Sampo (OTCMKTS:SAXPY – Get Free Report) and Investors Title (NASDAQ:ITIC – Get Free Report) are both finance companies, but which is the better stock? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, analyst recommendations, valuation, risk, dividends and institutional ownership.

Sampo pays an annual dividend of $0.31 per share and has a dividend yield of 1.4%. Investors Title pays an annual dividend of $1.84 per share and has a dividend yield of 0.7%. Sampo pays out 30.7% of its earnings in the form of a dividend. Investors Title pays out 10.5% 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.

This table compares Sampo and Investors Title’s net margins, return on equity and return on assets.

Sampo has a beta of 0.54, suggesting that its share price is 46% less volatile than the S&P 500. Comparatively, Investors Title has a beta of 0.87, suggesting that its share price is 13% less volatile than the S&P 500.

0.0% of Sampo shares are owned by institutional investors. Comparatively, 41.4% of Investors Title shares are owned by institutional investors. 26.4% of Investors Title shares are owned by company insiders. Strong institutional ownership is an indication that large money managers, hedge funds and endowments believe a company is poised for long-term growth.

This table compares Sampo and Investors Title”s revenue, earnings per share (EPS) and valuation.

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

This is a breakdown of recent recommendations and price targets for Sampo and Investors Title, as reported by MarketBeat.

Investors Title beats Sampo on 8 of the 15 factors compared between the two stocks.

Sampo Oyj, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the provision of non-life insurance products and services in Finland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, and the United Kingdom. The company operates through If, Topdanmark, Hastings, Mandatum, and Holding segments. It offers property, casualty, liability, accident, sickness, household, homeowner, motor, travel, marine, aviation, transport, forest, livestock, health, workers compensation, car, van, and bike insurance services, as well as reinsurance services. The company was founded in 1909 and is based in Helsinki, Finland.