Head to Head Review: Ispire Technology (NASDAQ:ISPR) and Imperial Tobacco Group (OTCMKTS:IMBBY)

Ispire Technology (NASDAQ:ISPR) and Imperial Tobacco Group (OTCMKTS:IMBBY) are both consumer staples companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, earnings, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations, valuation and institutional ownership.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

5.0% of Ispire Technology shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 0.0% of Imperial Tobacco Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 65.4% of Ispire Technology shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.0% of Imperial Tobacco Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Ispire Technology and Imperial Tobacco Group”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Ispire Technology	$151.91 million	1.06	-$14.77 million	($0.49)	-5.73
Imperial Tobacco Group	$41.10 billion	0.82	$3.31 billion	N/A	N/A

Imperial Tobacco Group has higher revenue and earnings than Ispire Technology.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of recent ratings and price targets for Ispire Technology and Imperial Tobacco Group, as provided by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Ispire Technology	0	0	1	1	3.50
Imperial Tobacco Group	0	1	1	1	3.00

Ispire Technology presently has a consensus price target of $7.50, indicating a potential upside of 166.90%. Given Ispire Technology’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, research analysts clearly believe Ispire Technology is more favorable than Imperial Tobacco Group.

Volatility and Risk

Ispire Technology has a beta of 2.84, indicating that its stock price is 184% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Imperial Tobacco Group has a beta of 0.51, indicating that its stock price is 49% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares Ispire Technology and Imperial Tobacco Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Ispire Technology	-19.26%	-107.00%	-22.33%
Imperial Tobacco Group	N/A	N/A	N/A

Summary

Ispire Technology beats Imperial Tobacco Group on 6 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Ispire Technology

Ispire Technology Inc. researches, develops, designs, commercializes, sales, markets, and distributes e-cigarettes and cannabis vaping products worldwide. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Los Angeles, California. Ispire Technology Inc. operates as a subsidiary of Pride Worldwide Investment Limited.

About Imperial Tobacco Group

Imperial Brands PLC, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, imports, markets, and sells tobacco and tobacco-related products in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. It offers a range of cigarettes, tobacco accessories, vapour, heated tobacco, and oral nicotine. The company sells its products under various brands, including JPS, Davidoff, Gauloises, West, Winston, Kool, Lambert & Butler, Fortuna, Nobel, News, Backwoods, Champion, Golden Virginia, Rizla, Blu, Pulze, Skruf, and Zone X. In addition, it engages in the distribution of tobacco and NGP products for tobacco and NGP product manufacturers; and various non-tobacco and NGP products and services. Further, the company is involved in the management of a golf course; distribution of pharmaceuticals, POS software, and published materials and other products; printing and publishing activities; and provision of long haul transportation, industrial parcel and express delivery, pharmaceutical products logistics, advertising, payment, and support management services, as well as owns the trademarks; and retails its products. Additionally, it engages in distribution of books; waste management, leaf processing related activities. Furthermore, the company is involved in research and development of e-vapour products. The company was formerly known as Imperial Tobacco Group PLC and changed its name to Imperial Brands PLC in February 2016. Imperial Brands PLC was founded in 1636 and is based in Bristol, the United Kingdom.