Critical Analysis: PTL (NASDAQ:PTLE) versus World Kinect (NYSE:WKC)

PTL (NASDAQ:PTLE) and World Kinect (NYSE:WKC) are both small-cap transportation companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, profitability, earnings, valuation, analyst recommendations and dividends.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

97.1% of World Kinect shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.9% of World Kinect shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares PTL and World Kinect’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
PTL	N/A	N/A	N/A
World Kinect	0.16%	6.43%	1.82%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for PTL and World Kinect, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
PTL	0	0	0	0	0.00
World Kinect	2	2	0	0	1.50

World Kinect has a consensus target price of $29.25, indicating a potential upside of 23.01%. Given World Kinect’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe World Kinect is more favorable than PTL.

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares PTL and World Kinect”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
PTL	$108.13 million	0.16	N/A	N/A	N/A
World Kinect	$42.17 billion	0.03	$52.90 million	$1.06	22.43

World Kinect has higher revenue and earnings than PTL.

Summary

World Kinect beats PTL on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About PTL

PTL Limited is an established bunkering facilitator providing marine fuel logistics services for vessel refueling, primarily container ships, bulk carriers, general cargo vessels and chemical tankers principally serving the Asia Pacific market. PTL Limited is based in Hong Kong.

About World Kinect

World Kinect Corporation operates as an energy management company in the United States, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. This segment also offers fuel management, price risk management, ground handling, dispatch services, and trip planning services, such as flight planning and scheduling, weather reports and overflight permits; payment and processing services; and operates a web-based marketplace platform. The Land segment offers fuel, lubricants, heating oil, and related products and services to retail petroleum operators, as well as industrial, commercial, residential and government customers. This segment also provides sustainability solutions, such as renewable fuel products, carbon management, and renewable energy solutions; distributes fuel under long-term contracts to branded and unbranded distributors, convenience stores, and retail fuel outlets operated by third parties; distributes heating oil and unbranded fuel; and transportation logistics. The Marine segment markets fuel, lubricants, and related products and services to international container, dry bulk and tanker fleets, commercial cruise lines, yachts and time charter operators, offshore rig owners and operators, the U.S. and foreign governments, and other fuel suppliers. This segment also offers marine fuel-related services include management services to procurement of fuel, price risk management, cost control, quality control, and claims management services; and engages in the fueling of vessels, and transportation and delivery of fuel and fuel-related products. The company was formerly known as World Fuel Services Corporation and changed its name to World Kinect Corporation in June 2023. World Kinect Corporation was incorporated in 1984 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.