Dover (NYSE: DOV) and The Timken (NYSE:TKR) are both industrial products companies, but which is the superior stock? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, dividends, profitability, analyst recommendations, earnings and valuation. 



Volatility & Risk



Dover has a beta of 1.28, suggesting that its stock price is 28% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, The Timken has a beta of 1.55, suggesting that its stock price is 55% more volatile than the S&P 500. 





Profitability



This table compares Dover and The Timken’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.



Dover has a beta of 1.28, suggesting that its stock price is 28% more volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, The Timken has a beta of 1.55, suggesting that its stock price is 55% more volatile than the S&P 500. 





Institutional & Insider Ownership



88.3% of Dover shares are held by institutional investors. Comparatively, 79.5% of The Timken shares are held by institutional investors. 2.5% of Dover shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 11.1% of The Timken 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.



Earnings and Valuation

This table compares Dover and The Timken’s gross revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

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



Analyst Recommendations



This is a breakdown of current ratings for Dover and The Timken, as provided by MarketBeat. 



Dover presently has a consensus target price of $106.82, indicating a potential upside of 6.73%. The Timken has a consensus target price of $51.00, indicating a potential upside of 11.60%. Given The Timken’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe The Timken is more favorable than Dover.



Dividends



Dover pays an annual dividend of $1.88 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.9%. The Timken pays an annual dividend of $1.08 per share and has a dividend yield of 2.4%. Dover pays out 36.5% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. The Timken pays out 42.0% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Both companies have healthy payout ratios and should be able to cover their dividend payments with earnings for the next several years. Dover has raised its dividend for 4 consecutive years and The Timken has raised its dividend for 62 consecutive years. The Timken is clearly the better dividend stock, given its higher yield and longer track record of dividend growth.



Summary



Dover beats The Timken on 10 of the 17 factors compared between the two stocks.



Dover Company Profile



Dover Corporation is a diversified global manufacturer delivering equipment and components, specialty systems, consumable supplies, software and digital solutions and support services. The Company’s segments include Energy, Engineered Systems, Fluids and Refrigeration & Food Equipment. The Company’s Energy segment is a provider of solutions and services for production and processing of fuels around the world. Its Engineered Systems segment includes two platforms: Printing & Identification, and Industrials and is focused on the design, manufacture and service of critical equipment and components serving the fast-moving consumer goods, digital textile printing and industrial end markets. Its Fluids segment is focused on the safe handling of critical fluids across the retail fueling, chemical, and industrial end markets. The Refrigeration & Food Equipment segment is a provider of energy efficient equipment and systems serving the commercial refrigeration and food equipment end markets.



The Timken Company Profile



The Timken Company engineers, manufactures, and markets bearings, transmissions, gearboxes, belts, chains, lubrication systems, couplings, industrial clutches and brakes, and related products worldwide. It operates through two segments, Mobile Industries and Process Industries. The Mobile Industries segment offers a portfolio of bearings, seals, lubrication devices, and systems, as well as power transmission components, engineered chains, augers, belts, couplings, clutches and brakes, and related products and maintenance services to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and end users of off-highway equipment for the agricultural, construction, mining, outdoor power equipment, and power sports markets; and on-highway vehicles, including passenger cars, light trucks, and medium- and heavy-duty trucks, as well as rail cars and locomotives. It also provides power transmission systems and flight-critical components for civil and military aircraft, which comprise bearings, helicopter transmission systems, rotor-head assemblies, turbine engine components, gears, and housings. This segment sells it parts through a network of authorized automotive and heavy-truck distributors to individual end users, equipment owners, operators, and maintenance shops. The Process Industries segment supplies industrial bearings and assemblies; power transmission components, including gears and gearboxes; and couplings, seals, lubricants, chains, belts, and related products and services to OEMs and end-users in various industries. It also supports aftermarket sales and service needs through its network of authorized industrial distributors; and offers repair and service for bearings and gearboxes, as well as electric motor rewind, repair, and services to end users. The Timken Company was founded in 1899 and is headquartered in North Canton, Ohio.