Critical Survey: Atlas Energy Group (OTCMKTS:ATLS) versus TETRA Technologies (NYSE:TTI)

Atlas Energy Group (OTCMKTS:ATLS) and TETRA Technologies (NYSE:TTI) are both small-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, analyst recommendations, earnings, valuation, institutional ownership, dividends and profitability.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

70.2% of TETRA Technologies shares are owned by institutional investors. 12.4% of Atlas Energy Group shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 5.8% of TETRA Technologies shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Atlas Energy Group and TETRA Technologies’ revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Atlas Energy Group	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
TETRA Technologies	$626.26 million	0.95	$25.78 million	$0.20	22.80

TETRA Technologies has higher revenue and earnings than Atlas Energy Group.

Profitability

This table compares Atlas Energy Group and TETRA Technologies’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Atlas Energy Group	N/A	N/A	N/A
TETRA Technologies	4.12%	25.28%	7.38%

Volatility & Risk

Atlas Energy Group has a beta of 0.38, indicating that its stock price is 62% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, TETRA Technologies has a beta of 2.2, indicating that its stock price is 120% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Atlas Energy Group and TETRA Technologies, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Atlas Energy Group	0	0	0	0	N/A
TETRA Technologies	0	0	3	0	3.00

TETRA Technologies has a consensus target price of $7.00, indicating a potential upside of 53.51%. Given TETRA Technologies’ higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe TETRA Technologies is more favorable than Atlas Energy Group.

Summary

TETRA Technologies beats Atlas Energy Group on 8 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Atlas Energy Group

Atlas Energy Group, LLC, through its subsidiaries, develops and produces natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company has interests in the Eagle Ford Shale in southern Texas; the Marble Falls play in the Fort Worth Basin in northern Texas; and the Mississippi Lime play in northwestern Oklahoma. It also focuses on investing in master limited partnership qualifying energy-related businesses and assets. The company was founded in 2011 and is based in Fort Worth, Texas.

About TETRA Technologies

TETRA Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an energy services and solutions company. It operates through two segments, Completion Fluids & Products Division and Water & Flowback Services. The Completion Fluids & Products segment manufactures and markets clear brine fluids, additives, and associated products and services to the oil and gas industry for use in well drilling, completion, and workover operations in the United States, as well as in Latin America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa. This segment also markets liquid and dry calcium chloride products; and TETRA PureFlow ultra-pure zinc bromide to battery technology companies. The Water & Flowback Services segment provides water management services for onshore oil and gas operators. This segment also offers frac flowback, production well testing, and other associated services in oil and gas producing regions in the United States, as well as in various basins in Latin America, Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. TETRA Technologies, Inc. was incorporated in 1981 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.