Critical Analysis: Alexander & Baldwin (NYSE:ALEX) versus CV (OTCMKTS:CVHL)

Alexander & Baldwin (NYSE:ALEX) and CV (OTCMKTS:CVHL) are both small-cap finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, risk and dividends.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Alexander & Baldwin and CV, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Alexander & Baldwin	0	2	1	0	2.33
CV	0	0	0	0	N/A

Alexander & Baldwin currently has a consensus price target of $18.50, indicating a potential upside of 9.27%. Given Alexander & Baldwin’s higher probable upside, research analysts plainly believe Alexander & Baldwin is more favorable than CV.

Profitability

This table compares Alexander & Baldwin and CV’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Alexander & Baldwin	20.25%	4.76%	2.82%
CV	N/A	N/A	N/A

Risk and Volatility

Alexander & Baldwin has a beta of 1.21, meaning that its share price is 21% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, CV has a beta of 0.43, meaning that its share price is 57% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

91.3% of Alexander & Baldwin shares are held by institutional investors. 0.7% of Alexander & Baldwin shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 7.6% of CV shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Alexander & Baldwin and CV’s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Alexander & Baldwin	$208.90 million	5.88	$29.80 million	$0.61	27.75
CV	$23.58 million	0.05	-$15.96 million	N/A	N/A

Alexander & Baldwin has higher revenue and earnings than CV.

Summary

Alexander & Baldwin beats CV on 10 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Alexander & Baldwin

Alexander & Baldwin, Inc. (NYSE: ALEX) (A&B) is the only publicly-traded real estate investment trust to focus exclusively on Hawai'i commercial real estate and is the state's largest owner of grocery-anchored, neighborhood shopping centers. A&B owns, operates and manages approximately 3.9 million square feet of commercial space in Hawai'i, including 22 retail centers, 13 industrial assets and four office properties, as well as 142.0 acres of ground lease assets. A&B is expanding and strengthening its CRE portfolio and achieving its strategic focus on commercial real estate in Hawai'i. Over its 154-year history, A&B has evolved with the state's economy and played a leadership role in the development of the agricultural, transportation, tourism, construction, residential and commercial real estate industries.

About CV

CV Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty finance company. It owns finance platforms across various businesses, including small-ticket equipment financing and commercial real estate bridge lending. CV Holdings, Inc. was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Newport Beach, California.