Reviewing Post (NYSE:POST) and Bunzl (OTCMKTS:BZLFY)

Post (NYSE:POST) and Bunzl (OTCMKTS:BZLFY) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, valuation, institutional ownership, earnings, analyst recommendations and profitability.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Post and Bunzl”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Post	$8.16 billion	0.61	$335.70 million	$5.41	19.08
Bunzl	$15.62 billion	0.69	$605.55 million	N/A	N/A

Bunzl has higher revenue and earnings than Post.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings and recommmendations for Post and Bunzl, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Post	0	4	5	0	2.56
Bunzl	0	5	0	0	2.00

Post presently has a consensus target price of $124.50, indicating a potential upside of 20.61%. Given Post’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe Post is more favorable than Bunzl.

Profitability

This table compares Post and Bunzl’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Post	3.82%	12.37%	3.54%
Bunzl	N/A	N/A	N/A

Risk & Volatility

Post has a beta of 0.44, meaning that its share price is 56% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Bunzl has a beta of 0.85, meaning that its share price is 15% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

94.9% of Post shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.1% of Bunzl shares are owned by institutional investors. 14.1% of Post shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of Bunzl shares are owned 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

Post beats Bunzl on 8 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Post

Post Holdings, Inc. operates as a consumer packaged goods holding company in the United States and internationally. It operates through four segments: Post Consumer Brands, Weetabix, Foodservice, and Refrigerated Retail. The Post Consumer Brands segment manufactures, markets, and sells branded and private label ready-to-eat (RTE) cereals under Honey Bunches of Oats, Pebbles, and Malt-O-Meal brand names; hot cereal; peanut butter under the Peter Pan brand; and branded and private label dog and cat food products under Rachael Ray Nutrish, Nature's Recipe, 9Lives, Kibbles 'n Bits and Gravy Train brand names. The Weetabix segment primarily manufactures, markets, and distributes branded and private label RTE cereal under Weetabix and Alpen brands; hot cereals and other cereal-based food products; breakfast drinks; protein-based shakes under the UFIT brand, and nutritional snacks, such as muesli. The Foodservice segment produces and distributes egg products primarily under Papetti's and Abbotsford Farms brands, as well as potato products in the foodservice and food ingredient channels. The segment also manufactures certain meat products. The Refrigerated Retail segment produces and distributes side dish, potato, sausage products under Bob Evans, Bob Evans Farms, and Simply Potatoes brands; eggs and egg products under Bob Evans Egg Whites and Egg Beaters brands; and cheese, and other dairy and refrigerated products under Crystal Farms brand. It serves grocery stores, mass merchandise customers, supercenters, club stores, natural/specialty stores, dollar stores, discounters, wholesalers, convenience stores, pet supply retailers, drug store customers, foodservice distributors, and national restaurant chains, as well as sells its products in the military, ecommerce, and foodservice channels. The company was founded in 1895 and is headquartered in Saint Louis, Missouri.

About Bunzl

Bunzl plc operates as a distribution and services company in the North America, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Ireland, and internationally. The company offers food packaging, films, labels, cleaning and hygiene supplies, and personal protection equipment to grocery stores, supermarkets, and convenience stores. It also provides food packaging, disposable tableware, guest amenities, catering equipment, agricultural supplies, cleaning and hygiene products, and safety items to hotels, restaurants, contract caterers, food processors, commercial growers, and the leisure sector; and gloves, boots, hard hats, ear and eye protection, and other workwear, as well as cleaning and hygiene supplies, and asset protection products to industrial and construction, and ecommerce sectors. In addition, the company offers chemicals and hygiene paper to cleaning and facilities management companies, and industrial and public sector customers; gloves, masks, swabs, gowns, bandages, and other healthcare related equipment; and healthcare devices to hospitals, care homes, and other facilities serving the healthcare sector. Further, it provides packaging and other store supplies to retail chains, boutiques, department stores, home improvement chains, office supply companies, and related e-commerce sales channels. Bunzl plc was founded in 1854 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.