Critical Analysis: LSL Property Services (OTCMKTS:LSLPF) and Alexander & Baldwin (NYSE:ALEX)

Alexander & Baldwin (NYSE:ALEX) and LSL Property Services (OTCMKTS:LSLPF) are both finance companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk, profitability and earnings.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Alexander & Baldwin and LSL Property Services”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	6.56	$29.80 million	$0.62	30.42
LSL Property Services	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Alexander & Baldwin has higher revenue and earnings than LSL Property Services.

Volatility and Risk

Alexander & Baldwin has a beta of 1.27, meaning that its share price is 27% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, LSL Property Services has a beta of 0.91, meaning that its share price is 9% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Alexander & Baldwin and LSL Property Services’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Alexander & Baldwin	19.64%	5.93%	3.62%
LSL Property Services	N/A	N/A	N/A

Institutional & Insider Ownership

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

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings for Alexander & Baldwin and LSL Property Services, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Alexander & Baldwin	0	0	2	0	3.00
LSL Property Services	0	0	0	0	0.00

Alexander & Baldwin currently has a consensus price target of $22.50, indicating a potential upside of 19.30%. Given Alexander & Baldwin’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Alexander & Baldwin is more favorable than LSL Property Services.

Summary

Alexander & Baldwin beats LSL Property Services on 10 of the 10 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 LSL Property Services

LSL Property Services plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of business-to-business services to mortgage intermediaries and estate agency franchisees, and valuation services to lenders in the United Kingdom. The company operates through three segments: Financial Services, Surveying & Valuation, and Estate Agency Franchising. The Financial Services segment offers compliance and other services to mortgage and insurance networks. The Surveying & Valuation segment provides valuations and professional surveying services of residential properties to various lenders and individual customers; data services to lenders; and asset management services, including managing the sale of residential properties on behalf of corporate clients and property investors. The Estate Agency Franchising segment offers brand marketing, and commercial and information technology support services under brands, including Your Move and Reeds Rains, as well as various local brands; repossession services; and conveyancing panel management and support services to its franchisees and their customers. It also offers business and domestic software development; and conveyancing packaging services. The company was incorporated in 2004 and is based in Newcastle upon Tyne, the United Kingdom.