Golar LNG (NASDAQ:GLNG) vs. Viking (NYSE:VIK) Head-To-Head Comparison

Golar LNG (NASDAQ:GLNG) and Viking (NYSE:VIK) are both transportation companies, but which is the better investment? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their earnings, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, risk, valuation, dividends and profitability.

Insider and Institutional Ownership

92.2% of Golar LNG shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 98.8% of Viking shares are held by institutional investors. 0.0% of Golar LNG shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.

Profitability

This table compares Golar LNG and Viking’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Golar LNG	4.92%	9.12%	5.78%
Viking	-10.97%	N/A	-1.53%

Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Golar LNG and Viking”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Golar LNG	$298.43 million	14.04	-$46.79 million	$0.14	286.73
Viking	$4.71 billion	4.49	-$1.86 billion	N/A	N/A

Golar LNG has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Viking.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent recommendations for Golar LNG and Viking, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Golar LNG	0	1	4	0	2.80
Viking	0	4	10	0	2.71

Golar LNG currently has a consensus price target of $50.13, indicating a potential upside of 24.88%. Viking has a consensus price target of $44.43, indicating a potential downside of 9.36%. Given Golar LNG’s stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts plainly believe Golar LNG is more favorable than Viking.

Summary

Golar LNG beats Viking on 8 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Golar LNG

Golar LNG Limited designs, converts, owns, and operates marine infrastructure for the liquefaction of natural gas. The company operates through three segments: FLNG, Corporate and Other, and Shipping. It engages in the regasification, storage, and offloading of liquefied natural gas (LNG); operation of floating liquefaction natural gas (FLNG) vessels or projects; transportation of LNG carriers; and vessel management activities. Golar LNG Limited was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.

About Viking

Viking Holdings Ltd engages in the passenger shipping and other forms of passenger transport in North America, the United Kingdom, and internationally. It operates through River and Ocean segments. The company also operates as a tour entrepreneur for passengers and related activities in tourism. As of December 31, 2023, it operated a fleet of 92 ships, including 81 river vessels comprising 58 Longships, 10 smaller classes based on the Longship design, 11 other river vessels, and 1 river vessel charter and the Viking Mississippi; 9 ocean ships; and 2 expedition ships. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Pembroke, Bermuda.