Head to Head Analysis: Actelis Networks (NASDAQ:ASNS) vs. Knowles (NYSE:KN)

Actelis Networks (NASDAQ:ASNS) and Knowles (NYSE:KN) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, risk, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends and analyst recommendations.

Profitability

This table compares Actelis Networks and Knowles’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Actelis Networks	-53.20%	-181.28%	-50.88%
Knowles	4.40%	8.22%	5.57%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Actelis Networks and Knowles”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Actelis Networks	$7.76 million	0.63	-$4.37 million	($0.56)	-0.95
Knowles	$553.50 million	3.10	-$237.80 million	$0.29	68.86

Actelis Networks has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Knowles. Actelis Networks is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Knowles, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Actelis Networks and Knowles, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Actelis Networks	0	0	1	0	3.00
Knowles	0	1	2	0	2.67

Actelis Networks presently has a consensus target price of $5.00, indicating a potential upside of 843.57%. Knowles has a consensus target price of $21.00, indicating a potential upside of 5.16%. Given Actelis Networks’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts plainly believe Actelis Networks is more favorable than Knowles.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

12.4% of Actelis Networks shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 96.4% of Knowles shares are held by institutional investors. 2.9% of Actelis Networks shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 2.5% of Knowles shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Volatility & Risk

Actelis Networks has a beta of 1.89, indicating that its share price is 89% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Knowles has a beta of 1.45, indicating that its share price is 45% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Summary

Knowles beats Actelis Networks on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Actelis Networks

Actelis Networks, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of cyber hardened, hybrid fiber, networking solutions for Internet of Things and telecommunication companies in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Israel, and the Asia Pacific. It provides rapid-deployment networking solutions for wide-area IoT applications, including federal, state, and local governments; intelligent traffic systems; and military, utility, rail, telecom, and campus applications. The company’s products include ethernet access devices; network aggregator switches; and Advanced MetaLIGHT/ Gigaline element management systems software, which enables remote management, monitoring, maintenance, and configuration of the installed equipment in the network. It also offers dynamic spectral software; and access broadband equipment. It serves offers its products through system integrators, distributors, contractors, resellers, and consultants. The company was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Fremont, California.

About Knowles

Knowles Corporation offers capacitors, radio frequency (RF) filtering products, balanced armature speakers, micro-acoustic microphones, and audio solutions in Asia, the United States, Europe, other Americas, and internationally. It operates through three segments: Precision Devices (PD); Medtech & Specialty Audio (MSA); and Consumer MEMS Microphones (CMM). The PD segment designs and delivers film, electrolytic, and mica capacitor products for use in power supplies and medical implants; electromagnetic interference filters; and RF filtering solutions for use in satellite communications and radar systems for defense applications. The MSA segment designs and manufactures balanced armature speakers and microphones for the hearing health, audio, and True Wireless Stereo (TWS) markets. The CMM segment designs and manufactures micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) microphones and audio solutions used in applications that serve the ear, mobile, TWS, Internet of Things, computing, and smartphones markets. The company serves the defense, medtech, electric vehicle, industrial, communications, and consumer electronics markets through original equipment manufacturers, their contract manufacturers, suppliers, sales representatives, and distributors. Knowles Corporation was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Itasca, Illinois.