AMPY vs TALO

For growth investors, Talos Energy Inc.

(TALO) is the stronger pick with -9. 8% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -10. 6% for Amplify Energy Corp. (AMPY). Amplify Energy Corp. (AMPY) offers the better valuation at 5. 4x trailing P/E (20. 5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Amplify Energy Corp. (AMPY) a "Buy" — based on 5 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.

Over the past 5 years, Amplify Energy Corp.

(AMPY) delivered a total return of +89. 1%, compared to +22. 5% for Talos Energy Inc. (TALO). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AMPY returned +922. 7% versus TALO's -58. 6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Amplify Energy Corp.

(AMPY) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 19β versus Talos Energy Inc. 's 0. 06β — meaning TALO is approximately -131% more volatile than AMPY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Amplify Energy Corp. (AMPY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 57% for Talos Energy Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Talos Energy Inc.

(TALO) is pulling ahead at -9. 8% versus -10. 6% for Amplify Energy Corp. (AMPY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Amplify Energy Corp. grew EPS 232. 3% year-over-year, compared to -555. 8% for Talos Energy Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, TALO leads at 2. 5% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Amplify Energy Corp.

(AMPY) is the more profitable company, earning 16. 7% net margin versus -27. 9% for Talos Energy Inc. — meaning it keeps 16. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AMPY leads at 29. 2% versus -5. 9% for TALO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AMPY leads at 93. 2%, 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.

Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for AMPY: 85.

0% to $10. 25.

None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend.

All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Amplify Energy Corp.

(AMPY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 19), +922. 7% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (AMPY: +922. 7%, TALO: -58. 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.

Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both.

In terms of investment character: AMPY is a small-cap deep-value stock; TALO is a small-cap quality compounder stock. 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.