Critical Comparison: Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) & Freestone Resources (OTCMKTS:FSNR)

Freestone Resources (OTCMKTS:FSNR) and Core Laboratories (NYSE:CLB) are both energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations, dividends, valuation, earnings and profitability.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

97.8% of Core Laboratories shares are held by institutional investors. 13.3% of Freestone Resources shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.9% of Core Laboratories shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Freestone Resources and Core Laboratories’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Freestone Resources	N/A	N/A	N/A
Core Laboratories	5.41%	15.06%	6.45%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Freestone Resources and Core Laboratories”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Freestone Resources	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Core Laboratories	$523.85 million	1.02	$31.40 million	$0.59	19.23

Core Laboratories has higher revenue and earnings than Freestone Resources.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and recommmendations for Freestone Resources and Core Laboratories, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Freestone Resources	0	0	0	0	0.00
Core Laboratories	0	2	0	0	2.00

Core Laboratories has a consensus price target of $12.50, indicating a potential upside of 10.16%. Given Core Laboratories’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Core Laboratories is more favorable than Freestone Resources.

Summary

Core Laboratories beats Freestone Resources on 7 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Freestone Resources

Freestone Resources, Inc. is an oil and gas technology development company, which engages in the development and marketing of technologies and solvents. The company was founded on January 22, 1997 and is headquartered in Ennis, TX.

About Core Laboratories

Core Laboratories Inc. provides reservoir description and production enhancement services and products to the oil and gas industry in the United States, and internationally. It operates through Reservoir Description and Production Enhancement segments. The Reservoir Description segment includes the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock and reservoir fluid samples to enhance production and improve recovery of crude oil and gas from its clients' reservoirs. It offers laboratory-based analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and oil delivered products; and proprietary and joint industry studies, as well as services that support carbon capture, utilization and storage, geothermal projects, and the evaluation and appraisal of mining activities. The Production Enhancement segment provides services and products relating to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, production, and well abandonment. It offers integrated diagnostic services to evaluate and monitor the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to improve the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The company markets and sells its products through a combination of sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through distributors. Core Laboratories Inc. was founded in 1936 and is based in Houston, Texas.