Contrasting World Access (OTCMKTS:WAXS) and W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB)

World Access (OTCMKTS:WAXS) and W.R. Berkley (NYSE:WRB) are both finance companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, dividends, profitability, valuation, earnings and institutional ownership.

Profitability

This table compares World Access and W.R. Berkley’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
World Access	N/A	N/A	N/A
W.R. Berkley	12.94%	19.44%	4.28%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current recommendations for World Access and W.R. Berkley, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
World Access	0	0	0	0	0.00
W.R. Berkley	6	9	3	0	1.83

W.R. Berkley has a consensus target price of $70.94, indicating a potential upside of 3.64%. Given W.R. Berkley’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe W.R. Berkley is more favorable than World Access.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares World Access and W.R. Berkley”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
World Access	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
W.R. Berkley	$14.71 billion	1.73	$1.78 billion	$4.87	14.06

W.R. Berkley has higher revenue and earnings than World Access.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

68.8% of W.R. Berkley shares are held by institutional investors. 16.4% of World Access shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 25.1% of W.R. Berkley shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

W.R. Berkley beats World Access on 9 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About World Access

World Access, Inc. operates as a global services company providing solutions in customer care to organizations in the travel, financial, health care, and call center industries. It consists of three full service companies and three specialized services companies. World Access Service Corporation serves companies located in the US and companies that have travelers or employees visiting North America. World Access Canada serves companies located in Canada; and World Access Asia serves companies located in eastern Asia, including Japan. World Access Europe provides members of World Access with logistical and medical support throughout the region. Other companies include World Access Provider Network Services; and World Access Transport Services that manages and coordinates all medical evacuation and repatriation activities for World Access. The company is based in Atlanta, Georgia. In April 2001, the company filed voluntary petitions for Chapter 11 relief in the United States Bankruptcy Court on behalf of itself and certain of its U.S. subsidiaries.

About W.R. Berkley

W. R. Berkley Corporation, an insurance holding company, operates as a commercial lines writers worldwide. It operates in two segments, Insurance and Reinsurance & Monoline Excess. The Insurance segment underwrites commercial insurance business, including excess and surplus lines, admitted lines, and specialty personal lines. This segment also provides accident and health insurance and reinsurance products; insurance for commercial risks; casualty and specialty environmental products; specialized insurance coverages for fine arts and jewelry exposures; excess liability and inland marine coverage for small to medium-sized insureds; and commercial general liability, umbrella, professional liability, directors and officers, commercial property, and surety products, as well as products for technology, and life sciences and travel industries. In addition, this segment offers cyber risk solutions; crime and fidelity insurance products; medical professional coverages; workers' compensation insurance products; general insurance; personal lines insurance solutions, including home, condo/co-op, auto, and collectibles; automobile, law enforcement, public officials and educator's legal, and employment practices liability, as well as incidental medical and property and crime insurance products; at-risk and alternative risk insurance program management services; professional liability; energy and marine risks; and provides insurance products to the Lloyd's marketplace. The Reinsurance & Monoline Excess segment provides treaty and facultative reinsurance solutions; property and casualty reinsurance; facultative reinsurance products include automatic, semi-automatic and individual risk assumed reinsurance; and turnkey products such as cyber, employment practices liability insurance, liquor liability insurance and violent events. The company was founded in 1967 and is headquartered in Greenwich, Connecticut.