Reviewing Smart Sand (NASDAQ:SND) & CES Energy Solutions (OTCMKTS:CESDF)

Smart Sand (NASDAQ:SND) and CES Energy Solutions (OTCMKTS:CESDF) are both energy companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, risk, valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Smart Sand and CES Energy Solutions’ revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Smart Sand	$295.97 million	0.29	$4.65 million	$0.14	14.14
CES Energy Solutions	N/A	N/A	N/A	$0.29	13.94

Smart Sand has higher revenue and earnings than CES Energy Solutions. CES Energy Solutions is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Smart Sand, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Smart Sand and CES Energy Solutions, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Smart Sand	0	1	0	0	2.00
CES Energy Solutions	0	0	0	0	N/A

Smart Sand presently has a consensus target price of $2.75, indicating a potential upside of 38.89%. CES Energy Solutions has a consensus target price of $3.17, indicating a potential downside of 21.52%. Given Smart Sand’s higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe Smart Sand is more favorable than CES Energy Solutions.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

35.2% of Smart Sand shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 42.9% of CES Energy Solutions shares are held by institutional investors. 30.3% of Smart Sand shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Profitability

This table compares Smart Sand and CES Energy Solutions’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Smart Sand	1.57%	1.94%	1.33%
CES Energy Solutions	N/A	N/A	N/A

Summary

Smart Sand beats CES Energy Solutions on 7 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Smart Sand

Smart Sand, Inc., an integrated frac and industrial sand supply and services company, engages in the excavation, processing, and sale of sands or proppant for use in hydraulic fracturing operations in the oil and gas industry in the United States. It also provides proppant logistics services; and wellsite storage solutions through SmartSystems products and services. The company sells its products primarily to oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, oilfield service companies, and industrial manufacturers. Smart Sand, Inc. was incorporated in 2011 and is headquartered in Spring, Texas.

About CES Energy Solutions

CES Energy Solutions Corp., together with its subsidiaries, engages in design, implement, and manufacture of advanced consumable fluids and specialty chemicals in the United States and Canada. The company provides solutions for drill-bit, point of completion and stimulation, wellhead and pump-jack, and pipeline and midstream markets. Its solutions include corrosion inhibitors, demulsifiers, H2S scavengers, paraffin control products, surfactants, scale inhibitors, biocides, and other specialty products. The company also designs and implements drilling fluid systems and completion solutions for oil and natural gas producers; designs and manufactures production and specialty chemicals for use in the oil and natural gas production and industrial markets; designs, blends, and sells specialty drilling fluids; designs, blends, and sells simulation and production chemicals for oil and gas producers; and operates trucks and trailers to transport drilling fluids to operators in the oil and gas industry. In addition, it provides environmental consulting, water management and transfer services, and drilling fluids waste disposal services; and laboratory services. The company was formerly known as Canadian Energy Services & Technology Corp. and changed its name to CES Energy Solutions Corp. in June 2017. CES Energy Solutions Corp. was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.