Contrasting Frontline (NYSE:FRO) & Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (NYSE:PBR)
by Tristan Rich · The Markets DailyPetroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras (NYSE:PBR – Get Free Report) and Frontline (NYSE:FRO – Get Free Report) are both large-cap energy companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, dividends, risk, profitability, institutional ownership, valuation and analyst recommendations.
Dividends
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras pays an annual dividend of $0.42 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.1%. Frontline pays an annual dividend of $10.44 per share and has a dividend yield of 21.9%. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras pays out 10.6% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Frontline pays out 156.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend, suggesting it may not have sufficient earnings to cover its dividend payment in the future.
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of recent ratings and target prices for Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras and Frontline, as provided by MarketBeat.com.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras | 0 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 2.71 |
| Frontline | 2 | 5 | 4 | 0 | 2.18 |
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras presently has a consensus target price of $21.16, suggesting a potential upside of 3.90%. Frontline has a consensus target price of $45.37, suggesting a potential downside of 5.00%. Given Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras’ stronger consensus rating and higher probable upside, equities analysts clearly believe Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras is more favorable than Frontline.
Institutional and Insider Ownership
22.7% of Frontline shares are held by institutional investors. 48.1% of Frontline shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.
Valuation & Earnings
This table compares Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras and Frontline”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras | $104.23 billion | 1.26 | $19.63 billion | $3.96 | 5.14 |
| Frontline | $1.97 billion | 5.39 | $379.08 million | $6.67 | 7.16 |
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras has higher revenue and earnings than Frontline. Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Frontline, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Volatility & Risk
Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras has a beta of 0.32, meaning that its share price is 68% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Frontline has a beta of 0.05, meaning that its share price is 95% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Profitability
This table compares Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras and Frontline’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras | 24.52% | 30.61% | 10.94% |
| Frontline | 49.47% | 44.24% | 20.89% |
Summary
Frontline beats Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras on 9 of the 16 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras
Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras explores, produces, and sells oil and gas in Brazil and internationally. The company operates through three segments: Exploration and Production; Refining, Transportation and Marketing; and Gas and Power. The Exploration and Production segment explores, develops, and produces crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas primarily for supplies to the domestic refineries. The Refining, Transportation and Marketing segment engages in the refining, logistics, transport, acquisition, and exports of crude oil; and production of fertilizers, as well as holding interests in petrochemical companies. The Gas and Power segment is involved in the logistic and trading of natural gas and electricity; transportation and trading of LNG; generation of electricity through thermoelectric power plants; renewable energy businesses; low carbon services; and natural gas processing business, as well as production of biodiesel and its co-products. The company also engages in prospecting, drilling, refining, processing, trading, and transporting crude oil from producing onshore and offshore oil fields, and shale or other rocks, as well as oil products, natural gas, and other liquid hydrocarbons. In addition, it engages in research, development, production, transport, distribution, and trading of energy. Petróleo Brasileiro S.A. – Petrobras was incorporated in 1953 and is headquartered in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
About Frontline
Frontline plc, a shipping company, engages in the seaborne transportation of crude oil and oil products worldwide. It owns and operates oil and product tankers. As of December 31, 2022, the company operated a fleet of 70 vessels. It is also involved in the charter, purchase, and sale of vessels. The company was founded in 1985 and is based in Limassol, Cyprus.