Head-To-Head Comparison: Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR) and Wheels Up Experience (NYSE:UP)

Intuitive Machines (NASDAQ:LUNR) and Wheels Up Experience (NYSE:UP) are both aerospace companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, profitability, dividends, institutional ownership, valuation, analyst recommendations and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Intuitive Machines and Wheels Up Experience’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Intuitive Machines	-39.65%	N/A	-7.03%
Wheels Up Experience	-39.95%	N/A	-25.99%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

72.2% of Intuitive Machines shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 98.2% of Wheels Up Experience shares are owned by institutional investors. 39.8% of Intuitive Machines shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.2% of Wheels Up Experience shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Volatility & Risk

Intuitive Machines has a beta of 1.31, indicating that its share price is 31% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Wheels Up Experience has a beta of 2.35, indicating that its share price is 135% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Intuitive Machines and Wheels Up Experience, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Intuitive Machines	2	3	8	0	2.46
Wheels Up Experience	1	0	0	0	1.00

Intuitive Machines presently has a consensus target price of $21.45, suggesting a potential downside of 22.23%. Given Intuitive Machines’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Intuitive Machines is more favorable than Wheels Up Experience.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Intuitive Machines and Wheels Up Experience”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Intuitive Machines	$210.06 million	28.46	-$83.29 million	($0.74)	-37.27
Wheels Up Experience	$736.49 million	0.40	-$294.22 million	($0.42)	-0.96

Intuitive Machines has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Wheels Up Experience. Intuitive Machines is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Wheels Up Experience, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

Intuitive Machines beats Wheels Up Experience on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Intuitive Machines

Intuitive Machines, Inc. designs, manufactures, and operates space products and services in the United States. Its space systems and space infrastructure enable scientific and human exploration and utilization of lunar resources to support sustainable human presence on the moon. The company offers lunar access services, such µNova, lunar surface rover services, fixed lunar surface services, lunar orbit delivery services, rideshare delivery services to lunar orbit, as well as content sales and marketing sponsorships; and orbital services, including satellite delivery and rideshare, satellite servicing and refueling, space station servicing, satellite repositioning, and orbital debris removal. It also provides lunar data services, comprising Lunar data network, lunar south pole and far-side coverage, lunar positioning services, data relay, and data storage/caching. In addition, the company offers propulsion systems and navigation systems; engineering services contracts; lunar mobility vehicles, such as rovers and drones; power infrastructure that includes fission surface power; and human habitation systems. It serves its products to the U.S. government, commercial, and international customers. Intuitive Machines, Inc. was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

About Wheels Up Experience

Wheels Up Experience Inc. provides private aviation services in the United States and internationally. The company offers Wheels Up Membership program that consists of two primary membership categories, such as Individual membership for individual and business fliers; and UP for Business membership consists of small and medium enterprise, and custom enterprise solutions for business fliers that tend to spend at higher levels. Its Wheels Up Charter provides charter flight services for passenger groups, sports teams, global corporate events, and tour operations, as well as global passenger, cargo, emergency, and government services. In addition, the company offers wholesale charter services; group charter and cargo flights; maintenance, repair, and operations services; fixed-base operator services; safety and security services; and government, defense, emergency, and medical transport missions. It serves individuals, small and medium enterprises, and corporate customers. As of December 31, 2024, the company operated a fleet of 154 owned and leased aircraft. Wheels Up Experience Inc. was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Chamblee, Georgia.