Analyzing Ener-Core (OTCMKTS:ENCR) and ARQ (NASDAQ:ARQ)

ARQ (NASDAQ:ARQ) and Ener-Core (OTCMKTS:ENCR) are both business services companies, but which is the better business? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, valuation, analyst recommendations, institutional ownership, profitability, risk and earnings.

Profitability

This table compares ARQ and Ener-Core’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

	Net Margins	Return on Equity	Return on Assets
ARQ	-0.44%	-0.25%	-0.19%
Ener-Core	N/A	N/A	N/A

Analyst Ratings

This is a summary of recent ratings and target prices for ARQ and Ener-Core, as reported by MarketBeat.

	Sell Ratings	Hold Ratings	Buy Ratings	Strong Buy Ratings	Rating Score
ARQ	0	0	2	0	3.00
Ener-Core	0	0	0	0	0.00

ARQ currently has a consensus price target of $10.00, indicating a potential upside of 37.17%. Given ARQ’s stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, analysts plainly believe ARQ is more favorable than Ener-Core.

Insider & Institutional Ownership

18.5% of ARQ shares are owned by institutional investors. 26.9% of ARQ shares are owned by company insiders. Comparatively, 3.8% of Ener-Core shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that hedge funds, endowments and large money managers believe a stock is poised for long-term growth.

Valuation and Earnings

This table compares ARQ and Ener-Core”s gross revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

	Gross Revenue	Price/Sales Ratio	Net Income	Earnings Per Share	Price/Earnings Ratio
ARQ	$99.18 million	3.09	-$12.25 million	($0.01)	-729.00
Ener-Core	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A	N/A

Ener-Core has lower revenue, but higher earnings than ARQ.

Summary

ARQ beats Ener-Core on 6 of the 9 factors compared between the two stocks.

About ARQ

Arq, Inc. produces activated carbon products in North America. The company's products include granular activated carbon, powdered and granular activated carbon, and colloidal carbon products; Arq Powder Wetcake, a fine and low-ash coal waste-derived particle; and additives for air emissions control. Its products are used in various applications, including water treatment, ground water remediation, soil sediments, air emissions, and asphalt additives. The company was formerly known as Advanced Emissions Solutions, Inc. and changed its name to Arq, Inc. in February 2024. Arq, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Greenwood Village, Colorado.

About Ener-Core

Ener-Core, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, license, and market its products that are based on Power Oxidizer technologies. The company's Power Oxidizer technology generates industrial levels of usable heat in a pressure vessel using various organic gases as fuel for an oxidation reaction. Its products include Ener-Core PowerStation EC250 and Ener-Core Powerstation KG2-3GEF/PO, which have applications in landfills, distilleries, and various industrial processes. The company sells its products directly, as well as through distributors in the United States and the Netherlands. Ener-Core, Inc. was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.