Head to Head Comparison: H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) versus Symrise (OTCMKTS:SYIEY)

H. B. Fuller (NYSE:FUL) and Symrise (OTCMKTS:SYIEY) are both basic materials companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, earnings and valuation.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

95.9% of H. B. Fuller shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.0% of H. B. Fuller shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility and Risk

H. B. Fuller has a beta of 1.12, meaning that its stock price is 12% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Symrise has a beta of 0.71, meaning that its stock price is 29% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Dividends

H. B. Fuller pays an annual dividend of $0.94 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.6%. Symrise pays an annual dividend of $0.18 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.8%. H. B. Fuller pays out 50.8% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. H. B. Fuller has raised its dividend for 57 consecutive years. H. B. Fuller is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.

Profitability

This table compares H. B. Fuller and Symrise’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
H. B. Fuller	3.28%	11.49%	4.24%
Symrise	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for H. B. Fuller and Symrise, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
H. B. Fuller	1	3	2	2	2.63
Symrise	0	1	1	1	3.00

H. B. Fuller presently has a consensus price target of $65.75, indicating a potential upside of 10.88%. Given H. B. Fuller’s higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe H. B. Fuller is more favorable than Symrise.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares H. B. Fuller and Symrise”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
H. B. Fuller	$3.57 billion	0.90	$130.26 million	$1.85	32.05
Symrise	$5.41 billion	2.28	$517.49 million	N/A	N/A

Symrise has higher revenue and earnings than H. B. Fuller.

Summary

H. B. Fuller beats Symrise on 11 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks.

About H. B. Fuller

H.B. Fuller Company, together with its subsidiaries, formulates, manufactures, and markets adhesives, sealants, coatings, polymers, tapes, encapsulants, additives, and other specialty chemical products. It operates through three segments: Hygiene, Health and Consumable Adhesives; Engineering Adhesives; and Construction Adhesives. The Hygiene, Health and Consumable Adhesives segment produces and supplies specialty industrial adhesives, such as thermoplastic, thermoset, reactive, water-based, and solvent-based products for applications in various markets, including packaging, converting, nonwoven and hygiene, and health and beauty. The Engineering Adhesives segment produces and supplies high performance industrial adhesives comprising reactive, light cure, two-part liquids, polyurethane, silicone, film, and fast cure products to the durable assembly, performance wood and textile, transportation, electronics, clean energy, aerospace and defense, appliance, heavy machinery, and insulating glass markets. The Construction Adhesives segment provides products used for tile setting, commercial roofing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning and insulation applications, as well as caulks and sealants for the consumer market and professional trade. The company sells its products directly to customers, as well as through distributors and retailers in the Americas, Europe, India, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. H.B. Fuller Company was founded in 1887 and is headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota.

About Symrise

Symrise AG supplies fragrances, flavorings, cosmetic active ingredients and raw materials, and functional ingredients in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, North America, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. It operates through two segments, Taste, Nutrition & Health; and Scent & Care. The Taste, Nutrition & Health segment provides functional ingredients and product solutions used in the production of food and beverages; savory flavors; natural and sustainable ingredients for food and beverage manufacturers, baby food, and dietary supplements; product solutions and services for pet food manufacturers; sustainable ingredients and services for fish feed manufacturers to develop solutions for fish and shrimp farms; and probiotics for food supplements and functional foods. The Scent & Care segment develops, produces, and sells fragrance ingredients and compositions, aroma molecules, cosmetic ingredients, and mint flavors, as well as specific application processes for such substances. This segment's products are used by manufacturers of perfumes, personal care and cosmetic products, cleaning products, detergents, air fresheners, and oral care products. Symrise AG was founded in 1874 and is headquartered in Holzminden, Germany.