PetroQuest Energy (OTCMKTS:PQUE – Get Free Report) and Vitesse Energy (NYSE:VTS – Get Free Report) are both small-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, dividends, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, valuation and earnings.
Insider and Institutional Ownership
1.6% of PetroQuest Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 51.6% of Vitesse Energy shares are owned by institutional investors. 8.8% of PetroQuest Energy shares are owned by insiders. Comparatively, 15.8% of Vitesse Energy 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.
Risk & Volatility
PetroQuest Energy has a beta of 1.56, suggesting that its stock price is 56% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Vitesse Energy has a beta of 0.35, suggesting that its stock price is 65% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Ratings
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| PetroQuest Energy | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 |
| Vitesse Energy | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3.00 |
Vitesse Energy has a consensus price target of $29.00, suggesting a potential upside of 17.84%. Given Vitesse Energy’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, analysts clearly believe Vitesse Energy is more favorable than PetroQuest Energy.
Profitability
This table compares PetroQuest Energy and Vitesse Energy’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| PetroQuest Energy | -4.93% | N/A | -3.76% |
| Vitesse Energy | 18.05% | 7.25% | 4.95% |
Earnings and Valuation
This table compares PetroQuest Energy and Vitesse Energy”s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| PetroQuest Energy | $108.29 million | 0.00 | -$6.63 million | ($0.55) | -0.04 |
| Vitesse Energy | $255.38 million | 2.85 | -$19.74 million | $1.46 | 16.86 |
PetroQuest Energy has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Vitesse Energy. PetroQuest Energy is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Vitesse Energy, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Summary
Vitesse Energy beats PetroQuest Energy on 12 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About PetroQuest Energy
PetroQuest Energy, Inc. operates as an independent oil and gas company in Texas and Louisiana. The company acquires, explores for, develops, and operates oil and gas properties. As of December 31, 2017, it had estimated proved reserves of 1.8 million barrels of oil; 19.4 billion cubic feet equivalent of natural gas liquids; and 125.4 billion cubic feet of natural gas. PetroQuest Energy, Inc. was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Lafayette, Louisiana.
About Vitesse Energy
Vitesse Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, development, and production of non-operated oil and natural gas properties in the United States. It owns and acquires non-operated working interest and royalty interest ownership in the Williston Basin properties located in North Dakota and Montana. The company also owns non-operated interests in the Central Rockies properties located in Colorado and Wyoming. Vitesse Energy, Inc. was founded in 2014 and is based in Centennial, Colorado.
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