Critical Contrast: SEACOR Marine (NYSE:SMHI) & Caravelle International Group (NASDAQ:CACO)

SEACOR Marine (NYSE:SMHI) and Caravelle International Group (NASDAQ:CACO) are both small-cap transportation companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, risk, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings and valuation.

Profitability

This table compares SEACOR Marine and Caravelle International Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
SEACOR Marine	-3.38%	-2.52%	-1.18%
Caravelle International Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings for SEACOR Marine and Caravelle International Group, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
SEACOR Marine	0	0	1	0	3.00
Caravelle International Group	0	0	0	0	N/A

SEACOR Marine currently has a consensus price target of $17.00, indicating a potential upside of 34.28%. Given SEACOR Marine’s higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe SEACOR Marine is more favorable than Caravelle International Group.

Volatility & Risk

SEACOR Marine has a beta of 1.22, suggesting that its stock price is 22% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Caravelle International Group has a beta of 0.45, suggesting that its stock price is 55% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

59.1% of SEACOR Marine shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.2% of Caravelle International Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 14.6% of SEACOR Marine shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares SEACOR Marine and Caravelle International Group’s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
SEACOR Marine	$279.51 million	1.25	-$9.31 million	($0.36)	-35.17
Caravelle International Group	$185.35 million	0.28	$12.23 million	N/A	N/A

Caravelle International Group has lower revenue, but higher earnings than SEACOR Marine.

Summary

SEACOR Marine beats Caravelle International Group on 7 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About SEACOR Marine

SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. provides marine and support transportation services to offshore oil, natural gas, and windfarm facilities worldwide. Its offshore support and specialty vessels deliver cargo and personnel to offshore installations, including offshore wind farms; handle anchors and mooring equipment for offshore rigs and platforms; assist offshore operations for production and storage facilities; provide construction, well work-over, and offshore wind farm installation and decommissioning support; and carry and launch equipment used underwater in drilling and well installation, maintenance, inspection, and repair, as well as offer accommodations for technicians and specialists, safety support, and emergency response services. As of December 31, 2023, the company operated a fleet of 58 support vessels, of which 55 were owned or leased-in, and three were managed on behalf of unaffiliated third parties. It serves integrated national and international oil companies, independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, and oil field service and construction companies, as well as offshore wind farm operators and offshore wind farm installation and maintenance companies. SEACOR Marine Holdings Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

About Caravelle International Group

Caravelle International Group, through its subsidiaries, provides ocean transportation services in Singapore and internationally. The company operates through two segments, Ocean Transportation and Heating Business. It provides international shipping services and carbon-neutral solutions for wood desiccation. The company also provides seaborne transportation services under the voyage contracts. In addition, it provides vessel services on behalf of ship owners. The company is headquartered in Singapore.