Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare SM Energy Company (SM) vs Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. (INR) 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 | INR | 60.2% revenue growth vs SM's 18.1% |
| Value | INR | Lower P/E (6.1x vs 6.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | SM | 20.5% net margin vs INR's -0.6% |
| Stability / Safety | INR | Beta 1.05 vs SM's 1.70 |
| Dividends | SM | 3.5% yield; 4-year raise streak; INR pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | INR | -7.7% vs SM's -26.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | SM | 7.0% ROA vs INR's -0.2%, ROIC 0.2% vs 10.1% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
Growth exposure
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
Defensive / Recession hedge
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
SM Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on acquiring, developing, and operating hydrocarbon assets in Texas. It generates revenue primarily from selling crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids — with oil contributing the majority of production value — through its operations in the Midland Basin and South Texas. The company's competitive advantage lies in its concentrated, high-quality acreage positions in prolific Texas basins, which provide operational efficiency and predictable drilling inventory.
Infinity Natural Resources is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on developing shale resources in the Appalachian Basin. It generates revenue primarily from selling crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids extracted from its Utica and Marcellus shale acreage in Ohio and Pennsylvania. The company's competitive advantage lies in its concentrated acreage position in prolific shale plays — particularly its approximately 63,000 net acres in the Utica Shale — which provides operational scale and resource density.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
SM leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). INR leads in 1 (Risk & Volatility). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SM is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.2B annually — 10.2x INR's $308M. SM is the more profitable business, keeping 20.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to INR's -0.6%. On growth, INR holds the edge at +15.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | INRInfinity Natural … |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.2B | $308M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.2B | $76M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $648M | -$2M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $169M | -$124M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +53.0% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.5% | -4.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +20.5% | -0.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.3% | -40.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -14.1% | +15.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -42.3% | -80.8% |
Valuation Metrics
At 4.1x trailing earnings, SM trades at a 8% valuation discount to INR's 4.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SM's 3.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than INR's 4486.8x.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | INRInfinity Natural … |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $751.1B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $751.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 4.10x | 4.46x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 6.30x | 6.08x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.74x | 4486.84x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.84x | 2899.82x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.55x | 0.43x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 4.63x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
SM delivers a 13.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $13 in annual profit, vs $-0 for INR. SM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.48x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to INR's 0.51x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SM scores 7/9 vs INR's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | INRInfinity Natural … |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.5% | -0.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.0% | -0.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.2% | +10.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.2% | +13.3% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.48x | 0.51x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.9B | $259M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $368M | $2M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.3B | $261M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | -0.49x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
Over the past 12 months, INR leads with a -7.7% total return vs SM's -26.8%.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | INRInfinity Natural … |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +20.9% | +12.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -26.8% | -7.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -14.2% | — |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +79.9% | — |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +476.8% | — |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -5.0% | — |
Risk & Volatility
INR is the less volatile stock with a 1.05 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SM's 1.70 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. INR currently trades 83.4% from its 52-week high vs SM's 69.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | INRInfinity Natural … |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.70x | 1.05x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $33.14 | $19.90 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $17.45 | $11.13 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +69.8% | +83.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.0 | 50.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.0M | 153K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SM as "Buy" and INR as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 24.8% upside for SM (target: $29) vs 20.5% for INR (target: $20). SM is the only dividend payer here at 3.46% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | INRInfinity Natural … |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $28.86 | $20.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 53 | 6 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.5% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | — |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.80 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 25 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | 100 | 50.64 | -49.4% |
| Infinity Natural Re… (INR) | ∞ | ∞ | NaN% |
Infinity Natural Re… (INR) returned +InfinityK% over 5 years vs SM Energy Company (SM)'s +80%. A $10,000 investment in INR 5 years ago would be worth $∞ today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | $1.2B | $3.2B | +167.2% |
| Infinity Natural Re… (INR) | $143M | $259M | +80.9% |
SM Energy Company's revenue grew from $1.2B (2016) to $3.2B (2025) — a 11.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | -64.2% | 20.5% | +132.0% |
| Infinity Natural Re… (INR) | 47.6% | 19.0% | -60.0% |
SM Energy Company's net margin went from -64% (2016) to 21% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 6 Years
| Stock | 2018 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | 1.7 | 3.3 | +94.1% |
SM Energy Company has traded in a 2x–102x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~4x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | -9.9 | 5.64 | +157.0% |
| Infinity Natural Re… (INR) | 1.16 | 3.72 | +220.7% |
SM Energy Company's EPS grew from $-9.90 (2016) to $5.64 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
SM Energy Company generated $573M FCF in 2025 (+19% vs 2021). Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. generated $-78M FCF in 2024 (-156% vs 2022).
SM vs INR: Frequently Asked Questions
8 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SM or INR a better buy right now?
SM Energy Company (SM) offers the better valuation at 4.1x trailing P/E (6.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SM Energy Company (SM) a "Buy" — based on 53 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 — SM or INR?
On trailing P/E, SM Energy Company (SM) is the cheapest at 4.1x versus Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. at 4.5x. On forward P/E, Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. is actually cheaper at 6.1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is safer — SM or INR?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. (INR) is the lower-risk stock at 1.05β versus SM Energy Company's 1.70β — meaning SM is approximately 62% more volatile than INR relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, SM Energy Company (SM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 48% versus 51% for Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — SM or INR?
SM Energy Company (SM) is the more profitable company, earning 20.5% net margin versus 19.0% for Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. — meaning it keeps 20.5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: INR leads at 36.2% versus 0.5% for SM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — INR leads at 52.1%, 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.
05Is SM or INR more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Infinity Natural Resources, Inc. (INR) trades at 6.1x forward P/E versus 6.3x for SM Energy Company — 0.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SM: 24.8% to $28.86.
06Which pays a better dividend — SM or INR?
In this comparison, SM (3.5% yield) pays a dividend. INR does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
07Is SM or INR better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, SM Energy Company (SM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (3.5% yield, +476.8% 10Y return). Retirement portfolios generally favour predictability over maximum returns. Consult a financial advisor before making allocation decisions.
08What are the main differences between SM and INR?
Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. SM pays a dividend while INR does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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