Diploma (OTCMKTS:DPLMF) vs. DNOW (NYSE:DNOW) Head-To-Head Review

Diploma (OTCMKTS:DPLMF) and DNOW (NYSE:DNOW) are both industrials companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, dividends, valuation, risk, profitability, institutional ownership and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Diploma and DNOW’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Diploma	N/A	N/A	N/A
DNOW	9.70%	9.93%	6.80%

Insider and Institutional Ownership

97.6% of DNOW shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.6% of DNOW shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of current ratings for Diploma and DNOW, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Diploma	0	0	0	0	N/A
DNOW	0	1	1	0	2.50

DNOW has a consensus price target of $15.50, suggesting a potential upside of 28.42%. Given DNOW’s higher possible upside, analysts clearly believe DNOW is more favorable than Diploma.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares Diploma and DNOW”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Diploma	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A
DNOW	$2.34 billion	0.55	$247.00 million	$2.17	5.56

DNOW has higher revenue and earnings than Diploma.

Summary

DNOW beats Diploma on 8 of the 8 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Diploma

Diploma PLC, together with its subsidiaries, supplies specialized technical products and services in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, North America, and internationally. It operates through three business sectors: Life Sciences, Seals, and Controls. The Life Sciences sector supplies technology-enabled products used in surgical procedures in operating theatres and endoscopy; testing equipment and services for clinical laboratories; and bio-pharma, food safety and testing, and other research-oriented products. It serves hospitals, clinical laboratories, and research facilities. The Seals sector supplies various seals, gaskets, cylinders, components, and kits used in heavy mobile machinery; and O-rings, fittings, hydraulic and industrial hoses, pneumatics products, pumps, and related accessories. The Controls sector offers wire and cabling, interconnect, specialty fasteners, and adhesive and industrial automation solutions for various applications. Diploma PLC was incorporated in 1999 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.

About DNOW

DNOW Inc. distributes downstream energy and industrial products for petroleum refining, chemical processing, LNG terminals, power generation utilities, and customer on-site locations in the United States, Canada, and internationally. The company provides consumable maintenance, repair, and operating supplies; pipes, manual and automated valves, fittings, flanges, gaskets, fasteners, electrical instrumentations, artificial lift, pumping solutions, valve actuation and modular process, and measurement and control equipment; and mill supplies, tools, safety supplies, and personal protective equipment, as well as artificial lift systems, coatings, and miscellaneous expendable items. It also offers original equipment manufacturer equipment, including pumps, generator sets, air compressors, dryers, blowers, mixers, and valves; modular oil and gas tank battery solutions; and application systems, work processes, parts integration, optimization solutions, and after-sales support services. In addition, the company provides supply chain and materials management; inventory planning and management, procurement, and warehouse management, as well as solutions for logistics, point of issue technology, project management, business process, and performance metrics reporting services. It serves customers in the upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors of the energy industry, including drilling contractors, well-servicing companies, independent and national oil and gas companies, midstream operators, and refineries, as well as petrochemical, chemical, utilities, RNG facilities, and other downstream energy processors; and industrial and manufacturing companies. The company was formerly known as NOW Inc. and changed its name to DNOW Inc. in January 2024. DNOW Inc. was founded in 1862 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.