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EPD vs COP
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Oil & Gas Exploration & Production
EPD vs COP — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Oil & Gas Midstream | Oil & Gas Exploration & Production |
| Market Cap | $81.20B | $144.92B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $52.60B | $58.31B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $5.80B | $7.32B |
| Gross Margin | 13.6% | 29.2% |
| Operating Margin | 13.5% | 18.3% |
| Forward P/E | 13.1x | 13.8x |
| Total Debt | $34.93B | $23.44B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $1.25B | $6.50B |
EPD vs COP — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enterprise Products… (EPD) | 100 | 196.6 | +96.6% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 100 | 281.9 | +181.9% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: EPD vs COP
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
EPD carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability and growth exposure.
- Dividend streak 15 yrs, beta 0.06, yield 5.7%
- Rev growth -6.4%, EPS growth -1.1%, 3Y rev CAGR -3.3%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.06, current ratio 1.04x
COP is the clearest fit if your priority is long-term compounding.
- 234.2% 10Y total return vs EPD's 116.1%
- 7.5% revenue growth vs EPD's -6.4%
- 12.6% margin vs EPD's 11.0%
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 7.5% revenue growth vs EPD's -6.4% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (13.1x vs 13.8x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 12.6% margin vs EPD's 11.0% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.06 vs COP's 0.08 | |
| Dividends | 5.7% yield, 15-year raise streak, vs COP's 2.7% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +39.4% vs EPD's +32.7% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 7.5% ROA vs COP's 6.0%, ROIC 8.3% vs 10.4% |
EPD vs COP — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
EPD vs COP — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
COP leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
COP and EPD operate at a comparable scale, with $58.3B and $52.6B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 12.6% (COP) to 11.0% (EPD).
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $52.6B | $58.3B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $9.7B | $22.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $5.8B | $7.3B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $3.0B | $18.3B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +13.6% | +29.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +13.5% | +18.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +11.0% | +12.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.6% | +31.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.9% | -2.5% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.7% | -20.2% |
Valuation Metrics
Evenly matched — EPD and COP each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 14.1x trailing earnings, EPD trades at a 25% valuation discount to COP's 18.7x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, COP's 7.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than EPD's 12.1x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $81.2B | $144.9B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $114.9B | $161.9B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 14.12x | 18.72x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 13.08x | 13.76x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 1.53x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 12.06x | 6.98x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.54x | 2.47x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.69x | 2.31x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 27.38x | 8.64x |
Profitability & Efficiency
COP leads this category, winning 5 of 8 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
EPD delivers a 19.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $19 in annual profit, vs $11 for COP. COP carries lower financial leverage with a 0.36x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EPD's 1.14x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +19.3% | +11.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.5% | +6.0% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +8.3% | +10.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.9% | +10.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 1.14x | 0.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $33.7B | $16.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1.2B | $6.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $34.9B | $23.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 5.21x | 9.42x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
COP leads this category, winning 4 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in COP five years ago would be worth $24,499 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $20,481 for EPD. Over the past 12 months, COP leads with a +39.4% total return vs EPD's +32.7%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EPD at 20.1% vs COP's 8.5% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +20.2% | +23.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +32.7% | +39.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +73.1% | +27.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +104.8% | +145.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +116.1% | +234.2% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +20.1% | +8.5% |
Risk & Volatility
EPD leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
EPD is the less volatile stock with a 0.06 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COP's 0.08 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EPD currently trades 94.5% from its 52-week high vs COP's 87.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.06x | 0.08x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $39.73 | $135.87 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $29.68 | $84.28 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +94.5% | +87.5% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 57.3 | 50.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.1M | 9.6M |
Analyst Outlook
EPD leads this category, winning 2 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EPD as "Buy" and COP as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 6.9% upside for COP (target: $127) vs -1.5% for EPD (target: $37). For income investors, EPD offers the higher dividend yield at 5.69% vs COP's 2.68%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $37.00 | $127.07 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 45 | 52 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +5.7% | +2.7% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 15 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.14 | $3.19 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | +3.5% |
COP leads in 3 of 6 categories (Income & Cash Flow, Profitability & Efficiency). EPD leads in 2 (Risk & Volatility, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
EPD vs COP: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPD or COP a better buy right now?
For growth investors, ConocoPhillips (COP) is the stronger pick with 7.
5% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 4% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD). Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD) offers the better valuation at 14. 1x trailing P/E (13. 1x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD) a "Buy" — based on 45 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 — EPD or COP?
On trailing P/E, Enterprise Products Partners L.
P. (EPD) is the cheapest at 14. 1x versus ConocoPhillips at 18. 7x. On forward P/E, Enterprise Products Partners L. P. is actually cheaper at 13. 1x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPD or COP?
Over the past 5 years, ConocoPhillips (COP) delivered a total return of +145.
0%, compared to +104. 8% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COP returned +234. 2% versus EPD's +116. 1%. 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 — EPD or COP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Enterprise Products Partners L.
P. (EPD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 06β versus ConocoPhillips's 0. 08β — meaning COP is approximately 25% more volatile than EPD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ConocoPhillips (COP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 36% versus 114% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — EPD or COP?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), ConocoPhillips (COP) is pulling ahead at 7.
5% versus -6. 4% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Enterprise Products Partners L. P. grew EPS -1. 1% year-over-year, compared to -18. 7% for ConocoPhillips. Over a 3-year CAGR, EPD leads at -3. 3% 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.
06Which has better profit margins — EPD or COP?
ConocoPhillips (COP) is the more profitable company, earning 13.
6% net margin versus 11. 1% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. — meaning it keeps 13. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COP leads at 19. 6% versus 13. 1% for EPD. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COP leads at 24. 6%, 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.
07Is EPD or COP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Enterprise Products Partners L.
P. (EPD) trades at 13. 1x forward P/E versus 13. 8x for ConocoPhillips — 0. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for COP: 6. 9% to $127. 07.
08Which pays a better dividend — EPD or COP?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD) offers the highest yield at 5. 7%, versus 2. 7% for ConocoPhillips (COP).
09Is EPD or COP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, ConocoPhillips (COP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
08), 2. 7% yield, +234. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (COP: +234. 2%, EPD: +116. 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.
10What are the main differences between EPD and COP?
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: EPD is a mid-cap deep-value stock; COP 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.
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