Gridsum (NASDAQ:GSUM) and Symantec (NASDAQ:SYMC) are both computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, earnings, dividends and risk.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
31.4% of Gridsum shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 87.6% of Symantec shares are owned by institutional investors. 1.9% of Symantec shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, hedge funds and large money managers believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Gridsum and Symantec’s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.
Symantec has higher revenue and earnings than Gridsum.
Profitability
This table compares Gridsum and Symantec’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
Volatility & Risk
Gridsum has a beta of 3.6, indicating that its stock price is 260% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Symantec has a beta of 1.05, indicating that its stock price is 5% more volatile than the S&P 500.
Analyst Recommendations
This is a breakdown of current recommendations for Gridsum and Symantec, as reported by MarketBeat.
Symantec has a consensus price target of $23.11, suggesting a potential upside of 13.39%. Given Symantec’s higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Symantec is more favorable than Gridsum.
Dividends
Symantec pays an annual dividend of $0.30 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.5%. Gridsum does not pay a dividend. Symantec pays out 31.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend.
Summary
Symantec beats Gridsum on 11 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.
Gridsum Company Profile
Gridsum Holding Inc. provides data analysis software for enterprises and government agencies in China. Its proprietary distributed data architecture allows its customers to collect and analyze information; and Gridsum Big Data platform and Gridsum Prophet performs multi-dimensional correlation analysis and analyzes complex real-time events. The company offers Web Dissector to analyze customer Websites by monitoring and analyzing key performance indicators; Mobile Dissector to understand mobile app user activity; SEM Dissector for search engine marketing; SEO Dissector, a search engine optimization tool; Ad Dissector, an advertisement performance monitoring and optimization product; Contribution Dissector to track and analyze user behavior from original access to ultimate conversion; Audience Dissector, an audience analysis product; and Recommendation Engine, a data driven content recommendation solution. It also provides Government Web Dissector, a digital intelligence solution; Government Website Group Integrated Management Platform, an integrated management platform; Streaming Dissector, a real-time viewership analysis for digital online video; Video Dissector, an online video content analytics tool; TV Dissector, an analytics tool; Rating Plus, a television viewing data analytics tool; and Media Dissector, a mass, social, and user-generated content media monitoring and analytics tool. In addition, the company offers Law Dissector, a search and statistical analysis tool; Smart Push, a legal research tool; voice recognition and transcription system; Information Dissector, an insightful analytical system; Social Listening, a cloud-based social listening solution; Gridsum Dashboard, a data visualization tool; and Gridsum Report Center, an automated report generation and distribution tool. Further, it develops new media analytics and information discovery solutions to address customer needs. The company was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Beijing, China.
Symantec Company Profile
Symantec Corporation provides cybersecurity products, services, and solutions worldwide. The company operates through two segments, Enterprise Security and Consumer Digital Safety. The Enterprise Security segment provides endpoint and information protection products, including endpoint security, advanced threat protection, and information protection solutions and their related support services; and network and Web security products, such as network security, Web security, and cloud security solutions and their related support services. It also offers consulting, premium support, and cyber security services. The Consumer Digital Safety segment provides Norton Security solutions as a subscription service providing protection for devices against malware, viruses, adware, and ransomware on various platforms; and LifeLock identity theft protection solution that provides identity monitoring, alerts, and restoration to its customers, as well as Norton Wi-Fi Privacy services. The company serves business, government, and public-sector customers; small, medium, and large enterprises; and individuals, households, and small businesses. It markets and sells its products and related services through direct sales force, direct marketing and co-marketing programs, e-commerce and telesales platforms, distributors, Internet-based resellers, system builders, Internet service providers, employee benefits providers, wireless carriers, retailers, original equipment manufacturers, and retail and online stores. Symantec Corporation has strategic alliance with Ernst & Young LLP to help organizations address intellectual property and data, as well as manage cyber risk. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.