DEC vs WMB vs KMI vs CTRA

For growth investors, Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) is the stronger pick with 102.

7% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -49. 6% for Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA). Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) offers the better valuation at 3. 5x trailing P/E (8. 6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) a "Buy" — based on 6 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, Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) is the cheapest at 3.

5x versus The Williams Companies, Inc. at 36. 3x. On forward P/E, Diversified Energy Company PLC is actually cheaper at 8. 6x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Kinder Morgan, Inc. wins at 0. 24x versus The Williams Companies, Inc. 's 0. 50x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, The Williams Companies, Inc.

(WMB) delivered a total return of +235. 5%, compared to -19. 2% for Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: WMB returned +356. 4% versus DEC's +13. 3%. 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), Coterra Energy Inc.

(CTRA) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 15β versus The Williams Companies, Inc. 's 0. 13β — meaning WMB is approximately -186% more volatile than CTRA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 24% versus 196% for The Williams Companies, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) is pulling ahead at 102.

7% versus -49. 6% for Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Diversified Energy Company PLC grew EPS 346. 2% year-over-year, compared to 17. 1% for Kinder Morgan, Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, WMB leads at 2. 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.

Coterra Energy Inc.

(CTRA) is the more profitable company, earning 62. 4% net margin versus 18. 0% for Kinder Morgan, Inc. — meaning it keeps 62. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CTRA leads at 89. 1% versus 15. 1% for DEC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CTRA leads at 60. 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 24x versus The Williams Companies, Inc. 's 0. 50x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) trades at 8. 6x forward P/E versus 33. 1x for The Williams Companies, Inc. — 24. 5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DEC: 38. 4% to $22. 33.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Diversified Energy Company PLC (DEC) offers the highest yield at 7. 1%, versus 2. 6% for The Williams Companies, Inc. (WMB).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Coterra Energy Inc.

(CTRA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 15), 2. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CTRA: +70. 3%, KMI: +150. 1%), 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: DEC is a small-cap high-growth stock; WMB is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; KMI is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CTRA is a mid-cap deep-value 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.