Comparing Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE:CPK) & Centuri (NYSE:CTRI)

Chesapeake Utilities (NYSE:CPK) and Centuri (NYSE:CTRI) are both utilities companies, but which is the superior investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, institutional ownership, valuation, earnings, dividends, risk and analyst recommendations.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

83.1% of Chesapeake Utilities shares are owned by institutional investors. 2.7% of Chesapeake Utilities shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, large money managers and endowments believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent ratings and recommmendations for Chesapeake Utilities and Centuri, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Chesapeake Utilities	0	2	1	0	2.33
Centuri	2	2	2	2	2.50

Chesapeake Utilities currently has a consensus price target of $121.00, suggesting a potential upside of 2.86%. Centuri has a consensus price target of $20.00, suggesting a potential upside of 10.74%. Given Centuri’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe Centuri is more favorable than Chesapeake Utilities.

Valuation & Earnings

This table compares Chesapeake Utilities and Centuri”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Chesapeake Utilities	$670.60 million	3.94	$87.21 million	$4.68	25.13
Centuri	$2.90 billion	0.55	-$186.18 million	N/A	N/A

Chesapeake Utilities has higher earnings, but lower revenue than Centuri.

Profitability

This table compares Chesapeake Utilities and Centuri’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Chesapeake Utilities	13.61%	9.51%	3.63%
Centuri	N/A	N/A	N/A

Summary

Chesapeake Utilities beats Centuri on 7 of the 12 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Chesapeake Utilities

Chesapeake Utilities Corporation operates as an energy delivery company. The company operates through two segments, Regulated Energy and Unregulated Energy. The Regulated Energy segment natural gas distribution operations in central and southern Delaware, Maryland's eastern shore, and Florida; regulated natural gas transmission in the Delmarva Peninsula, Ohio, and Florida; and regulated electric distribution in northeast and northwest Florida. The Unregulated Energy segment engages in the propane operations in the Mid-Atlantic region, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Florida; unregulated natural gas transmission/supply operation in central and eastern Ohio; generation of electricity and steam; provision of compressed natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and renewable natural gas transportation and pipeline solutions primarily to utilities and pipelines in the United States; and sustainable energy investments. This segment is also involved in the provision of other unregulated services, such as energy-related merchandise sale and heating, ventilation and air conditioning, and plumbing and electrical services. Chesapeake Utilities Corporation was founded in 1859 and is headquartered in Dover, Delaware.

About Centuri

Centuri Holdings, Inc. operates as a utility infrastructure services company in North America. It offers gas utility services, including maintenance, repair, installation, and replacement services for natural gas local distribution utility companies with focus on the modernization of infrastructure. The company also provides electric utility services comprising design, maintenance and repair, upgrade, and expansion services for transmission and distribution infrastructure. Its customers include electric, gas, and combination utility companies, as well as serves end markets, such as renewable energy and 5G datacom. The company was founded in 1909 and is headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona. Centuri Holdings, Inc. is a subsidiary of Southwest Gas Holdings, Inc.