Comparing Liberty Global (NASDAQ:LBTYA) & Viper Networks (OTCMKTS:VPER)

Liberty Global (NASDAQ:LBTYA) and Viper Networks (OTCMKTS:VPER) are both utilities companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, profitability, dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and risk.

Risk and Volatility

Liberty Global has a beta of 0.9, meaning that its share price is 10% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Viper Networks has a beta of -0.25, meaning that its share price is 125% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and target prices for Liberty Global and Viper Networks, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Liberty Global	1	4	2	0	2.14
Viper Networks	0	0	0	0	0.00

Liberty Global presently has a consensus price target of $16.15, suggesting a potential upside of 32.27%. Given Liberty Global’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Liberty Global is more favorable than Viper Networks.

Profitability

This table compares Liberty Global and Viper Networks’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Liberty Global	-109.64%	-47.65%	-22.51%
Viper Networks	-3.80%	N/A	N/A

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Liberty Global and Viper Networks”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Liberty Global	$4.98 billion	0.83	-$7.14 billion	($16.00)	-0.76
Viper Networks	$5.55 million	0.37	-$130,000.00	N/A	N/A

Viper Networks has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Liberty Global.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

37.2% of Liberty Global shares are held by institutional investors. 4.3% of Liberty Global shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Liberty Global beats Viper Networks on 8 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Liberty Global

Liberty Global Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides broadband internet, video, fixed-line telephony, and mobile communications services to residential and business customers. It offers value-added broadband services, such as WiFi features, security, anti-virus, firewall, spam protection, smart home services, online storage solutions, and web spaces; and Connect Box that delivers in-home Wi-Fi service. The company provides various tiers of digital video programming and audio services, as well as digital video recorders and multimedia home gateway systems; Horizon 5, a cloud-based, multi-screen entertainment platform that combines linear television, including recording and replay features and video-on-demand services; Horizon Go, an online mobile app; and channels, including general entertainment, sports, movies, series, documentaries, lifestyles, news, adult, children, and ethnic and foreign channels. In addition, it offers postpaid and prepaid mobile services; circuit-switched telephony services; and personal call manager, unified messaging, and a second or third phone line at an incremental cost. Further, the company offers business services comprising voice, advanced data, video, wireless, cloud-based services, and mobile and converged fixed-mobile services to small or home offices, small businesses, and medium and large enterprises, as well as on a wholesale basis to other operators. It operates in Belgium, Switzerland, Ireland, Slovakia, and internationally. Liberty Global Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

About Viper Networks

Viper Networks, Inc. manufactures and distributes LED lighting products. The company provides CyberGrab; Vnet, a communication application; Viper unified communications platform for carriers and providers; VRoom; parking lot lightings system; and solar power and telecom systems, as well as intelligent lighting solutions with camera, sensor, and wireless technologies. Its products are used in street, roadway, security, parking lot, and billboard lighting. Viper Networks, Inc. was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Troy, Michigan.