Financial Comparison: PTL (NASDAQ:PTLE) versus Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH)

PTL (NASDAQ:PTLE) and Universal Logistics (NASDAQ:ULH) are both small-cap transportation companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, risk, valuation, profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares PTL and Universal Logistics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
PTL	N/A	N/A	N/A
Universal Logistics	-2.46%	6.49%	2.26%

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for PTL and Universal Logistics, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
PTL	1	0	0	0	1.00
Universal Logistics	1	2	0	0	1.67

Universal Logistics has a consensus price target of $17.00, suggesting a potential downside of 1.59%. Given Universal Logistics’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Universal Logistics is more favorable than PTL.

Risk and Volatility

PTL has a beta of -0.46, suggesting that its share price is 146% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Universal Logistics has a beta of 0.93, suggesting that its share price is 7% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares PTL and Universal Logistics”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
PTL	$91.42 million	0.59	-$4.98 million	N/A	N/A
Universal Logistics	$1.64 billion	0.28	$129.91 million	($1.52)	-11.37

Universal Logistics has higher revenue and earnings than PTL.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

25.5% of Universal Logistics shares are held by institutional investors. 73.6% of Universal Logistics shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Universal Logistics beats PTL on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About PTL

PTL Limited is an established bunkering facilitator providing marine fuel logistics services for vessel refueling, primarily container ships, bulk carriers, general cargo vessels and chemical tankers principally serving the Asia Pacific market. PTL Limited is based in Hong Kong.

About Universal Logistics

Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. provides transportation and logistics solutions in the United States, Mexico, Canada, and Colombia. The company offers truckload services, which include dry van, flatbed, heavy-haul, and refrigerated operations; domestic and international freight forwarding, and customs brokerage services. It transports various commodities comprising automotive parts, machinery, building materials, paper, food, consumer goods, furniture, steel, and other metals. The company also provides value-added services for individual customer requirements, including material handling, consolidation, sequencing, sub-assembly, cross-dock, kitting, repacking, warehousing, and returnable container management; and intermodal support services comprising short-to-medium distance delivery of steamship and rail truck containers between the port or railhead, and the customer. It serves automotive, steel, and other metals, retail and consumer goods, energy, and manufacturing industries, as well as other transportation companies who aggregate loads from various shippers. The company was formerly known as Universal Truckload Services, Inc. and changed its name to Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. in April 2016. Universal Logistics Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1932 and is headquartered in Warren, Michigan.