Head-To-Head Analysis: Marine Petroleum Trust (NASDAQ:MARPS) & Imperial Petroleum (NASDAQ:IMPP)
by Danessa Lincoln · The Markets DailyImperial Petroleum (NASDAQ:IMPP – Get Free Report) and Marine Petroleum Trust (NASDAQ:MARPS – Get Free Report) are both small-cap energy companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their earnings, risk, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership and valuation.
Valuation and Earnings
This table compares Imperial Petroleum and Marine Petroleum Trust”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.
| Gross Revenue | Price/Sales Ratio | Net Income | Earnings Per Share | Price/Earnings Ratio | |
| Imperial Petroleum | $161.00 million | 1.64 | $49.98 million | $1.56 | 3.70 |
| Marine Petroleum Trust | $1.04 million | 8.57 | $730,000.00 | $0.32 | 13.93 |
Imperial Petroleum has higher revenue and earnings than Marine Petroleum Trust. Imperial Petroleum is trading at a lower price-to-earnings ratio than Marine Petroleum Trust, indicating that it is currently the more affordable of the two stocks.
Volatility & Risk
Imperial Petroleum has a beta of 1.27, suggesting that its share price is 27% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Marine Petroleum Trust has a beta of 0.38, suggesting that its share price is 62% less volatile than the S&P 500.
Insider & Institutional Ownership
94.4% of Imperial Petroleum shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 1.8% of Marine Petroleum Trust shares are held by institutional investors. 1.5% of Imperial Petroleum shares are held by insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that endowments, large money managers and hedge funds believe a stock will outperform the market over the long term.
Profitability
This table compares Imperial Petroleum and Marine Petroleum Trust’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.
| Net Margins | Return on Equity | Return on Assets | |
| Imperial Petroleum | 34.99% | 13.84% | 12.44% |
| Marine Petroleum Trust | 65.28% | 66.30% | 66.30% |
Analyst Ratings
This is a breakdown of current recommendations and price targets for Imperial Petroleum and Marine Petroleum Trust, as reported by MarketBeat.
| Sell Ratings | Hold Ratings | Buy Ratings | Strong Buy Ratings | Rating Score | |
| Imperial Petroleum | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2.50 |
| Marine Petroleum Trust | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2.00 |
Imperial Petroleum currently has a consensus price target of $9.00, suggesting a potential upside of 55.93%. Given Imperial Petroleum’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities analysts plainly believe Imperial Petroleum is more favorable than Marine Petroleum Trust.
Summary
Imperial Petroleum beats Marine Petroleum Trust on 9 of the 14 factors compared between the two stocks.
About Imperial Petroleum
Imperial Petroleum Inc. provides international seaborne transportation services to oil producers, refineries, and commodities traders. It carries refined petroleum products, such as gasoline, diesel, fuel oil, and jet fuel, as well as edible oils and chemicals, crude oils, iron ore, coal and grains, and minor bulks, such as bauxite, phosphate, and fertilizers. As of April 1, 2024, the company owned and operated a fleet of six medium range refined petroleum product tankers; one Aframax tanker; two suezmax tankers; and two handysize drybulk carriers with a total capacity of 791,000 deadweight tons. The company was incorporated in 2021 and is based in Athens, Greece.
About Marine Petroleum Trust
Marine Petroleum Trust, together with its subsidiary, Marine Petroleum Corporation, operates as a royalty trust in the United States. It has overriding royalty interest in oil and natural gas leases in the Central and Western areas of the Gulf of Mexico off the coasts of Louisiana and Texas. Marine Petroleum Trust was founded in 1956 and is based in Dallas, Texas.