ASTS vs. CLS: A Head-to-Head Stock Comparison
Updated onHere’s a clear look at ASTS and CLS, comparing key factors like historical performance, profitability, financial strength, growth, dividend, and valuation.
Company Overview
ASTS’s market capitalization stands at 15.96 billion USD, while CLS’s is 18.31 billion USD, indicating their market valuations are broadly comparable.
With betas of 2.02 for ASTS and 1.64 for CLS, both stocks show similar sensitivity to overall market movements.
| Symbol | ASTS | CLS |
|---|---|---|
| Company Name | AST SpaceMobile, Inc. | Celestica Inc. |
| Country | US | CA |
| Sector | Technology | Technology |
| Industry | Communication Equipment | Hardware, Equipment & Parts |
| CEO | Abel Avellan | Robert Andrew Mionis |
| Price | 45.6 USD | 159.26 USD |
| Market Cap | 15.96 billion USD | 18.31 billion USD |
| Beta | 2.02 | 1.64 |
| Exchange | NASDAQ | NYSE |
| IPO Date | November 1, 2019 | June 30, 1998 |
| ADR | No | No |
Historical Performance
This chart compares the performance of ASTS and CLS by tracking the growth of an initial $10,000 investment in each. Use the tabs to select the desired time period.
Data is adjusted for dividends and splits.
Profitability
Return on Equity
ASTS
-76.72%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 30.07%
- Q3
- 8.07%
- Median
- 1.84%
- Q1
- -11.93%
- Min
- -31.65%
ASTS has a negative Return on Equity of -76.72%. This indicates the company is generating a loss for its shareholders, which can be a result of unprofitability or negative shareholder equity and is often a sign of financial distress.
CLS
23.32%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 38.64%
- Q3
- 17.03%
- Median
- 8.95%
- Q1
- 1.23%
- Min
- -14.34%
In the upper quartile for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, CLS’s Return on Equity of 23.32% signals a highly effective use of shareholder capital to drive profitability compared to most of its peers.
Return on Invested Capital
ASTS
-19.41%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 11.59%
- Q3
- 6.61%
- Median
- 2.97%
- Q1
- -2.58%
- Min
- -13.18%
ASTS has a negative Return on Invested Capital of -19.41%. This indicates that its operations are failing to generate a profit on the total capital invested, signaling significant inefficiency or value destruction.
CLS
16.79%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 17.24%
- Q3
- 9.87%
- Median
- 6.54%
- Q1
- 1.56%
- Min
- -7.50%
In the upper quartile for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, CLS’s Return on Invested Capital of 16.79% signifies a highly effective use of its capital to generate profits when compared to its peers.
Net Profit Margin
ASTS
-7,033.20%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 23.65%
- Q3
- 9.21%
- Median
- 2.46%
- Q1
- -8.56%
- Min
- -29.87%
ASTS has a negative Net Profit Margin of -7,033.20%, indicating the company is operating at a net loss as its expenses exceeded its revenues.
CLS
4.09%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 22.76%
- Q3
- 11.04%
- Median
- 3.80%
- Q1
- 1.13%
- Min
- -8.57%
CLS’s Net Profit Margin of 4.09% is aligned with the median group of its peers in the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This indicates its ability to convert revenue into profit is typical for the sector.
Operating Profit Margin
ASTS
-5,397.45%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 30.72%
- Q3
- 11.64%
- Median
- 5.79%
- Q1
- -2.28%
- Min
- -18.20%
ASTS has a negative Operating Profit Margin of -5,397.45%. This signifies the company is unprofitable at the operational level, as its core business expenses exceed its revenue.
CLS
6.01%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 25.25%
- Q3
- 13.73%
- Median
- 8.22%
- Q1
- 4.35%
- Min
- -0.79%
CLS’s Operating Profit Margin of 6.01% is around the midpoint for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, indicating that its efficiency in managing core business operations is typical for the sector.
Profitability at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | CLS |
|---|---|---|
| Return on Equity (TTM) | -76.72% | 23.32% |
| Return on Assets (TTM) | -23.81% | 7.07% |
| Return on Invested Capital (TTM) | -19.41% | 16.79% |
| Net Profit Margin (TTM) | -7033.20% | 4.09% |
| Operating Profit Margin (TTM) | -5397.45% | 6.01% |
| Gross Profit Margin (TTM) | -486.80% | 10.59% |
Financial Strength
Current Ratio
ASTS
10.62
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 3.40
- Q3
- 2.59
- Median
- 1.62
- Q1
- 1.32
- Min
- 0.86
ASTS’s Current Ratio of 10.62 is exceptionally high, placing it well outside the typical range for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates a very strong liquidity position, though such a high ratio may also suggest that the company is not using its assets efficiently to generate profits.
CLS
1.43
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 4.10
- Q3
- 3.23
- Median
- 2.37
- Q1
- 1.81
- Min
- 0.58
CLS’s Current Ratio of 1.43 falls into the lower quartile for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This indicates a tighter liquidity situation and a more constrained capacity to handle short-term debt than many of its competitors.
Debt-to-Equity Ratio
ASTS
0.02
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 1.82
- Q3
- 1.00
- Median
- 0.53
- Q1
- 0.20
- Min
- 0.02
Falling into the lower quartile for the Communication Equipment industry, ASTS’s Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.02 points to a conservative financing strategy. This results in lower financial risk but potentially limits strategic investments compared to more leveraged competitors.
CLS
0.60
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 1.19
- Q3
- 0.56
- Median
- 0.33
- Q1
- 0.11
- Min
- 0.00
CLS’s leverage is in the upper quartile of the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, with a Debt-to-Equity Ratio of 0.60. While this approach can boost equity growth, it also exposes the company to greater financial vulnerability.
Interest Coverage Ratio
ASTS
-52.83
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 16.12
- Q3
- 9.22
- Median
- 2.52
- Q1
- -0.75
- Min
- -12.07
ASTS has a negative Interest Coverage Ratio of -52.83. This indicates that its earnings were insufficient to cover even its operational costs, let alone its interest payments, signaling significant financial distress.
CLS
12.39
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 28.37
- Q3
- 14.25
- Median
- 9.35
- Q1
- 2.86
- Min
- -13.16
CLS’s Interest Coverage Ratio of 12.39 is positioned comfortably within the norm for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry, indicating a standard and healthy capacity to cover its interest payments.
Financial Strength at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | CLS |
|---|---|---|
| Current Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 1.43 |
| Quick Ratio (TTM) | 10.62 | 0.85 |
| Debt-to-Equity Ratio (TTM) | 0.02 | 0.60 |
| Debt-to-Asset Ratio (TTM) | 0.01 | 0.16 |
| Net Debt-to-EBITDA Ratio (TTM) | 1.82 | 0.88 |
| Interest Coverage Ratio (TTM) | -52.83 | 12.39 |
Growth
The following charts compare key year-over-year (YoY) growth metrics for ASTS and CLS. These metrics are based on the companies’ annual financial reports.
Revenue Growth
Earnings Per Share (EPS) Growth
Free Cash Flow Growth
Dividend
Dividend Yield
ASTS
0.00%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 4.72%
- Q3
- 0.38%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
CLS
0.00%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 2.16%
- Q3
- 0.66%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CLS currently does not pay a dividend, resulting in a yield of 0%. This is a common strategy for growth-focused companies that prioritize reinvesting earnings, though it may be less typical in mature, income-oriented sectors.
Dividend Payout Ratio
ASTS
0.00%
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 91.96%
- Q3
- 26.44%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
ASTS has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
CLS
0.00%
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 71.55%
- Q3
- 25.37%
- Median
- 0.00%
- Q1
- 0.00%
- Min
- 0.00%
CLS has a Dividend Payout Ratio of 0%, indicating it does not currently pay a dividend. This is a common strategy for growth-oriented companies that reinvest all profits back into the business.
Dividend at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | CLS |
|---|---|---|
| Dividend Yield (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
| Dividend Payout Ratio (TTM) | 0.00% | 0.00% |
Valuation
Price-to-Earnings Ratio
ASTS
-31.32
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 44.37
- Q3
- 41.98
- Median
- 30.61
- Q1
- 23.44
- Min
- 2.14
ASTS has a negative P/E Ratio of -31.32. This occurs when a company has negative earnings (a net loss), making the ratio unsuitable for valuation analysis.
CLS
44.75
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 86.58
- Q3
- 53.54
- Median
- 36.07
- Q1
- 25.99
- Min
- 12.16
CLS’s P/E Ratio of 44.75 is within the middle range for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This suggests its valuation is in line with the sector average, representing neither a significant premium nor a discount compared to its peers.
Forward P/E to Growth Ratio
ASTS
15.35
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 15.97
- Q3
- 6.99
- Median
- 2.78
- Q1
- 0.66
- Min
- 0.05
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Communication Equipment industry.
CLS
2.18
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 5.22
- Q3
- 3.27
- Median
- 2.16
- Q1
- 1.77
- Min
- 0.00
The Forward PEG Ratio is often not a primary valuation metric in the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry.
Price-to-Sales Ratio
ASTS
5,043.28
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 6.38
- Q3
- 3.88
- Median
- 2.17
- Q1
- 1.15
- Min
- 0.37
With a P/S Ratio of 5,043.28, ASTS trades at a valuation that eclipses even the highest in the Communication Equipment industry. This implies the market has priced in exceptionally optimistic scenarios for future revenue growth, posing considerable valuation risk.
CLS
1.82
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 8.50
- Q3
- 4.95
- Median
- 2.45
- Q1
- 1.17
- Min
- 0.32
CLS’s P/S Ratio of 1.82 aligns with the market consensus for the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This suggests its valuation, based on sales, is seen as standard and is on par with its competitors.
Price-to-Book Ratio
ASTS
13.32
Communication Equipment Industry
- Max
- 14.42
- Q3
- 7.01
- Median
- 3.09
- Q1
- 1.38
- Min
- 0.41
ASTS’s P/B Ratio of 13.32 is in the upper tier for the Communication Equipment industry. This indicates that investors are paying a premium relative to the company’s net assets, a valuation that hinges on its ability to generate superior profits.
CLS
11.86
Hardware, Equipment & Parts Industry
- Max
- 7.53
- Q3
- 4.63
- Median
- 3.34
- Q1
- 2.35
- Min
- 0.48
At 11.86, CLS’s P/B Ratio is at an extreme premium to the Hardware, Equipment & Parts industry. This signifies that the market’s valuation is heavily reliant on future potential rather than its current net asset value, which can be a high-risk proposition.
Valuation at a Glance
| Symbol | ASTS | CLS |
|---|---|---|
| Price-to-Earnings Ratio (P/E, TTM) | -31.32 | 44.75 |
| Forward PEG Ratio (TTM) | 15.35 | 2.18 |
| Price-to-Sales Ratio (P/S, TTM) | 5043.28 | 1.82 |
| Price-to-Book Ratio (P/B, TTM) | 13.32 | 11.86 |
| Price-to-Free Cash Flow Ratio (P/FCF, TTM) | -64.66 | 51.94 |
| EV-to-EBITDA (TTM) | -47.80 | 26.15 |
| EV-to-Sales (TTM) | 4858.60 | 1.88 |