Head-To-Head Analysis: CAE (NYSE:CAE) versus Applied Visual Sciences (OTCMKTS:APVS)

CAE (NYSE:CAE) and Applied Visual Sciences (OTCMKTS:APVS) are both aerospace companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their dividends, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, institutional ownership, profitability and earnings.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for CAE and Applied Visual Sciences, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
CAE	0	6	4	2	2.67
Applied Visual Sciences	0	0	0	0	0.00

CAE presently has a consensus price target of $33.00, suggesting a potential upside of 14.54%. Given CAE’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe CAE is more favorable than Applied Visual Sciences.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

67.4% of CAE shares are owned by institutional investors. 18.3% of CAE shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 33.0% of Applied Visual Sciences shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares CAE and Applied Visual Sciences’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
CAE	8.55%	8.17%	3.58%
Applied Visual Sciences	N/A	N/A	N/A

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares CAE and Applied Visual Sciences”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
CAE	$3.28 billion	2.81	$291.29 million	$0.90	32.01
Applied Visual Sciences	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

CAE has higher revenue and earnings than Applied Visual Sciences.

Summary

CAE beats Applied Visual Sciences on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About CAE

CAE Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides simulation training and critical operations support solutions in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Europe, Asia, the Oceania, Africa, and Rest of the Americas. It operates through two segments, Civil Aviation; and Defense and Security. The Civil Aviation segment offers training solutions for flight, cabin, maintenance, and ground personnel in commercial, business, and helicopter aviation; a range of flight simulation training devices; and ab initio pilot training and crew sourcing services, as well as aircraft flight operations solutions. The Defense and Security segment operates as a training and simulation provider that delivers platform-independent solutions to enable and enhance force readiness and security for defense forces, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), government agencies, and public safety organizations. The company was formerly known as CAE Industries Ltd. and changed its name to CAE Inc. in 1993. CAE Inc. was incorporated in 1947 and is headquartered in Saint-Laurent, Canada.

About Applied Visual Sciences

Applied Visual Sciences, Inc., a software technology company, designs and develops computer-vision detection solutions based on image processing science for aviation/homeland security and healthcare markets. It utilizes imaging technologies and analytics to create integrated information management technology products and services that address problems for corporations and governmental agencies. The company offers PinPoint, an intelligent computer-vision automated target recognition technology for the detection of guns, explosives, and other threat items contained in baggage in the airport environment or for building security applications; and Signature Mapping platform technology for use in the imaging field of diagnostic radiology and pathology. It also provides Signature Mapping Detection System, an automated hardware-software laboratory solution used to operate various infectious disease applications through multi-threaded detection algorithms. In addition, the company offers Signature Mapping Tuberculosis Detection software, an automated hardware and software technology platform; and Signature Mapping Breast Cancer Detection, a breast cancer detection solution. Applied Visual Sciences, Inc. markets its products through direct sales and indirect distribution channels worldwide. The company was formerly known as Guardian Technologies International, Inc. and changed its name to Applied Visual Sciences, Inc. in July 2010. Applied Visual Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is based in Leesburg, Virginia.