EC vs BP

For growth investors, BP p.

l. c. (BP) is the stronger pick with 0. 1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -16. 4% for Ecopetrol S. A. (EC). Ecopetrol S. A. (EC) offers the better valuation at 12. 1x trailing P/E (0. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ecopetrol S. A. (EC) a "Hold" — based on 11 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, Ecopetrol S.

A. (EC) is the cheapest at 12. 1x versus BP p. l. c. at 2187. 7x. On forward P/E, Ecopetrol S. A. is actually cheaper at 0. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, BP p.

l. c. (BP) delivered a total return of +99. 6%, compared to +81. 8% for Ecopetrol S. A. (EC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EC returned +175. 3% versus BP's +101. 2%. 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), BP p.

l. c. (BP) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 01β versus Ecopetrol S. A. 's 0. 03β — meaning EC is approximately -316% more volatile than BP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ecopetrol S. A. (EC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 100% versus 114% for BP p. l. c. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), BP p.

l. c. (BP) is pulling ahead at 0. 1% versus -16. 4% for Ecopetrol S. A. (EC). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Ecopetrol S. A. grew EPS -39. 5% year-over-year, compared to -85. 4% for BP p. l. c.. Over a 3-year CAGR, BP leads at -7. 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.

Ecopetrol S.

A. (EC) is the more profitable company, earning 7. 5% net margin versus 0. 0% for BP p. l. c. — meaning it keeps 7. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EC leads at 22. 3% versus 8. 2% for BP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EC leads at 31. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Ecopetrol S.

A. (EC) trades at 0. 0x forward P/E versus 8. 7x for BP p. l. c. — 8. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for BP: -1. 7% to $43. 89.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Ecopetrol S. A. (EC) offers the highest yield at 10. 8%, versus 4. 3% for BP p. l. c. (BP).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Ecopetrol S.

A. (EC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 03), 10. 8% yield, +175. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EC: +175. 3%, BP: +101. 2%), 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: EC is a mid-cap deep-value stock; BP is a mid-cap income-oriented 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.