Head-To-Head Survey: Star Bulk Carriers (NASDAQ:SBLK) and C3is (NASDAQ:CISS)

C3is (NASDAQ:CISS) and Star Bulk Carriers (NASDAQ:SBLK) are both small-cap transportation companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, valuation, dividends, institutional ownership, earnings, risk and analyst recommendations.

Volatility and Risk

C3is has a beta of 2.89, suggesting that its share price is 189% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Star Bulk Carriers has a beta of 0.96, suggesting that its share price is 4% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares C3is and Star Bulk Carriers’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
C3is	32.12%	22.99%	14.33%
Star Bulk Carriers	20.57%	12.19%	6.98%

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current recommendations and price targets for C3is and Star Bulk Carriers, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
C3is	0	0	0	0	N/A
Star Bulk Carriers	0	0	2	0	3.00

Star Bulk Carriers has a consensus target price of $31.00, suggesting a potential upside of 49.76%. Given Star Bulk Carriers’ higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Star Bulk Carriers is more favorable than C3is.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares C3is and Star Bulk Carriers’ top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
C3is	$36.90 million	0.01	$9.29 million	$30.11	0.04
Star Bulk Carriers	$949.27 million	1.83	$173.56 million	$2.22	9.32

Star Bulk Carriers has higher revenue and earnings than C3is. C3is is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Star Bulk Carriers, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

10.5% of C3is shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 33.9% of Star Bulk Carriers shares are owned by institutional investors. 0.9% of Star Bulk Carriers shares are owned by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

Summary

Star Bulk Carriers beats C3is on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About C3is

C3is Inc. offers international seaborne transportation services. It provides its services to dry bulk charterers, including national and private industrial users, commodity producers and traders, oil producers, refineries, and commodities traders and producers. The company owns and operates a fleet of two drybulk carriers, which transport major bulks, such as iron ore, coal and grains, as well as minor bulks comprising bauxite, phosphate, and fertilizers, and one Aframax crude oil tanker that transports crude oil. C3is Inc. was founded in 2021 and is based in Athens, Greece.

About Star Bulk Carriers

Star Bulk Carriers Corp., a shipping company, engages in the ocean transportation of dry bulk cargoes worldwide. Its vessels transport a range of bulk commodities, including iron ores, minerals and grains, bauxite, fertilizers, and steel products. As of December 31, 2023, the company owned a fleet of 116 dry bulk vessels with combined carrying capacity of 13.1 million deadweight tonnage (dwt) consisting of Newcastlemax, Capesize, Post Panamax, Kamsarmax, Panamax, Ultramax, and Supramax vessels with carrying capacities between 53,489 dwt and 209,537 dwt. Star Bulk Carriers Corp. was incorporated in 2006 and is based in Marousi, Greece.