Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) vs ConocoPhillips (COP) 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 | COP | 9.3% revenue growth vs EPM's -0.0% |
| Value | COP | Lower P/E (23.0x vs 131.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | COP | 13.3% net margin vs EPM's 3.6% |
| Stability / Safety | EPM | Beta 0.69 vs COP's 0.99 |
| Dividends | EPM | 11.0% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs COP's 2.9% |
| Momentum (1Y) | COP | +17.7% vs EPM's -1.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | COP | 6.5% ROA vs EPM's 1.8%, ROIC 10.7% vs 2.8% |
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
Evolution Petroleum is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on developing and producing from mature oil fields in the United States. It generates revenue primarily from oil and gas production — with its main asset being a CO₂ enhanced oil recovery project in Louisiana's Delhi field — supplemented by interests in other fields in Wyoming and Texas. The company's key advantage is its specialized expertise in enhanced oil recovery techniques that extend the productive life of mature fields, creating value from assets that larger operators might overlook.
ConocoPhillips is a global independent exploration and production company that finds, produces, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. It generates revenue primarily from selling hydrocarbons produced from its diverse portfolio — including unconventional shale plays in North America, conventional assets worldwide, and oil sands in Canada — with no refining or marketing operations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its low-cost position, large-scale resource base, and operational expertise across multiple geographies and resource types.
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
COP leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). EPM leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COP is the larger business by revenue, generating $59.7B annually — 696.8x EPM's $86M. COP is the more profitable business, keeping 13.3% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EPM's 3.6%.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $86M | $59.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $26M | $23.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3M | $7.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $13M | $16.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +22.8% | +35.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +4.1% | +19.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | +13.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +15.3% | +28.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | -0.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +152.2% | -38.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 17.9x trailing earnings, COP trades at a 87% valuation discount to EPM's 134.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, COP's 6.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than EPM's 7.3x.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $156M | $139.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $192M | $156.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 134.64x | 17.90x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 131.86x | 23.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.32x | 6.71x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.82x | 2.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.07x | 2.11x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.71x | 8.29x |
Profitability & Efficiency
COP delivers a 12.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $12 in annual profit, vs $5 for EPM. COP carries lower financial leverage with a 0.36x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to EPM's 0.52x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), COP scores 7/9 vs EPM's 5/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +4.6% | +12.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.8% | +6.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.8% | +10.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.9% | +10.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.52x | 0.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $35M | $16.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $6.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $38M | $23.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.40x | 11.99x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COP five years ago would be worth $24,904 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $18,640 for EPM. Over the past 12 months, COP leads with a +17.7% total return vs EPM's -1.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COP at 6.3% vs EPM's -3.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +22.8% | +18.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -1.8% | +17.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -9.2% | +20.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.4% | +149.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.6% | +306.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.2% | +6.3% |
Risk & Volatility
EPM is the less volatile stock with a 0.69 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than COP's 0.99 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. COP currently trades 99.7% from its 52-week high vs EPM's 78.4% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.69x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.70 | $113.80 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.19 | $79.88 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +78.4% | +99.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.5 | 62.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 375K | 7.0M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EPM as "Buy" and COP as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 15.2% upside for EPM (target: $5) vs 2.9% for COP (target: $117). For income investors, EPM offers the higher dividend yield at 10.97% vs COP's 2.94%.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $5.15 | $116.79 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 52 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +11.0% | +2.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.49 | $3.34 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.3% | +3.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 100 | 78.08 | -21.9% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 100 | 206.76 | +106.8% |
ConocoPhillips (COP) returned +149% over 5 years vs Evolution Petroleum… (EPM)'s +86%. A $10,000 investment in COP 5 years ago would be worth $24,904 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | $26M | $86M | +225.8% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | $23.9B | $59.7B | +149.8% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's revenue grew from $26M (2016) to $86M (2025) — a 14.0% CAGR. ConocoPhillips's revenue grew from $23.9B (2016) to $59.7B (2025) — a 10.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 93.6% | 1.7% | -98.2% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | -15.1% | 13.3% | +187.8% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's net margin went from 94% (2016) to 2% (2025). ConocoPhillips's net margin went from -15% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 32.6 | 106.6 | +227.0% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 11.7 | 14.8 | +26.5% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation has traded in a 6x–107x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~135x. ConocoPhillips has traded in a 8x–15x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 0.73 | 0.03 | -95.5% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | -2.9 | 6.34 | +318.6% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's EPS grew from $0.73 (2016) to $0.03 (2025) — a -29% CAGR. ConocoPhillips's EPS grew from $-2.90 (2016) to $6.34 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Evolution Petroleum Corporation generated $11M FCF in 2025 (+181% vs 2021). ConocoPhillips generated $17B FCF in 2025 (+44% vs 2021).
EPM vs COP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPM or COP a better buy right now?
ConocoPhillips (COP) offers the better valuation at 17.9x trailing P/E (23.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) a "Buy" — based on 8 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 — EPM or COP?
On trailing P/E, ConocoPhillips (COP) is the cheapest at 17.9x versus Evolution Petroleum Corporation at 134.6x. On forward P/E, ConocoPhillips is actually cheaper at 23.0x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPM or COP?
Over the past 5 years, ConocoPhillips (COP) delivered a total return of +149.0%, compared to +86.4% for Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM). A $10,000 investment in COP five years ago would be worth approximately $25K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COP returned +306.3% versus EPM's +86.6%. 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 — EPM or COP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.69β versus ConocoPhillips's 0.99β — meaning COP is approximately 44% more volatile than EPM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, ConocoPhillips (COP) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 36% versus 52% for Evolution Petroleum Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EPM or COP?
ConocoPhillips (COP) is the more profitable company, earning 13.3% net margin versus 1.7% for Evolution Petroleum Corporation — meaning it keeps 13.3% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: COP leads at 19.8% versus 4.9% for EPM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — COP leads at 35.2%, 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 EPM or COP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, ConocoPhillips (COP) trades at 23.0x forward P/E versus 131.9x for Evolution Petroleum Corporation — 108.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EPM: 15.2% to $5.15.
07Which pays a better dividend — EPM or COP?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) offers the highest yield at 11.0%, versus 2.9% for ConocoPhillips (COP).
08Is EPM or COP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.69), 11.0% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EPM: +86.6%, COP: +306.3%), 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 EPM 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: EPM is a small-cap income-oriented stock; COP 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.
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