Head-To-Head Comparison: NPK International (NYSE:NPKI) vs. Weatherford International (OTCMKTS:WFTIF)

NPK International (NYSE:NPKI) and Weatherford International (OTCMKTS:WFTIF) are both small-cap energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their valuation, profitability, earnings, risk, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and dividends.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

80.8% of NPK International shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 85.7% of Weatherford International shares are owned by institutional investors. 4.9% of NPK International shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.4% of Weatherford International shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings and target prices for NPK International and Weatherford International, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
NPK International	0	0	1	1	3.50
Weatherford International	0	0	0	0	0.00

NPK International presently has a consensus price target of $11.50, indicating a potential upside of 40.76%. Given NPK International’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe NPK International is more favorable than Weatherford International.

Profitability

This table compares NPK International and Weatherford International’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
NPK International	-28.47%	5.93%	4.08%
Weatherford International	-53.77%	N/A	-7.53%

Volatility and Risk

NPK International has a beta of 2.08, suggesting that its stock price is 108% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Weatherford International has a beta of 2.81, suggesting that its stock price is 181% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares NPK International and Weatherford International”s top-line revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
NPK International	$233.30 million	2.96	$14.52 million	($1.69)	-4.83
Weatherford International	$5.74 billion	0.00	-$2.81 billion	($0.59)	N/A

NPK International has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Weatherford International. NPK International is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Weatherford International, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Summary

NPK International beats Weatherford International on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.

About NPK International

NPK International Inc. provides products, rentals, and services primarily to the oil and natural gas exploration and production (E&P) industry. It operates through two segments, Fluids Systems and Industrial Solutions. The Fluids Systems segment provides drilling, completion, and stimulation fluids products and related technical services to customers primarily in the North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as well as other countries in the Asia Pacific and Latin America. The Industrial Solutions segment offers composite matting system rentals utilized for temporary worksite access; related site construction and services to customers in various markets, including power transmission, E&P, pipeline, renewable energy, petrochemical, construction, and other industries primarily in the United States and Europe; recyclable composite mats to customers worldwide; and access road construction, site planning and preparation, environmental protection, erosion control, and site restoration services. The company was formerly known as Newpark Resources, Inc. and changed its name to NPK International Inc. in December 2024. The company was incorporated in 1932 and is headquartered in The Woodlands, Texas.

About Weatherford International

Weatherford International Plc provides equipment and services to the oil and natural gas exploration and production industry. It operates through two segments: Western Hemisphere and Eastern Hemispher. The company products and services are Drilling and Evaluation, Production, Completions, and Well Construction. Weatherford International was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Baar, Switzerland.