Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) vs California Resources Corporation (CRC) vs Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) vs Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR) vs TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
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Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | MNR | 27.2% revenue growth vs TXO's -25.7% |
| Value | CRGY | Lower P/E (9.2x vs 25.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | MNR | 28.5% net margin vs EPM's 3.6% |
| Stability / Safety | TXO | Beta 0.46 vs CRGY's 1.74, lower leverage |
| Dividends | MNR | 24.4% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs EPM's 11.0% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRC | +35.4% vs TXO's -25.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MNR | 7.7% ROA vs TXO's 1.2%, ROIC 11.7% vs -0.8% |
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.
California Resources Corporation is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company focused exclusively on California. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales (~60%), natural gas and natural gas liquids (~25%), and electricity generation from its cogeneration facilities (~15%). The company's key advantage is its extensive mineral acreage position—approximately 1.9 million net acres—in a mature, high-barrier-to-entry California market with established infrastructure.
Crescent Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company operating across multiple U.S. basins. It generates revenue primarily from selling crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids produced from its portfolio of assets in proven regions like the Eagle Ford, Permian, and Rockies. The company's competitive advantage lies in its large inventory of undrilled locations—over 1,500 gross locations—providing years of low-risk development opportunities.
Mach Natural Resources is an independent oil and gas company that acquires, develops, and produces oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids reserves in the Anadarko Basin region. It makes money primarily from the sale of produced hydrocarbons — oil, natural gas, and NGLs — with revenue mix depending on commodity prices and production volumes. The company's competitive advantage lies in its strategic focus on the prolific Anadarko Basin and its operational expertise in developing these specific assets.
TXO Partners is a conventional oil and gas partnership that acquires, develops, and exploits mature producing properties in North American basins. It generates revenue primarily from oil and natural gas liquids production — roughly 60% from oil and 40% from natural gas — through its working interests in established fields like the San Juan and Permian Basins. The partnership's competitive advantage lies in its focus on low-decline, conventional assets with predictable cash flows and its operational expertise in optimizing mature fields.
Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 5 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
MNR leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). CRGY leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRGY is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.6B annually — 41.8x EPM's $86M. MNR is the more profitable business, keeping 28.5% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EPM's 3.6%. On growth, TXO holds the edge at +46.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRCCalifornia Resour… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… | MNRMach Natural Reso… | TXOTXO Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $86M | $3.5B | $3.6B | $1.0B | $364M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $26M | $1.4B | $1.4B | $559M | $95M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3M | $384M | $133M | $292M | $17M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $13M | $545M | $104M | $220M | -$146M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +22.8% | +37.9% | +88.6% | +40.2% | +35.3% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +4.1% | +21.2% | +6.4% | +19.8% | +0.5% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | +10.9% | +3.7% | +28.5% | +4.6% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +15.3% | +15.4% | +2.9% | +21.5% | -40.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | -11.9% | -1.2% | +6.7% | +46.8% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +152.2% | -79.9% | +98.2% | -140.0% | — |
Valuation Metrics
At 6.9x trailing earnings, MNR trades at a 95% valuation discount to EPM's 134.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, MNR's 5.1x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRC's 4761.3x.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRCCalifornia Resour… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… | MNRMach Natural Reso… | TXOTXO Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $156M | $5.36T | $3.8B | $2.2B | $686M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $192M | $5.36T | $9.4B | $2.9B | $836M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 134.64x | 12.74x | 21.59x | 6.85x | 19.26x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 131.86x | 45.26x | 9.17x | 12.91x | 25.04x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — | — | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.32x | 4761.27x | 6.70x | 5.08x | 14.62x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.82x | 1812.76x | 1.07x | 2.26x | 2.43x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.07x | 1.35x | 0.55x | 1.06x | 0.74x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.71x | 9999.00x | 2.28x | 7.69x | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
MNR delivers a 14.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $15 in annual profit, vs $2 for TXO. TXO carries lower financial leverage with a 0.26x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to CRGY's 1.07x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CRGY scores 6/9 vs CRC's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRCCalifornia Resour… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… | MNRMach Natural Reso… | TXOTXO Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +4.6% | +11.2% | +2.6% | +14.8% | +2.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.8% | +5.7% | +2.6% | +7.7% | +1.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.8% | +14.5% | +1.9% | +11.7% | -0.8% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.9% | +13.7% | +3.7% | +14.5% | -0.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.52x | 0.35x | 1.07x | 0.64x | 0.26x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $35M | $851M | $5.5B | $660M | $150M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $372M | $290,000 | $106M | $7M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $38M | $1.2B | $5.5B | $766M | $157M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.40x | 5.95x | 2.92x | 2.60x | 2.16x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth $24,361 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,193 for CRGY. Over the past 12 months, CRC leads with a +35.4% total return vs TXO's -25.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRC at 14.3% vs TXO's -8.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRCCalifornia Resour… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… | MNRMach Natural Reso… | TXOTXO Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +22.8% | +26.8% | +37.0% | +20.4% | +13.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -1.8% | +35.4% | -3.8% | +0.9% | -25.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -9.2% | +49.2% | +14.0% | +1.9% | -23.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.4% | +143.6% | -18.1% | +1.9% | -16.3% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.6% | +1037.4% | -18.1% | +1.9% | -16.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.2% | +14.3% | +4.4% | +0.6% | -8.6% |
Risk & Volatility
TXO is the less volatile stock with a 0.46 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRGY's 1.74 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. CRC currently trades 98.0% from its 52-week high vs TXO's 61.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRCCalifornia Resour… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… | MNRMach Natural Reso… | TXOTXO Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.69x | 1.26x | 1.74x | 0.68x | 0.46x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.70 | $60.03 | $12.85 | $15.91 | $20.24 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.19 | $30.97 | $6.83 | $10.46 | $10.12 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +78.4% | +98.0% | +90.7% | +81.8% | +61.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.5 | 61.0 | 64.1 | 55.4 | 60.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 375K | 696K | 4.8M | 295K | 192K |
Analyst Outlook
Analyst consensus: EPM as "Buy", CRC as "Buy", CRGY as "Buy", MNR as "Buy", TXO as "Strong Buy". Consensus price targets imply 47.8% upside for TXO (target: $19) vs -5.7% for CRGY (target: $11). For income investors, MNR offers the higher dividend yield at 24.36% vs CRC's 2.36%.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRCCalifornia Resour… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… | MNRMach Natural Reso… | TXOTXO Partners, L.P. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy | Buy | Buy | Strong Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $5.15 | $65.71 | $11.00 | $19.00 | $18.50 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 23 | 11 | 15 | 2 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +11.0% | +2.4% | +4.0% | +24.4% | +18.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.49 | $1.39 | $0.47 | $3.17 | $2.36 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.3% | +0.0% | +0.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Nov 23 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 100 | 62.05 | -37.9% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 100 | 101.09 | +1.1% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | 100 | 78.06 | -21.9% |
| Mach Natural Resour… (MNR) | 99.78 | 63.36 | -36.5% |
| TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) | 100 | 60.78 | -39.2% |
California Resource… (CRC) returned +144% over 5 years vs Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY)'s -18%. A $10,000 investment in CRC 5 years ago would be worth $24,361 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | $26M | $86M | +225.8% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | $1.8B | $3.0B | +68.7% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | $1.1B | $3.6B | +229.3% |
| Mach Natural Resour… (MNR) | $392M | $970M | +147.0% |
| TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) | $109M | $283M | +160.0% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's revenue grew from $26M (2016) to $86M (2025) — a 14.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 93.6% | 1.7% | -98.2% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 15.9% | 12.7% | -20.1% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | -1.3% | 3.7% | +383.0% |
| Mach Natural Resour… (MNR) | 35.3% | 19.1% | -45.8% |
| TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) | -150.1% | 8.3% | +105.5% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's net margin went from 94% (2016) to 2% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 32.6 | 106.6 | +227.0% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 2.5 | 11.2 | +348.0% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | 5.4 | 15.5 | +187.0% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation has traded in a 6x–107x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~135x. California Resources Corporation has traded in a 1x–11x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~13x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 0.73 | 0.03 | -95.5% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 6.76 | 4.62 | -31.7% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | 0 | 0.54 | — |
| Mach Natural Resour… (MNR) | 1.46 | 1.9 | +30.1% |
| TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) | -6.53 | 0.65 | +110.0% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's EPS grew from $0.73 (2016) to $0.03 (2025) — a -29% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Evolution Petroleum Corporation generated $11M FCF in 2025 (+181% vs 2021). California Resources Corporation generated $350M FCF in 2024 (-25% vs 2021).
EPM vs CRC vs CRGY vs MNR vs TXO: Key Questions Answered
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO a better buy right now?
Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR) offers the better valuation at 6.9x trailing P/E (12.9x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) a "Strong Buy" — based on 2 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 CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO?
On trailing P/E, Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR) is the cheapest at 6.9x versus Evolution Petroleum Corporation at 134.6x. On forward P/E, Crescent Energy Company is actually cheaper at 9.2x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO?
Over the past 5 years, California Resources Corporation (CRC) delivered a total return of +143.6%, compared to -18.1% for Crescent Energy Company (CRGY). A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRC returned +1037% versus CRGY's -18.1%. 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 — EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) is the lower-risk stock at 0.46β versus Crescent Energy Company's 1.74β — meaning CRGY is approximately 276% more volatile than TXO relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 26% versus 107% for Crescent Energy Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO?
Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR) is the more profitable company, earning 19.1% net margin versus 1.7% for Evolution Petroleum Corporation — meaning it keeps 19.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MNR leads at 30.0% versus -2.4% for TXO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CRGY leads at 88.6%, 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.
06Is EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) trades at 9.2x forward P/E versus 131.9x for Evolution Petroleum Corporation — 122.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for TXO: 47.8% to $18.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Mach Natural Resources LP (MNR) offers the highest yield at 24.4%, versus 2.4% for California Resources Corporation (CRC).
08Is EPM or CRC or CRGY or MNR or TXO better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, TXO Partners, L.P. (TXO) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.46), 18.9% yield). Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) carries a higher beta of 1.74 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (TXO: -16.3%, CRGY: -18.1%), 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.
09What are the main differences between EPM and CRC and CRGY and MNR and TXO?
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; CRC is a mega-cap deep-value stock; CRGY is a small-cap income-oriented stock; MNR is a small-cap deep-value stock; TXO is a small-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.
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