Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK) vs California Resources Corporation (CRC) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CRC | 5.1% revenue growth vs HPK's -3.8% |
| Value | HPK | Lower P/E (7.8x vs 45.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | CRC | 10.9% net margin vs HPK's 6.0% |
| Stability / Safety | CRC | Beta 1.26 vs HPK's 1.76, lower leverage |
| Dividends | HPK | 3.3% yield, 2-year raise streak, vs CRC's 2.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRC | +35.4% vs HPK's -58.4% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRC | 5.7% ROA vs HPK's 1.7%, ROIC 14.5% vs 10.0% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Long-term compounding (10Y)
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
HighPeak Energy is an independent oil and gas company focused on acquiring, developing, and producing reserves in the Midland Basin of West Texas. It generates revenue primarily from oil sales — which typically constitute 70-80% of its production mix — supplemented by natural gas and natural gas liquids. The company's competitive advantage lies in its concentrated acreage position in the prolific Midland Basin, allowing for efficient development through long-lateral horizontal drilling.
California Resources Corporation is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company focused exclusively on California. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales (~60%), natural gas and natural gas liquids (~25%), and electricity generation from its cogeneration facilities (~15%). The company's key advantage is its extensive mineral acreage position—approximately 1.9 million net acres—in a mature, high-barrier-to-entry California market with established infrastructure.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CRC leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). HPK leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRC is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.5B annually — 4.0x HPK's $882M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 10.9% (CRC) to 6.0% (HPK). On growth, CRC holds the edge at -11.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | HPKHighPeak Energy, … | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $882M | $3.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $657M | $1.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $53M | $384M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $42M | $545M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +31.5% | +37.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +27.2% | +21.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.0% | +10.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +4.7% | +15.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -30.5% | -11.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -142.9% | -79.9% |
Valuation Metrics
At 7.8x trailing earnings, HPK trades at a 39% valuation discount to CRC's 12.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, HPK's 1.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRC's 4761.3x.
| Metric | HPKHighPeak Energy, … | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $654M | $5.36T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $1.6B | $5.36T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 7.78x | 12.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | — | 45.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 1.93x | 4761.27x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.61x | 1812.76x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.42x | 1.35x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 9.45x | 9999.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CRC delivers a 11.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $3 for HPK. CRC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.35x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to HPK's 0.66x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), HPK scores 4/9 vs CRC's 3/9, reflecting mixed financial health.
| Metric | HPKHighPeak Energy, … | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +3.3% | +11.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.7% | +5.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +10.0% | +14.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +12.1% | +13.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.66x | 0.35x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $963M | $851M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $87M | $372M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.0B | $1.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 1.44x | 5.95x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth $24,361 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $4,469 for HPK. Over the past 12 months, CRC leads with a +35.4% total return vs HPK's -58.4%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRC at 14.3% vs HPK's -40.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | HPKHighPeak Energy, … | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +16.6% | +26.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -58.4% | +35.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -79.0% | +49.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -55.3% | +143.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -39.6% | +1037.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -40.6% | +14.3% |
Risk & Volatility
CRC is the less volatile stock with a 1.26 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than HPK's 1.76 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CRC currently trades 98.0% from its 52-week high vs HPK's 39.7% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | HPKHighPeak Energy, … | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.76x | 1.26x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $13.12 | $60.03 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.85 | $30.97 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +39.7% | +98.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 53.5 | 61.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 763K | 696K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates HPK as "Buy" and CRC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 130.3% upside for HPK (target: $12) vs 11.7% for CRC (target: $66). For income investors, HPK offers the higher dividend yield at 3.30% vs CRC's 2.36%.
| Metric | HPKHighPeak Energy, … | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $12.00 | $65.71 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 4 | 23 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.3% | +2.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 2 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.17 | $1.39 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.4% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighPeak Energy, In… (HPK) | 100 | 44.64 | -55.4% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 100 | 843.06 | +743.1% |
California Resource… (CRC) returned +144% over 5 years vs HighPeak Energy, In… (HPK)'s -55%. A $10,000 investment in CRC 5 years ago would be worth $24,361 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighPeak Energy, In… (HPK) | $8M | $1.1B | +13078.2% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | $2.4B | $3.0B | +25.8% |
California Resources Corporation's revenue grew from $2.4B (2015) to $3.0B (2024) — a 2.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighPeak Energy, In… (HPK) | -142.7% | 8.9% | +106.2% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | -151.2% | 12.7% | +108.4% |
California Resources Corporation's net margin went from -151% (2015) to 13% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 6 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighPeak Energy, In… (HPK) | 27.1 | 21.9 | -19.2% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 2.5 | 11.2 | +348.0% |
HighPeak Energy, Inc. has traded in a 9x–27x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~8x. California Resources Corporation has traded in a 1x–11x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~13x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| HighPeak Energy, In… (HPK) | -0.13 | 0.67 | +615.4% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | -92.79 | 4.62 | +105.0% |
California Resources Corporation's EPS grew from $-92.79 (2015) to $4.62 (2024).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
HighPeak Energy, Inc. generated $69M FCF in 2024 (+148% vs 2021). California Resources Corporation generated $350M FCF in 2024 (-25% vs 2021).
HPK vs CRC: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is HPK or CRC a better buy right now?
HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK) offers the better valuation at 7.8x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK) a "Buy" — based on 4 analyst ratings — the highest consensus in this comparison. The "better buy" depends entirely on your goals: growth investors should weight revenue trajectory, value investors should weight P/E and PEG, and income investors should weight dividend yield and streak.
02Which has the better valuation — HPK or CRC?
On trailing P/E, HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK) is the cheapest at 7.8x versus California Resources Corporation at 12.7x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — HPK or CRC?
Over the past 5 years, California Resources Corporation (CRC) delivered a total return of +143.6%, compared to -55.3% for HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK). A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRC returned +1037% versus HPK's -39.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — HPK or CRC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the lower-risk stock at 1.26β versus HighPeak Energy, Inc.'s 1.76β — meaning HPK is approximately 39% more volatile than CRC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, California Resources Corporation (CRC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 35% versus 66% for HighPeak Energy, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — HPK or CRC?
California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the more profitable company, earning 12.7% net margin versus 8.9% for HighPeak Energy, Inc. — meaning it keeps 12.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HPK leads at 31.6% versus 22.0% for CRC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CRC leads at 40.6%, reflecting greater pricing power or product mix advantage. Stronger margins indicate durable pricing power, lower cost of revenue, or higher mix of software/services. They are one of the clearest signs of business quality.
06Is HPK or CRC more undervalued right now?
Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for HPK: 130.3% to $12.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — HPK or CRC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK) offers the highest yield at 3.3%, versus 2.4% for California Resources Corporation (CRC).
08Is HPK or CRC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.26), 2.4% yield, +1037% 10Y return). HighPeak Energy, Inc. (HPK) carries a higher beta of 1.76 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRC: +1037%, HPK: -39.6%), confirming both are viable long-term holds — but the lower-volatility option typically results in less emotional selling during corrections. Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
09What are the main differences between HPK and CRC?
Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. These fundamental differences mean investors should not choose between them on a single metric — the "better stock" depends entirely on which of these characteristics aligns with your investment strategy.
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