Metals Acquisition (NYSE:MTAL) & TMC the metals (NASDAQ:TMC) Head-To-Head Contrast

Metals Acquisition (NYSE:MTAL) and TMC the metals (NASDAQ:TMC) are both small-cap basic materials companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, valuation and dividends.

Profitability

This table compares Metals Acquisition and TMC the metals’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Metals Acquisition	N/A	N/A	N/A
TMC the metals	N/A	-624.70%	-155.10%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for Metals Acquisition and TMC the metals, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Metals Acquisition	0	2	1	0	2.33
TMC the metals	0	1	2	0	2.67

Metals Acquisition presently has a consensus target price of $12.00, suggesting a potential downside of 2.20%. TMC the metals has a consensus target price of $5.08, suggesting a potential upside of 8.39%. Given TMC the metals’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe TMC the metals is more favorable than Metals Acquisition.

Volatility and Risk

Metals Acquisition has a beta of 0.2, suggesting that its stock price is 80% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, TMC the metals has a beta of 1.33, suggesting that its stock price is 33% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Metals Acquisition and TMC the metals”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Metals Acquisition	$340.74 million	2.97	-$144.55 million	N/A	N/A
TMC the metals	N/A	N/A	-$73.78 million	($0.23)	-20.39

TMC the metals has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Metals Acquisition.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

87.5% of Metals Acquisition shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 4.4% of TMC the metals shares are held by institutional investors. 1.8% of Metals Acquisition shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 30.0% of TMC the metals shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

TMC the metals beats Metals Acquisition on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Metals Acquisition

Metals Acquisition Limited focuses on mining and production of copper and silver. It operates the CSA copper mine in Cobar, Australia. The company was incorporated in 2022 and is headquartered in Saint Helier, Jersey.

About TMC the metals

TMC the metals company Inc., a deep-sea minerals exploration company, focuses on the collection, processing, and refining of polymetallic nodules found on the seafloor in California. It primarily explores for nickel, cobalt, copper, and manganese products. The company holds exploration and commercial rights in three polymetallic nodule contract areas in the Clarion Clipperton Zone of the Pacific Ocean. Its products are used in electric vehicles (EV), renewable energy storage markets, EV wiring, energy transmission, manganese alloy production required for steel production, and other applications. The company was formerly known as Sustainable Opportunities Acquisition Corporation and changed its name to TMC the metals company Inc. TMC the metals company Inc. was founded in 2011 and is based in Vancouver, Canada.