Century Aluminum (NASDAQ:CENX – Get Free Report) and NWPX Infrastructure (NASDAQ:NWPX – Get Free Report) are both industrials companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, risk, profitability, dividends, valuation, institutional ownership and earnings.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Century Aluminum and NWPX Infrastructure, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Century Aluminum | 0 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 3.17 |
| NWPX Infrastructure | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
Century Aluminum currently has a consensus price target of $28.50, suggesting a potential downside of 12.28%. NWPX Infrastructure has a consensus price target of $57.50, suggesting a potential upside of 11.18%. Given NWPX Infrastructure’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe NWPX Infrastructure is more favorable than Century Aluminum.
Earnings and Valuation
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Century Aluminum | $2.22 billion | 1.37 | $336.80 million | $1.16 | 28.01 |
| NWPX Infrastructure | $492.55 million | 1.01 | $34.21 million | $3.32 | 15.58 |
Century Aluminum has higher revenue and earnings than NWPX Infrastructure. NWPX Infrastructure is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Century Aluminum, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Risk & Volatility
Century Aluminum has a beta of 2.52, meaning that its share price is 152% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, NWPX Infrastructure has a beta of 0.89, meaning that its share price is 11% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Institutional & Insider Ownership
61.6% of Century Aluminum shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 80.6% of NWPX Infrastructure shares are held by institutional investors. 0.8% of Century Aluminum shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.2% of NWPX Infrastructure shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.
Profitability
This table compares Century Aluminum and NWPX Infrastructure’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Century Aluminum | 4.94% | 18.02% | 6.21% |
| NWPX Infrastructure | 6.69% | 8.93% | 5.61% |
Summary
Century Aluminum beats NWPX Infrastructure on 10 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Century Aluminum
Century Aluminum Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production of standard-grade and value-added primary aluminum products in the United States and Iceland. It also owns and operates an alumina production facility in Iceland, and a carbon anode production facility in the Netherlands. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.
About NWPX Infrastructure
Northwest Pipe Company, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and supply of water-related infrastructure products in North America. It operates in two segments, Engineered Steel Pressure Pipe (SPP) and Precast Infrastructure and Engineered Systems (Precast). The SPP segment offers large-diameter and high-pressure steel pipeline systems for use in water infrastructure applications, which are primarily related to drinking water systems. Its products are also used for hydroelectric power systems, wastewater systems, seismic resiliency, and other applications. In addition, this segment makes products for industrial plant piping systems and certain structural applications. The Precast segment provides stormwater and wastewater technology products, precast, and reinforced concrete products, including reinforced concrete pipe, manholes, box culverts, vaults and catch basins, pump lift stations, oil water separators, biofiltration units, steel casing pipes, and bar-wrapped concrete cylinder pipes, as well as pipeline system joints, fittings, specialized components, and other environmental and engineered solutions. The company sells its water infrastructure products under ParkUSA, Geneva Pipe and Precast, Permalok, and Northwest Pipe Company brands primarily to installation contractors. Northwest Pipe Company was incorporated in 1966 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Washington.
Receive News & Ratings for Century Aluminum Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for Century Aluminum and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter.
