Contrasting RigNet (NASDAQ:RNET) & Profire Energy (PFIE)

RigNet (NASDAQ: RNET) and Profire Energy (NASDAQ:PFIE) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, analyst recommendations, profitabiliy, dividends, earnings and risk.

Profitability

This table compares RigNet and Profire Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
RigNet	-5.79%	-10.36%	-5.04%
Profire Energy	2.85%	1.57%	1.51%

Risk and Volatility

RigNet has a beta of 0.84, suggesting that its share price is 16% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Profire Energy has a beta of 1.68, suggesting that its share price is 68% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

99.3% of RigNet shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 19.9% of Profire Energy shares are held by institutional investors. 1.2% of RigNet shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 58.7% of Profire Energy shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for RigNet and Profire Energy, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
RigNet	0	2	1	0	2.33
Profire Energy	0	0	1	0	3.00

RigNet currently has a consensus target price of $20.50, indicating a potential upside of 7.61%. Profire Energy has a consensus target price of $2.15, indicating a potential upside of 65.38%. Given Profire Energy’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Profire Energy is more favorable than RigNet.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares RigNet and Profire Energy’s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	EBITDA	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
RigNet	$206.35 million	1.66	$25.82 million	($0.68)	-28.01
Profire Energy	$24.60 million	2.65	$2.27 million	$0.01	130.13

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

Summary

Profire Energy beats RigNet on 9 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About RigNet

RigNet, Inc. (RigNet) provides customized systems and solutions serving customers with data networking and operational requirements. The Company provides voice and data network, video conferencing and monitoring, crew welfare, asset and weather monitoring, and real-time data services. It operates through two segments: Managed Services, and Systems Integration and Automation (SI&A). The Managed Services segment provides remote communications services for offshore and onshore drilling rigs and production facilities, as well as, support vessels and other remote sites. The SI&A segment provides customized solutions for customer telecommunications systems. As of December 31, 2016, the Company provided remote communications and collaborative services to approximately 500 customers reaching approximately 900 remote sites located in approximately 50 countries on six continents. It provides managed remote communications, engineered telecommunications solutions and applications.

About Profire Energy

Profire Energy, Inc. is an oilfield technology company. The Company is primarily engaged in the business of developing combustion management technologies for the oil and gas industry. It specializes in the creation of burner-management systems, used on a range of oilfield natural-draft fire tube vessels. It offers burner-management systems, which help to ignite, monitor and manage the burner flame. Its solution, the PF3100, helps manage and synchronize custom applications helping oilfield producers meet deadlines through an off-the-shelf solution with dynamic customization. It also sells complementary oilfield products. Such products help manage fuel flow (such as valves and fuel trains), meter air flow (such as airplates), generate power on-site (such as solar packages), ignite and direct flame (such as flare stack igniter and nozzles), and other functions. In addition to the burner-management systems and complementary technologies, it also offers chemical-management systems.