Comparing ESS Tech (NYSE:GWH) & Axion Power International (OTCMKTS:AXPWQ)

Axion Power International (OTCMKTS:AXPWQ) and ESS Tech (NYSE:GWH) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations, risk, dividends and earnings.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

46.8% of ESS Tech shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.1% of Axion Power International shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 1.8% of ESS Tech shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Axion Power International and ESS Tech’s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Axion Power International	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
ESS Tech	$9.91 million	10.29	-$77.58 million	($0.45)	-1.29

Axion Power International has higher earnings, but lower revenue than ESS Tech.

Profitability

This table compares Axion Power International and ESS Tech’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Axion Power International	N/A	N/A	N/A
ESS Tech	-746.89%	-73.08%	-53.49%

Volatility & Risk

Axion Power International has a beta of -3.48, indicating that its stock price is 448% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, ESS Tech has a beta of 1.52, indicating that its stock price is 52% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings for Axion Power International and ESS Tech, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Axion Power International	0	0	0	0	N/A
ESS Tech	0	2	3	1	2.83

ESS Tech has a consensus price target of $1.93, indicating a potential upside of 230.42%.

Summary

ESS Tech beats Axion Power International on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Axion Power International

Axion Power International, Inc. focuses on PbC battery technology business. It offers hybrid asymmetric energy storage devices. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Boardman, Ohio.

About ESS Tech

ESS Tech, Inc., an energy storage company, designs and produces iron flow batteries for commercial and utility-scale energy storage applications worldwide. It offers energy storage products, which include Energy Warehouse, a behind-the-meter solution; and Energy Center, a front-of-the-meter solution. The company was founded in 2011 and is headquartered in Wilsonville, Oregon.