Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) vs Apple Inc. (AAPL) 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 | AAPL | 6.4% revenue growth vs CVE's -14.0% |
| Value | CVE | Lower P/E (15.0x vs 31.1x) |
| Quality / Margins | AAPL | 27.0% net margin vs CVE's 5.7% |
| Stability / Safety | CVE | Beta 1.13 vs AAPL's 1.28, lower leverage |
| Dividends | CVE | 2.6% yield, vs AAPL's 0.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CVE | +65.2% vs AAPL's +9.7% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | AAPL | 31.1% ROA vs CVE's 5.9%, ROIC 64.5% vs 7.9% |
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
Cenovus Energy is an integrated Canadian oil and gas company that develops and produces crude oil, natural gas liquids, and natural gas. It makes money primarily through oil sands production (~60% of upstream volumes) and conventional oil/gas operations, supplemented by refining and marketing through its manufacturing and retail segments. The company's key advantage is its integrated model—combining upstream production with downstream refining capacity—which provides operational flexibility and margin stability across the energy value chain.
Apple is a technology giant that designs and sells premium consumer electronics — most famously the iPhone — along with related software and services. It generates revenue primarily from hardware sales (roughly 80% of total) and a fast-growing services segment (around 20%) that includes the App Store, subscriptions, and licensing. Its key competitive advantage is a powerful ecosystem that locks users into its hardware, software, and services through seamless integration and high switching costs.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
AAPL leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CVE leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
AAPL is the larger business by revenue, generating $435.6B annually — 7.8x CVE's $55.5B. AAPL is the more profitable business, keeping 27.0% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CVE's 5.7%. On growth, AAPL holds the edge at +15.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | CVECenovus Energy In… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $55.5B | $435.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $10.8B | $152.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3.1B | $117.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $2.8B | $123.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +20.7% | +47.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +10.2% | +32.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +5.7% | +27.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.1% | +28.3% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -7.4% | +15.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +71.4% | +18.3% |
Valuation Metrics
At 14.2x trailing earnings, CVE trades at a 60% valuation discount to AAPL's 35.4x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CVE's 7.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than AAPL's 27.5x.
| Metric | CVECenovus Energy In… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $42.1B | $3.88T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $52.5B | $3.97T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 14.20x | 35.41x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.03x | 31.15x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 1.98x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.32x | 27.45x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.16x | 9.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.76x | 53.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 16.91x | 39.33x |
Profitability & Efficiency
AAPL delivers a 133.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $134 in annual profit, vs $11 for CVE. CVE carries lower financial leverage with a 0.54x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to AAPL's 1.67x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), AAPL scores 7/9 vs CVE's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | CVECenovus Energy In… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.1% | +133.5% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +5.9% | +31.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +7.9% | +64.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +8.2% | +69.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.54x | 1.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $14.3B | $89.7B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.7B | $33.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $17.0B | $123.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 7.64x | — |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CVE five years ago would be worth $32,664 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $21,049 for AAPL. Over the past 12 months, CVE leads with a +65.2% total return vs AAPL's +9.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors AAPL at 21.9% vs CVE's 9.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | CVECenovus Energy In… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +27.3% | -2.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +65.2% | +9.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +29.3% | +81.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +226.6% | +110.5% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +118.6% | +1027.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +9.0% | +21.9% |
Risk & Volatility
CVE is the less volatile stock with a 1.13 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than AAPL's 1.28 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CVE currently trades 95.4% from its 52-week high vs AAPL's 91.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | CVECenovus Energy In… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.13x | 1.28x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $23.39 | $288.61 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $10.23 | $169.21 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +95.4% | +91.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 61.6 | 57.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 10.7M | 40.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates CVE as "Hold" and AAPL as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 24.0% upside for CVE (target: $28) vs 14.7% for AAPL (target: $303). For income investors, CVE offers the higher dividend yield at 2.56% vs AAPL's 0.39%.
| Metric | CVECenovus Energy In… | AAPLApple Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $27.67 | $303.11 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 27 | 109 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.6% | +0.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 14 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.78 | $1.03 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.3% | +2.3% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) | 100 | 264.04 | +164.0% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 100 | 395.1 | +295.1% |
Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) returned +227% over 5 years vs Apple Inc. (AAPL)'s +110%. A $10,000 investment in CVE 5 years ago would be worth $32,664 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) | $11.0B | $49.7B | +350.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | $215.6B | $416.2B | +93.0% |
Cenovus Energy Inc.'s revenue grew from $11.0B (2016) to $49.7B (2025) — a 18.2% CAGR. Apple Inc.'s revenue grew from $215.6B (2016) to $416.2B (2025) — a 7.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) | -4.9% | 7.9% | +259.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 21.2% | 26.9% | +27.0% |
Cenovus Energy Inc.'s net margin went from -5% (2016) to 8% (2025). Apple Inc.'s net margin went from 21% (2016) to 27% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) | 3 | 7.9 | +163.3% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 18.4 | 36.4 | +97.8% |
Cenovus Energy Inc. has traded in a 3x–42x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x. Apple Inc. has traded in a 13x–41x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~35x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) | -0.65 | 2.15 | +430.8% |
| Apple Inc. (AAPL) | 2.08 | 7.46 | +258.7% |
Cenovus Energy Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.65 (2016) to $2.15 (2025). Apple Inc.'s EPS grew from $2.08 (2016) to $7.46 (2025) — a 15% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Cenovus Energy Inc. generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+1% vs 2021). Apple Inc. generated $99B FCF in 2025 (+6% vs 2021).
CVE vs AAPL: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is CVE or AAPL a better buy right now?
Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) offers the better valuation at 14.2x trailing P/E (15.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Apple Inc. (AAPL) a "Buy" — based on 109 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 — CVE or AAPL?
On trailing P/E, Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) is the cheapest at 14.2x versus Apple Inc. at 35.4x. On forward P/E, Cenovus Energy Inc. is actually cheaper at 15.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — CVE or AAPL?
Over the past 5 years, Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) delivered a total return of +226.6%, compared to +110.5% for Apple Inc. (AAPL). A $10,000 investment in CVE five years ago would be worth approximately $33K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: AAPL returned +1027% versus CVE's +118.6%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
04Which is safer — CVE or AAPL?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) is the lower-risk stock at 1.13β versus Apple Inc.'s 1.28β — meaning AAPL is approximately 14% more volatile than CVE relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 54% versus 167% for Apple Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — CVE or AAPL?
Apple Inc. (AAPL) is the more profitable company, earning 26.9% net margin versus 7.9% for Cenovus Energy Inc. — meaning it keeps 26.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: AAPL leads at 32.0% versus 8.8% for CVE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — AAPL leads at 46.9%, 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.
06Is CVE or AAPL more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) trades at 15.0x forward P/E versus 31.1x for Apple Inc. — 16.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CVE: 24.0% to $27.67.
07Which pays a better dividend — CVE or AAPL?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) offers the highest yield at 2.6%, versus 0.4% for Apple Inc. (AAPL).
08Is CVE or AAPL better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Cenovus Energy Inc. (CVE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.13), 2.6% yield, +118.6% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CVE: +118.6%, AAPL: +1027%), 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.
09What are the main differences between CVE and AAPL?
These companies operate in different sectors (CVE (Energy) and AAPL (Technology)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced. In terms of investment character: CVE is a mid-cap deep-value stock; AAPL is a mega-cap quality compounder stock. CVE pays a dividend while AAPL 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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