Sociedad Quimica y Minera (NYSE:SQM) versus Bioceres Crop Solutions (NASDAQ:BIOX) Financial Analysis

Bioceres Crop Solutions (NASDAQ:BIOX) and Sociedad Quimica y Minera (NYSE:SQM) are both materials companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, earnings and institutional ownership.

Profitability

This table compares Bioceres Crop Solutions and Sociedad Quimica y Minera’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Bioceres Crop Solutions	-94.76%	-39.11%	-9.45%
Sociedad Quimica y Minera	20.62%	18.20%	9.46%

Volatility & Risk

Bioceres Crop Solutions has a beta of 0.54, indicating that its share price is 46% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Sociedad Quimica y Minera has a beta of 1.1, indicating that its share price is 10% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings for Bioceres Crop Solutions and Sociedad Quimica y Minera, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Bioceres Crop Solutions	1	1	0	0	1.50
Sociedad Quimica y Minera	2	5	5	1	2.38

Bioceres Crop Solutions presently has a consensus price target of $2.00, indicating a potential upside of 729.88%. Sociedad Quimica y Minera has a consensus price target of $82.00, indicating a potential upside of 41.73%. Given Bioceres Crop Solutions’ higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Bioceres Crop Solutions is more favorable than Sociedad Quimica y Minera.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Bioceres Crop Solutions and Sociedad Quimica y Minera”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Bioceres Crop Solutions	$237.80 million	0.06	-$54.40 million	($3.66)	-0.07
Sociedad Quimica y Minera	$4.58 billion	3.61	$588.14 million	$4.85	11.93

Sociedad Quimica y Minera has higher revenue and earnings than Bioceres Crop Solutions. Bioceres Crop Solutions is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Sociedad Quimica y Minera, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

17.7% of Bioceres Crop Solutions shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 12.4% of Sociedad Quimica y Minera shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.3% of Bioceres Crop Solutions shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Sociedad Quimica y Minera beats Bioceres Crop Solutions on 12 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Bioceres Crop Solutions

Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp., together with its subsidiaries, provides crop productivity solutions. It operates through Seed and Integrated Products, Crop Protection, and Crop Nutrition segments. The Seed and Integrated Products segment provides seed traits, germplasms, and seed treatment packs for healthier, and higher yielding crops. The Crop Protection segment develops, produces, and markets Rizoderma, adjuvants, therapies, herbicides, insecticides, fungicides, and baits. The Crop Nutrition segment develops, produces, commercializes, and sells inoculants, bio-inductors, and biological and microgranulated fertilizers. It also offers HB4, a drought tolerant seed technology program. The company operates in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Estonia, the United States, Paraguay, Russia, South Africa, France, Uruguay, and internationally. Bioceres Crop Solutions Corp. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Rosario, Argentina.

About Sociedad Quimica y Minera

Sociedad Química y Minera de Chile S.A. operates as a mining company worldwide. The company offers specialty plant nutrients, including sodium potassium nitrate, specialty blends, and other specialty fertilizers under Ultrasol, Qrop, Speedfol, Allganic, Ultrasoline, ProP, and Prohydric brands. It also provides iodine and its derivatives for use in medical, agricultural, industrial, and human and animal nutrition products comprising x-ray contrast media, biocides, antiseptics and disinfectants, pharmaceutical intermediates, polarizing films for LCD and LED screens, chemicals, organic compounds, and pigments, as well as added to edible salt to prevent iodine deficiency disorders. In addition, the company produces lithium carbonate and lithium hydroxide which are used in the production of cathode material for secondary batteries; lithium chloride; and basic lithium chemicals and lithium derivatives used in lubricating greases for heat-resistant glass, chips for the ceramic and glazing industry, and air conditioning chemicals, as well as other pharmaceutical syntheses and metal alloys. Further, it produces potassium sulfate; and potassium chloride which is used as a fertilizer for the application of potassium to different crops. Additionally, the company produces and markets industrial chemicals, such as sodium nitrate mainly used in the production of glass and explosives, metal processing and recycling, and production of insulating materials and adhesives; potassium nitrate used as a raw material to produce frits and special glass, as well as in the enamel, metal treatment, and pyrotechnic sectors; solar salts used as a thermal storage medium in solar power generation plants; and potassium chloride as an additive in oil drilling and food processing sectors. Furthermore, it is involved in the commercialization of third-party fertilizers; and exploration of copper, gold, and silver deposits. The company was founded in 1926 and is headquartered in Santiago, Chile.