WillScot (NASDAQ:WSC – Get Free Report) and American Realty Investors (NYSE:ARL – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, valuation, profitability, risk and dividends.
Analyst Ratings
This is a summary of current ratings and price targets for WillScot and American Realty Investors, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| WillScot | 1 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2.20 |
| American Realty Investors | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
WillScot currently has a consensus target price of $25.50, indicating a potential upside of 41.75%. Given WillScot’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe WillScot is more favorable than American Realty Investors.
Earnings & Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| WillScot | $2.28 billion | 1.43 | -$52.99 million | ($0.30) | -59.97 |
| American Realty Investors | $50.01 million | 4.91 | -$14.70 million | $0.97 | 15.68 |
American Realty Investors has lower revenue, but higher earnings than WillScot. WillScot is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than American Realty Investors, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Profitability
This table compares WillScot and American Realty Investors’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| WillScot | -2.32% | 20.42% | 3.37% |
| American Realty Investors | 31.40% | 0.16% | 0.12% |
Risk and Volatility
WillScot has a beta of 1.08, meaning that its stock price is 8% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, American Realty Investors has a beta of 0.69, meaning that its stock price is 31% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
95.8% of WillScot shares are held by institutional investors. 3.1% of WillScot shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 90.8% of American Realty Investors shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Summary
WillScot beats American Realty Investors on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About WillScot
WillScot Holdings Corporation provides workspace and portable storage solutions in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. It operates in two segments, Modular Solutions and Storage Solutions. Its modular solutions include panelized and stackable offices, single-wide modular space units, section modulars and redi-plex, classrooms, ground level offices, blast-resistant modules, clearspan structures, and other modular space; and portable storage solutions, such as portable and cold storage containers, as well as trailers. The company leases modular space and portable storage units to customers in the construction, commercial and industrial, retail and wholesale trade, energy and natural resources, education, government and institutions, and healthcare markets. The company offers its solutions primarily under the WillScot and Mobile Mini brand names. The company was formerly known as WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. and changed its name to WillScot Holdings Corporation in July 2024. WillScot Mobile Mini Holdings Corp. is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona.
About American Realty Investors
American Realty Investors, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, acquires, develops, owns, and manages multifamily and commercial real estate properties in the Southern United States. It operates through two segments, Residential and Commercial. The company leases apartment units to residents; and office, industrial, and retail space to various for-profit businesses, as well as local, state, and federal agencies. It also offers tenant services, including parking and storage space rental; and sells land and properties. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is based in Dallas, Texas. American Realty Investors, Inc. is a subsidiary of Realty Advisors, Inc.
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