BRY vs TALO

For growth investors, Berry Corporation (BRY) is the stronger pick with -9.

2% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -9. 8% for Talos Energy Inc. (TALO). Berry Corporation (BRY) offers the better valuation at 13. 0x trailing P/E, making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Talos Energy Inc. (TALO) a "Buy" — based on 13 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, Talos Energy Inc.

(TALO) delivered a total return of +18. 8%, compared to +3. 7% for Berry Corporation (BRY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BRY returned +7279% versus TALO's -59. 0%. 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), Talos Energy Inc.

(TALO) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 06β versus Berry Corporation's 0. 78β — meaning BRY is approximately 1239% more volatile than TALO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Talos Energy Inc. (TALO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 57% versus 60% for Berry Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Berry Corporation (BRY) is pulling ahead at -9.

2% versus -9. 8% for Talos Energy Inc. (TALO). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Berry Corporation grew EPS -47. 9% year-over-year, compared to -555. 8% for Talos Energy Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BRY leads at 3. 8% 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.

Berry Corporation (BRY) is the more profitable company, earning 2.

5% net margin versus -27. 9% for Talos Energy Inc. — meaning it keeps 2. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BRY leads at 19. 5% versus -5. 9% for TALO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BRY leads at 36. 4%, 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.

In this comparison, BRY (19.

5% yield) pays a dividend. TALO does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, Berry Corporation (BRY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

78), 19. 5% yield, +7279% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BRY: +7279%, TALO: -59. 0%), 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: BRY is a small-cap deep-value stock; TALO is a small-cap quality compounder stock. BRY pays a dividend while TALO 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.