XPEL (NASDAQ:XPEL) vs. Aeva Technologies (NASDAQ:AEVA) Critical Contrast

Aeva Technologies (NASDAQ:AEVA) and XPEL (NASDAQ:XPEL) are both small-cap auto/tires/trucks companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, dividends, risk, valuation, profitability and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares Aeva Technologies and XPEL’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
Aeva Technologies	-693.94%	N/A	-100.05%
XPEL	10.82%	19.14%	14.29%

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Aeva Technologies and XPEL, as reported by MarketBeat.com.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
Aeva Technologies	1	1	1	0	2.00
XPEL	0	3	0	0	2.00

Aeva Technologies presently has a consensus price target of $21.50, suggesting a potential upside of 44.78%. Given Aeva Technologies’ higher possible upside, research analysts plainly believe Aeva Technologies is more favorable than XPEL.

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares Aeva Technologies and XPEL”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
Aeva Technologies	$18.08 million	51.78	-$145.43 million	($4.99)	-2.98
XPEL	$476.20 million	2.47	$51.23 million	$1.91	22.37

XPEL has higher revenue and earnings than Aeva Technologies. Aeva Technologies is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than XPEL, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.

Risk & Volatility

Aeva Technologies has a beta of 2.4, suggesting that its stock price is 140% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, XPEL has a beta of 1.09, suggesting that its stock price is 9% more volatile than the S&P 500.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

62.9% of Aeva Technologies shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 75.1% of XPEL shares are held by institutional investors. 36.7% of Aeva Technologies shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 9.4% of XPEL shares are held by company 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

XPEL beats Aeva Technologies on 8 of the 13 factors compared between the two stocks.

About Aeva Technologies

Aeva Technologies, Inc. engages in the design, development, manufacture, and sale of LiDAR sensing systems, and related perception and autonomy-enabling software solutions in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. The company develops its products using frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) sensing technology. It offers Aeries II, a 4D LiDAR solution that consist of 4D LiDAR sensing system with embedded software for automotive grade production across passenger car, trucking, and mobility applications; and Atlas, a FMCW 4D LiDAR with simultaneous velocity and range detection for the automotive market. The company's products are also used in industrial automation, consumer device, and security market applications. Aeva Technologies, Inc. was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

About XPEL

XPEL, Inc. sells, distributes, and installs protective films and coatings worldwide. The company offers automotive surface and paint protection film, headlight protection, and automotive and architectural window films, as well as proprietary DAP software. It also provides pre-cut film products, merchandise and apparel, ceramic coatings, and tools and accessories. In addition, the company offers paint protection kits, car wash products, after-care products, and installation tools through its website. The company sells and distributes its products through independent installers, new car dealerships, third-party distributors, automobile original equipment manufacturers, and company-owned installation centers, as well as through franchisees and online channels. The company serves in the United States, China, Canada, Continental Europe, the United Kingdom, Asia Pacific, Latin America, the Middle East/Africa, and internationally. XPEL, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.