Cogent Communications (NASDAQ:CCOI – Get Free Report) and Umbra Applied Technologies Group (OTCMKTS:UATG – Get Free Report) are both small-cap computer and technology companies, but which is the superior business? We will contrast the two businesses based on the strength of their risk, earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, profitability, dividends and institutional ownership.

92.4% of Cogent Communications shares are held by institutional investors. 11.4% of Cogent Communications shares are held by company insiders. Comparatively, 65.2% of Umbra Applied Technologies Group shares are held by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, endowments and hedge funds believe a company will outperform the market over the long term.

This table compares Cogent Communications and Umbra Applied Technologies Group’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

This is a summary of current ratings for Cogent Communications and Umbra Applied Technologies Group, as provided by MarketBeat.com.

Cogent Communications currently has a consensus price target of $25.71, suggesting a potential upside of 46.52%. Given Cogent Communications’ stronger consensus rating and higher possible upside, equities research analysts clearly believe Cogent Communications is more favorable than Umbra Applied Technologies Group.

Cogent Communications has a beta of 0.77, suggesting that its stock price is 23% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Umbra Applied Technologies Group has a beta of -1.33, suggesting that its stock price is 233% less volatile than the S&P 500.

This table compares Cogent Communications and Umbra Applied Technologies Group”s revenue, earnings per share and valuation.

Umbra Applied Technologies Group has lower revenue, but higher earnings than Cogent Communications.

Cogent Communications beats Umbra Applied Technologies Group on 6 of the 10 factors compared between the two stocks.

Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides high-speed Internet access, private network, and data center colocation space services in North America, Europe, Oceania, South America, and Africa. The company offers on-net Internet access and private network services to law firms, financial services firms, and advertising and marketing firms, as well as heath care providers, educational institutions and other professional services businesses, other Internet service providers, telephone companies, cable television companies, web hosting companies, media service providers, mobile phone operators, content delivery network companies, and commercial content and application service providers. It also provides Internet access and private network services to customers that are not located in buildings directly connected to its network; and on-net services to customers located in buildings that are physically connected to its network. In addition, the company offers off-net services to corporate customers using other carriers' circuits to provide the last mile portion of the link from the customers' premises to the network. Further, it operates data centers that allow its customers to collocate their equipment and access the network. It serves primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, communications service providers, and other bandwidth-intensive organizations. Cogent Communications Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Washington, the District of Columbia.