Head to Head Review: SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) versus Hf Foods Group (NASDAQ:HFFG)

SunOpta (NASDAQ:STKL) and Hf Foods Group (NASDAQ:HFFG) are both small-cap consumer staples companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, earnings and dividends.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of current ratings for SunOpta and Hf Foods Group, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
SunOpta	1	1	2	0	2.25
Hf Foods Group	1	0	1	0	2.00

SunOpta currently has a consensus price target of $9.00, indicating a potential upside of 142.59%. Hf Foods Group has a consensus price target of $7.00, indicating a potential upside of 190.46%. Given Hf Foods Group’s higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Hf Foods Group is more favorable than SunOpta.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

85.4% of SunOpta shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 24.0% of Hf Foods Group shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.9% of SunOpta shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 7.0% of Hf Foods Group shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Risk & Volatility

SunOpta has a beta of 1.11, meaning that its stock price is 11% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Hf Foods Group has a beta of 0.4, meaning that its stock price is 60% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares SunOpta and Hf Foods Group”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
SunOpta	$792.44 million	0.57	-$17.39 million	N/A	N/A
Hf Foods Group	$1.20 billion	0.11	-$48.51 million	($0.86)	-2.80

SunOpta has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Hf Foods Group.

Profitability

This table compares SunOpta and Hf Foods Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
SunOpta	0.16%	14.91%	3.38%
Hf Foods Group	-3.71%	8.01%	3.33%

Summary

SunOpta beats Hf Foods Group on 10 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About SunOpta

SunOpta Inc. engages in manufacture and sale of plant-based and fruit-based food and beverage products in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company provides plant-based beverages utilizing oat, almond, soy, coconut, rice, hemp, and other bases under the Dream and West Life brands; oat-based creamers under the SOWN brand; ready-to-drink protein shakes; and nut, grain, seed, and legume based beverages; packaged teas and concentrates; and meat and vegetable broths and stocks. It also offers plant-based ingredients, such as oatbase, oatgold, soybase, hempbase, and soypowders and okara; ready-to-eat fruit snacks made from apple purée and juice concentrate in bar, bit, twist, strip and sandwich formats; cold pressed fruit bars; liquid and powder ingredients utilizing oat, soy and hemp bases; ready-to-eat fruit smoothie and chia bowls topped with frozen fruit; consumer products, which includes protein shakes, teas, broths, and fruit snacks; and liquid and dry ingredients for internal use and for sale to other food and beverage manufacturers. It sells its products through various distribution channels including private label products to retail customers; branded products under co-manufacturing agreements to other branded food companies for their distribution; and its own branded products to retail and foodservice customers. The company was formerly known as Stake Technology Ltd. and changed its name to SunOpta Inc. in October 2003. SunOpta Inc. was incorporated in 1973 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

About Hf Foods Group

HF Foods Group Inc., through its subsidiaries, markets and distributes Asian specialty food, seafood, fresh produce, frozen and dry food, and non-food products to Asian and Chinese restaurants, and other foodservice customers in the United States. The company offers seafood, including lobsters, shrimp, crabs, scallops, and fish; Asian specialty food items, including noodles, rice, dried mushrooms and beans, sauces and seasonings, and spring rolls, as well as canned products, such as preserved vegetables, bamboo shoots, and water chestnuts; and meat and poultry products, including beef, pork, chicken, and duck. It also provides fresh produce products, such as vegetables and fruits; commodities comprising oil, flour, sugar, and salt; and packaging and other items including take-out accessories. HF Foods Group Inc. is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.