilities, and Shallow Water Abandonment segments. It engages in the installation of flowlines, control umbilicals, and manifold assemblies and risers; trenching and burial of pipelines; installation and tie-in of riser and manifold assembly; commissioning, testing, and inspection activities; and provision of cable and umbilical lay, and connection services. The company also provides well intervention, intervention engineering, and production enhancement services; coiled tubing operations; inspection, repair, and maintenance of production structures, trees, jumpers, risers, pipelines, and subsea equipment; and related support services. In addition, it offers reclamation and remediation services; well plug and abandonment services; pipeline, cable and umbilical abandonment services; and site inspections. Additionally, the company offers oil and natural gas processing facilities and services; and fast response system, as well as site clearance and subsea support services. Further, it provides offshore oilfield decommissioning and reclamation, project management, engineered solutions, intervention, maintenance, repair, heavy lift, and commercial diving services. It serves independent oil and gas producers and suppliers, pipeline transmission companies, renewable energy companies, and offshore engineering and construction firms. The company was formerly known as Cal Dive International, Inc. and changed its name to Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. in March 2006. Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. was incorporated in 1979 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.
About Dawson Geophysical
Dawson Geophysical Company provides onshore seismic data acquisition and processing services in the United States and Canada. The company acquires and processes 2-D, 3-D, and multi-component seismic data for its clients, including oil and gas companies, and independent oil and gas operators, as well as providers of multi-client data libraries and carbon capture sequestration projects. Its seismic crews supply seismic data primarily to companies engaged in the exploration and development of oil and natural gas on land and in land-to-water transition areas, as well as potash mining industry. The company was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Midland, Texas. Dawson Geophysical Company is a subsidiary of Wilks Brothers, LLC.
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