Head-To-Head Analysis: Spirit Aerosystems (NYSE:SPR) & Astronics (OTCMKTS:ATROB)

Astronics (OTCMKTS:ATROB) and Spirit Aerosystems (NYSE:SPR) are both aerospace companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, risk, institutional ownership, earnings, profitability, valuation and analyst recommendations.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings and price targets for Astronics and Spirit Aerosystems, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Astronics	0	0	0	0	0.00
Spirit Aerosystems	0	2	0	1	2.67

Spirit Aerosystems has a consensus price target of $38.63, suggesting a potential downside of 5.29%. Given Spirit Aerosystems’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe Spirit Aerosystems is more favorable than Astronics.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Astronics and Spirit Aerosystems”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Astronics	$795.43 million	1.68	-$16.22 million	($0.12)	-314.42
Spirit Aerosystems	$6.32 billion	0.76	-$2.14 billion	($20.02)	-2.04

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

Profitability

This table compares Astronics and Spirit Aerosystems’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Astronics	-0.45%	22.89%	9.16%
Spirit Aerosystems	-37.46%	N/A	-26.28%

Volatility and Risk

Astronics has a beta of 1.51, indicating that its stock price is 51% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Spirit Aerosystems has a beta of 1.74, indicating that its stock price is 74% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

93.6% of Spirit Aerosystems shares are owned by institutional investors. 16.0% of Astronics shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.8% of Spirit Aerosystems shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

About Astronics

Astronics Corporation, through its subsidiaries, designs and manufactures products for the aerospace, defense, and electronics industries in the United States, rest of North America, Asia, Europe, South America, and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Aerospace and Test Systems. The Aerospace segment offers lighting and safety systems, electrical power generation systems, distribution and seat motions systems, aircraft structures, avionics products, system certification, and other products. This segment serves airframe manufacturers (OEM) that build aircraft for the commercial, military, and general aviation markets; suppliers to OEMs; and aircraft operators, such as airlines; suppliers to the aircraft operators; and branches of the U.S. Department of Defense. The Test Systems segment designs, develops, manufactures, and maintains automated test systems that support the aerospace and defense, and mass transit industries, as well as training and simulation devices for commercial and military applications. It serves OEMs and prime government contractors for electronics and military products. Astronics Corporation was incorporated in 1968 and is headquartered in East Aurora, New York.

About Spirit Aerosystems

Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. engages in the design, engineering, manufacture, and marketing of commercial aerostructures worldwide. It operates through three segments: Commercial, Defense & Space, and Aftermarket. The Commercial segment offers forward, mid, and rear fuselage sections and systems, floor beams, nacelles, struts/pylons, horizontal and vertical stabilizers, flaps and slats flight control surfaces, wing structures, and wing systems. This segment primarily serves commercial and business/regional jet programs. The Defense & Space segment engages in the fabrication, bonding, assembly, testing, tooling, processing, engineering analysis, and training on fuselage, strut, nacelle, and wing aerostructures; provision of missiles and hypersonics solutions, such as solid rocket motor throats, nozzles, re-entry vehicle thermal protections systems; forward cockpit and cabin, and fuselage work on rotorcraft aerostructures; and classified programs. This segment primarily serves U.S. Government defense programs. The Aftermarket segment provides maintenance, repair, and overhaul services; fuselage, strut, nacelle, and wing aerostructures spare parts; repair services for radome, flight control surfaces, and nacelles; rotable assets trading and leasing; and engineering services. This segment primarily serves both commercial and defense and space programs. The company was formerly known as Mid-Western Aircraft Systems Holdings, Inc. Spirit AeroSystems Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Wichita, Kansas.