Contrasting ACM Research (NASDAQ:ACMR) and OriginClear (OTCMKTS:OCLN)

ACM Research (NASDAQ:ACMR) and OriginClear (OTCMKTS:OCLN) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, profitability, earnings, institutional ownership, risk, analyst recommendations and valuation.

Profitability

This table compares ACM Research and OriginClear’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
ACM Research	12.26%	9.16%	5.63%
OriginClear	N/A	N/A	-9.16%

Earnings & Valuation

This table compares ACM Research and OriginClear”s top-line revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
ACM Research	$693.56 million	1.65	$77.35 million	$1.32	15.17
OriginClear	$30,000.00	327.49	-$11.63 million	N/A	N/A

ACM Research has higher revenue and earnings than OriginClear.

Institutional and Insider Ownership

66.8% of ACM Research shares are owned by institutional investors. 31.2% of ACM Research shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 0.4% of OriginClear shares are owned by company 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.

Volatility and Risk

ACM Research has a beta of 1.52, suggesting that its share price is 52% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, OriginClear has a beta of 0.99, suggesting that its share price is 1% less volatile than the S&P 500.

Analyst Recommendations

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for ACM Research and OriginClear, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
ACM Research	0	0	4	0	3.00
OriginClear	0	0	0	0	N/A

ACM Research presently has a consensus price target of $33.00, suggesting a potential upside of 64.75%. Given ACM Research’s higher probable upside, research analysts clearly believe ACM Research is more favorable than OriginClear.

Summary

ACM Research beats OriginClear on 10 of the 11 factors compared between the two stocks.

About ACM Research

ACM Research, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and sells single-wafer wet cleaning equipment for enhancing the manufacturing process and yield for integrated chips worldwide. It offers space alternated phase shift technology for flat and patterned wafer surfaces, which employs alternating phases of megasonic waves to deliver megasonic energy in a uniform manner on a microscopic level; timely energized bubble oscillation technology for patterned wafer surfaces at advanced process nodes, which provides cleaning for 2D and 3D patterned wafers; Tahoe technology for delivering cleaning performance using less sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide; and electro-chemical plating technology for advanced metal plating. The company markets and sells its products under the SAPS, TEBO, ULTRA C, ULTRA Fn, Ultra ECP, Ultra ECP map, and Ultra ECP ap trademarks through direct sales force and third-party representatives. ACM Research, Inc. was incorporated in 1998 and is headquartered in Fremont, California.

About OriginClear

OriginClear, Inc. provides water treatment solutions worldwide. The company designs and manufactures a line of water treatment systems for municipal, industrial, and pure water applications. It also offers a range of services, including maintenance contracts, retrofits, and replacement assistance; and rents equipment through contracts of varying duration, as well as provides prefabricated water transport and treatment systems. The company was formerly known as OriginOil, Inc. and changed its name to OriginClear, Inc. in April 2015. OriginClear, Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Clearwater, Florida.