Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) vs Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) 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 | BTE | 24.4% revenue growth vs BRN's -36.9% |
| Quality / Margins | BTE | 5.6% net margin vs BRN's -53.1% |
| Stability / Safety | BRN | Beta 0.18 vs BTE's 1.63, lower leverage |
| Dividends | BTE | 1.7% yield; 1-year raise streak; BRN pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | BTE | +72.8% vs BRN's -21.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | BTE | 2.8% ROA vs BRN's -30.7%, ROIC 9.1% vs -61.9% |
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
Baytex Energy is an oil and gas exploration and production company focused on developing crude oil and natural gas reserves in Western Canada and the Eagle Ford shale in Texas. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales — about 80% of total revenue — with the remainder from natural gas and natural gas liquids. The company's competitive advantage lies in its concentrated, high-quality asset base in low-decline basins — particularly its Eagle Ford position — which provides stable production and attractive economics.
Barnwell Industries is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in Canada and land investments in Hawaii. It generates revenue primarily from oil and gas production in Alberta—roughly 70% of total revenue—with additional income from land investment activities and contract drilling services. The company's key advantage lies in its established land positions and operational expertise in Alberta's oil fields, though its small scale limits competitive moats.
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
BTE leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). BRN leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
BTE is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.8B annually — 307.9x BRN's $12M. BTE is the more profitable business, keeping 5.6% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BRN's -53.1%. On growth, BTE holds the edge at +9.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | BTEBaytex Energy Cor… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.8B | $12M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.9B | -$3M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $215M | -$7M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $420M | -$607,000 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +27.0% | +8.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +16.1% | -50.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +5.6% | -53.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +11.0% | -4.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +9.0% | -40.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -82.6% | +31.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | BTEBaytex Energy Cor… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.0B | $14M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $12M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 17.52x | -1.65x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 35.75x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 2.92x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.96x | 1.04x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.01x | 1.63x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 6.80x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
BTE delivers a 5.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $-81 for BRN. BRN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to BTE's 0.55x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), BTE scores 6/9 vs BRN's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | BTEBaytex Energy Cor… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.1% | -80.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.8% | -30.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +9.1% | -61.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.9% | -27.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.55x | 0.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.3B | -$3M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $17M | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.3B | $264,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.81x | -991.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in BTE five years ago would be worth $39,639 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,738 for BRN. Over the past 12 months, BTE leads with a +72.8% total return vs BRN's -21.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors BTE at 1.1% vs BRN's -21.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | BTEBaytex Energy Cor… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +16.4% | -0.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +72.8% | -21.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +3.5% | -51.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +296.4% | -62.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +75.6% | -6.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.1% | -21.4% |
Risk & Volatility
BRN is the less volatile stock with a 0.18 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than BTE's 1.63 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. BTE currently trades 99.6% from its 52-week high vs BRN's 50.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | BTEBaytex Energy Cor… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.63x | 0.18x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $3.85 | $2.28 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $1.36 | $0.93 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.6% | +50.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 60.5 | 50.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 15.2M | 126K |
Analyst Outlook
BTE is the only dividend payer here at 1.71% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | BTEBaytex Energy Cor… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 16 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.7% | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.09 | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.5% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) | 100 | 337 | +237.0% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | 100 | 172.88 | +72.9% |
Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) returned +296% over 5 years vs Barnwell Industries… (BRN)'s -63%. A $10,000 investment in BTE 5 years ago would be worth $39,639 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) | $780M | $4.2B | +439.5% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | $13M | $14M | +3.1% |
Barnwell Industries, Inc.'s revenue grew from $13M (2016) to $14M (2025) — a 0.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) | -62.2% | 5.6% | +109.0% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | -27.2% | -50.4% | -85.4% |
Barnwell Industries, Inc.'s net margin went from -27% (2016) to -50% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) | 8.1 | 8.6 | +6.2% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | 14.9 | 5.2 | -65.1% |
Baytex Energy Corp. has traded in a 1x–9x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x. Barnwell Industries, Inc. has traded in a 4x–15x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-2x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) | -2.29 | 0.3 | +113.1% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | -0.44 | -0.69 | -56.8% |
Barnwell Industries, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.44 (2016) to $-0.69 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Baytex Energy Corp. generated $594M FCF in 2024 (+50% vs 2021). Barnwell Industries, Inc. generated $-5M FCF in 2025 (-348% vs 2021).
BTE vs BRN: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is BTE or BRN a better buy right now?
Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) offers the better valuation at 17.5x trailing P/E (35.8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) a "Buy" — based on 16 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 is the better long-term investment — BTE or BRN?
Over the past 5 years, Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) delivered a total return of +296.4%, compared to -62.6% for Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN). A $10,000 investment in BTE five years ago would be worth approximately $40K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: BTE returned +75.6% versus BRN's -6.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — BTE or BRN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.18β versus Baytex Energy Corp.'s 1.63β — meaning BTE is approximately 785% more volatile than BRN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 55% for Baytex Energy Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — BTE or BRN?
Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) is the more profitable company, earning 5.6% net margin versus -50.4% for Barnwell Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps 5.6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: BTE leads at 18.3% versus -39.1% for BRN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BTE leads at 24.4%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — BTE or BRN?
In this comparison, BTE (1.7% yield) pays a dividend. BRN does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
06Is BTE or BRN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.18)). Baytex Energy Corp. (BTE) carries a higher beta of 1.63 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (BRN: -6.5%, BTE: +75.6%), 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.
07What are the main differences between BTE and BRN?
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: BTE is a small-cap deep-value stock; BRN is a small-cap quality compounder stock. BTE pays a dividend while BRN 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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