Corning Natural Gas (OTCMKTS:CNIG) vs. Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) Financial Comparison

Corning Natural Gas (OTCMKTS:CNIG) and Atmos Energy (NYSE:ATO) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, dividends, institutional ownership and profitability.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent ratings for Corning Natural Gas and Atmos Energy, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Corning Natural Gas	0	0	0	0	0.00
Atmos Energy	0	5	4	2	2.73

Atmos Energy has a consensus target price of $156.95, indicating a potential upside of 0.60%. Given Atmos Energy’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Atmos Energy is more favorable than Corning Natural Gas.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

90.2% of Atmos Energy shares are held by institutional investors. 31.0% of Corning Natural Gas shares are held by insiders. Comparatively, 0.5% of Atmos Energy shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Corning Natural Gas and Atmos Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Corning Natural Gas	N/A	N/A	N/A
Atmos Energy	25.35%	9.05%	4.39%

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Corning Natural Gas and Atmos Energy”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Corning Natural Gas	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Atmos Energy	$4.49 billion	5.52	$1.04 billion	$7.20	21.67

Atmos Energy has higher revenue and earnings than Corning Natural Gas.

Summary

Atmos Energy beats Corning Natural Gas on 9 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Corning Natural Gas

Corning Natural Gas Holding Corporation, through its subsidiaries, distributes natural gas and electricity. The company offers natural gas to approximately 15,000 customers through approximately 434 miles of distribution main and 86 regulating stations; and electricity to approximately 4,900 customers through approximately 160 miles of electric distribution wire and poles, and 20 miles of gas distribution pipe. It also owns 4 gate stations and approximately 18 miles of pipe in Susquehanna and Bradford Counties, Pennsylvania. The company serves residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in the Corning, Hammondsport, and Virgil areas, as well as in Pike county; and distributes to 2 other gas utilities that serve the Elmira and Bath areas of New York. The company was incorporated in 1904 and is headquartered in Corning, New York. As of July 6, 2022, Corning Natural Gas Holding Corporation was taken private.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states. This segment distributes natural gas to approximately 3.3 million residential, commercial, public authority, and industrial customers; and owned 73,689 miles of underground distribution and transmission mains. The Pipeline and Storage segment engages in the pipeline and storage operations. This segment transports natural gas for third parties and manages five underground storage facilities in Texas; provides ancillary services customary to the pipeline industry, including parking arrangements, lending, and inventory sales; and owned 5,645 miles of gas transmission lines. Atmos Energy Corporation was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.