CBT vs MPC

For growth investors, Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is the stronger pick with -4.

4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -7. 0% for Cabot Corporation (CBT). Cabot Corporation (CBT) offers the better valuation at 13. 5x trailing P/E (13. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Cabot Corporation (CBT) a "Buy" — based on 15 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.

On trailing P/E, Cabot Corporation (CBT) is the cheapest at 13.

5x versus Marathon Petroleum Corporation at 18. 3x. On forward P/E, Marathon Petroleum Corporation is actually cheaper at 10. 9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) delivered a total return of +329.

5%, compared to +43. 2% for Cabot Corporation (CBT). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MPC returned +664. 3% versus CBT's +115. 7%. 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), Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

30β versus Cabot Corporation's 0. 78β — meaning CBT is approximately 160% more volatile than MPC relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cabot Corporation (CBT) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 71% versus 143% for Marathon Petroleum Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) is pulling ahead at -4.

4% versus -7. 0% for Cabot Corporation (CBT). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Marathon Petroleum Corporation grew EPS 31. 5% year-over-year, compared to -10. 4% for Cabot Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, CBT leads at -4. 9% 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.

Cabot Corporation (CBT) is the more profitable company, earning 8.

9% net margin versus 3. 0% for Marathon Petroleum Corporation — meaning it keeps 8. 9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CBT leads at 16. 7% versus 4. 3% for MPC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CBT leads at 25. 3%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) trades at 10.

9x forward P/E versus 13. 0x for Cabot Corporation — 2. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CBT: -4. 0% to $78. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Cabot Corporation (CBT) offers the highest yield at 2. 2%, versus 1. 5% for Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC).

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

30), 1. 5% yield, +664. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MPC: +664. 3%, CBT: +115. 7%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (CBT (Basic Materials) and MPC (Energy)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: CBT is a small-cap deep-value stock; MPC is a mid-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.