Financial Survey: LDK Solar (OTCMKTS:LDKYQ) & Synaptics (NASDAQ:SYNA)

LDK Solar (OTCMKTS:LDKYQ) and Synaptics (NASDAQ:SYNA) are both oils/energy companies, but which is the better business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, risk, valuation, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.

Volatility & Risk

LDK Solar has a beta of 6.17, indicating that its share price is 517% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Synaptics has a beta of 1.47, indicating that its share price is 47% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Profitability

This table compares LDK Solar and Synaptics’ net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
LDK Solar	N/A	N/A	N/A
Synaptics	13.09%	-0.54%	-0.26%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of current ratings for LDK Solar and Synaptics, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
LDK Solar	0	0	0	0	N/A
Synaptics	0	2	7	0	2.78

Synaptics has a consensus target price of $105.44, indicating a potential upside of 41.20%. Given Synaptics’ higher probable upside, analysts plainly believe Synaptics is more favorable than LDK Solar.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares LDK Solar and Synaptics”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
LDK Solar	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
Synaptics	$959.40 million	3.12	$125.60 million	($2.71)	-27.70

Synaptics has higher revenue and earnings than LDK Solar.

Institutional & Insider Ownership

99.4% of Synaptics shares are held by institutional investors. 1.2% of Synaptics shares are held by company 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.

Summary

Synaptics beats LDK Solar on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About LDK Solar

LDK Solar Co., Ltd., through its subsidiaries, designs, develops, manufactures, and markets photovoltaic (PV) products in the People's Republic of China, Europe, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company operates through two segments, Polysilicon and Other PV Products. It produces and sells solar-grade and electronic-grade polysilicon. The company also manufactures and sells multicrystalline and monocrystalline solar wafers to manufacturers of solar cells and solar modules; and PV cells and PV modules. In addition, it provides solar module processing services; designs and develops solar farm projects, as well as offers related engineering, procurement, and construction services for solar farm projects; and sells silicon materials, which include ingots and polysilicon scraps. LDK Solar CO., Ltd. was founded in 2005 and is based in Xinyu, the People's Republic of China.

About Synaptics

Synaptics Incorporated develops, markets, and sells semiconductor products worldwide. The company offers AudioSmart for voice and audio processing; ConnectSmart for high-speed video/audio/data connectivity; DisplayLink for transmitting compressed video frames across low bandwidth connections; VideoSmart that enables set-top boxes, over-the-top, streaming devices, soundbars, surveillance cameras, and smart displays; and ImagingSmart solutions. It also provides Natural ID, a fingerprint ID product that is used in notebook personal computers (PCs), PC peripherals, automobiles, and other applications; TouchPad, a touch-sensitive pad that senses the position and movement of one or more fingers on its surface; SecurePad that integrates fingerprint sensor directly into the TouchPad area; ClickPad that offers a clickable mechanical design; and ForcePad. In addition, the company offers ClearPad, which enables users to interact directly with the display on mobile smartphones, tablets, and automobiles; ClearView products that provide advanced image processing and low power technology for displays on smartphones and tablets; and TouchView products, a touch controller and display driver integration product. Further, it provides TouchPad with a pointing stick in a single notebook computer enabling users to select their interface of choice; TouchStyk, a self-contained pointing stick module; ultra-low power edge artificial intelligence platform for battery powered wireless devices; wireless connectivity solutions comprising Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, global positioning system, global navigation satellite system, and ULE; and voice over IP and digital enhanced cordless telecommunications solutions. The company sells its products through direct sales, outside sales representatives, distributors, and resellers to mobile and PC OEMs; IoT OEMs; and automotive and consumer electronics manufacturers. The company was incorporated in 1986 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.