U.S. Silica (NYSE:SLCA – Get Rating) and Atlas Energy Solutions (NYSE:AESI – Get Rating) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, valuation and risk.
Profitability
This table compares U.S. Silica and Atlas Energy Solutions’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| U.S. Silica | 7.89% | 21.36% | 6.36% |
| Atlas Energy Solutions | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares U.S. Silica and Atlas Energy Solutions’ gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| U.S. Silica | $1.53 billion | 0.61 | $78.18 million | $1.67 | 7.18 |
| Atlas Energy Solutions | $482.72 million | 3.51 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for U.S. Silica and Atlas Energy Solutions, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| U.S. Silica | 0 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2.25 |
| Atlas Energy Solutions | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 3.11 |
U.S. Silica presently has a consensus target price of $16.75, indicating a potential upside of 39.70%. Atlas Energy Solutions has a consensus target price of $24.44, indicating a potential upside of 44.22%. Given Atlas Energy Solutions’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Atlas Energy Solutions is more favorable than U.S. Silica.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
82.7% of U.S. Silica shares are owned by institutional investors. 3.7% of U.S. Silica shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Summary
U.S. Silica beats Atlas Energy Solutions on 6 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.
About U.S. Silica
U.S. Silica Holdings, Inc. engages in the provision of commercial silica products. It operates through the following segments: Oil and Gas Proppants, and Industrial and Specialty Products. The Oil and Gas Proppants segment focuses on delivering fracturing sand, which is pumped down oil and natural gas wells to prop open rock fissures and increase the flow rate of natural gas and oil from the wells. The Industrial and Specialty products segment consists of products and materials used in various industries, including container glass, fiberglass, specialty glass, flat glass, building products, fillers and extenders, foundry products, chemicals, recreation products and filtration products. The company was founded on November 14, 2008 and is headquartered in Katy, TX.
About Atlas Energy Solutions
Atlas Energy Solutions Inc. is a provider of proppant and logistics services to customers engaged in the oil and natural gas industry principally within the Permian Basin of West Texas and New Mexico. Atlas Energy Solutions Inc. is based in AUSTIN, Texas.
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