Comparing Croda International (OTCMKTS:COIHY) & H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL)

H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) and Croda International (OTCMKTS:COIHY) are both mid-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership, valuation and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares H. B. Fuller and Croda International’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
H. B. Fuller	5.29%	12.18%	4.73%
Croda International	N/A	N/A	N/A

Insider & Institutional Ownership

95.9% of H. B. Fuller shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.1% of Croda International shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.8% of H. B. Fuller shares are owned by company 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.

Risk and Volatility

H. B. Fuller has a beta of 0.98, meaning that its share price is 2% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Croda International has a beta of 1.16, meaning that its share price is 16% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends

H. B. Fuller pays an annual dividend of $0.98 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.8%. Croda International pays an annual dividend of $0.70 per share and has a dividend yield of 3.6%. H. B. Fuller pays out 30.1% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. H. B. Fuller has raised its dividend for 57 consecutive years.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares H. B. Fuller and Croda International”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
H. B. Fuller	$3.51 billion	0.85	$151.97 million	$3.26	17.04
Croda International	$2.24 billion	2.43	$81.76 million	N/A	N/A

H. B. Fuller has higher revenue and earnings than Croda International.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for H. B. Fuller and Croda International, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
H. B. Fuller	0	2	3	1	2.83
Croda International	0	3	0	1	2.50

H. B. Fuller currently has a consensus price target of $67.86, suggesting a potential upside of 22.12%. Given H. B. Fuller’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe H. B. Fuller is more favorable than Croda International.

Summary

H. B. Fuller beats Croda International on 11 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About H. B. Fuller

H.B. Fuller Company, together with its subsidiaries, formulates, manufactures, and markets adhesives, sealants, coatings, polymers, tapes, encapsulants, additives, and other specialty chemical products. It operates through three segments: Hygiene, Health and Consumable Adhesives; Engineering Adhesives; and Construction Adhesives. The Hygiene, Health and Consumable Adhesives segment produces and supplies specialty industrial adhesives, such as thermoplastic, thermoset, reactive, water-based, and solvent-based products for applications in various markets, including packaging, converting, nonwoven and hygiene, and health and beauty. The Engineering Adhesives segment produces and supplies high performance industrial adhesives comprising reactive, light cure, two-part liquids, polyurethane, silicone, film, and fast cure products to the durable assembly, performance wood and textile, transportation, electronics, clean energy, aerospace and defense, appliance, heavy machinery, and insulating glass markets. The Construction Adhesives segment provides products used for tile setting, commercial roofing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and insulation applications, as well as caulks and sealants for the consumer market and professional trade. The company sells its products directly to customers, as well as through distributors and retailers in the Americas, Europe, India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. H.B. Fuller Company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

About Croda International

Croda International Plc engages in the consumer care, life science, and industrial specialty businesses in in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, North America, Asia, and Latin America. The company offers speciality and active ingredients across beauty care, beauty actives, and home care products, as well as fragrances and flavours. It also provides biologics drug delivery, adjuvant systems, small molecule, protein, and nucleic acid delivery platforms, as well as purity materials for pharmaceutical formulations. In addition, the company offers crop protection and seed enhancement related solutions. Croda International Plc was incorporated in 1925 and is headquartered in Goole, the United Kingdom.