Astronics (NASDAQ:ATRO) vs. Applied Visual Sciences (OTCMKTS:APVS) Head to Head Contrast

Astronics (NASDAQ:ATRO) and Applied Visual Sciences (OTCMKTS:APVS) are both aerospace companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their institutional ownership, earnings, risk, profitability, dividends, analyst recommendations and valuation.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a summary of current ratings and recommmendations for Astronics and Applied Visual Sciences, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Astronics	1	0	3	2	3.00
Applied Visual Sciences	0	0	0	0	0.00

Astronics currently has a consensus target price of $77.33, suggesting a potential upside of 4.04%. Given Astronics’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Astronics is more favorable than Applied Visual Sciences.

Profitability

This table compares Astronics and Applied Visual Sciences’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Astronics	3.41%	39.95%	11.66%
Applied Visual Sciences	N/A	N/A	N/A

Volatility & Risk

Astronics has a beta of 1.11, suggesting that its stock price is 11% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Applied Visual Sciences has a beta of 7.7, suggesting that its stock price is 670% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Astronics and Applied Visual Sciences”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Astronics	$862.13 million	3.08	$29.36 million	$0.77	96.53
Applied Visual Sciences	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Astronics has higher revenue and earnings than Applied Visual Sciences.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

56.7% of Astronics shares are owned by institutional investors. 10.8% of Astronics shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 33.0% of Applied Visual Sciences shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Summary

Astronics beats Applied Visual Sciences on 9 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

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 Applied Visual Sciences

Applied Visual Sciences, Inc., a software technology company, designs and develops computer-vision detection solutions based on image processing science for aviation/homeland security and healthcare markets. It utilizes imaging technologies and analytics to create integrated information management technology products and services that address problems for corporations and governmental agencies. The company offers PinPoint, an intelligent computer-vision automated target recognition technology for the detection of guns, explosives, and other threat items contained in baggage in the airport environment or for building security applications; and Signature Mapping platform technology for use in the imaging field of diagnostic radiology and pathology. It also provides Signature Mapping Detection System, an automated hardware-software laboratory solution used to operate various infectious disease applications through multi-threaded detection algorithms. In addition, the company offers Signature Mapping Tuberculosis Detection software, an automated hardware and software technology platform; and Signature Mapping Breast Cancer Detection, a breast cancer detection solution. Applied Visual Sciences, Inc. markets its products through direct sales and indirect distribution channels worldwide. The company was formerly known as Guardian Technologies International, Inc. and changed its name to Applied Visual Sciences, Inc. in July 2010. Applied Visual Sciences, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is based in Leesburg, Virginia.