Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) vs Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) Stock
Analyze side-by-side fundamentals, valuation, growth, and profitability to decide which stock is the better buy.
Selected Stocks
Add up to 10 tickers. Use presets or search to get started.
Quick Verdict
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | CRGY | 22.1% revenue growth vs EPM's -0.0% |
| Value | CRGY | Lower P/E (9.2x vs 131.9x) |
| Quality / Margins | CRGY | 3.7% net margin vs EPM's 3.6% |
| Stability / Safety | EPM | Beta 0.69 vs CRGY's 1.74, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EPM | 11.0% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs CRGY's 4.0% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EPM | -1.8% vs CRGY's -3.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRGY | 2.6% ROA vs EPM's 1.8%, ROIC 1.9% 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.
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.
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
EPM leads in 2 of 6 categories (Profitability & Efficiency, Analyst Outlook). CRGY leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics). 3 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRGY is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.6B annually — 41.8x EPM's $86M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 3.7% (CRGY) to 3.6% (EPM). On growth, EPM holds the edge at +2.0% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $86M | $3.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $26M | $1.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $3M | $133M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $13M | $104M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +22.8% | +88.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +4.1% | +6.4% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +3.6% | +3.7% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +15.3% | +2.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | -1.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +152.2% | +98.2% |
Valuation Metrics
At 21.6x trailing earnings, CRGY trades at a 84% valuation discount to EPM's 134.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CRGY's 6.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than EPM's 7.3x.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $156M | $3.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $192M | $9.4B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 134.64x | 21.59x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 131.86x | 9.17x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.32x | 6.70x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.82x | 1.07x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.07x | 0.55x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 13.71x | 2.28x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EPM delivers a 4.6% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $3 for CRGY. EPM carries lower financial leverage with a 0.52x 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 EPM's 5/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +4.6% | +2.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +1.8% | +2.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.8% | +1.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +2.9% | +3.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.52x | 1.07x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $35M | $5.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $290,000 |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $38M | $5.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 2.40x | 2.92x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in EPM five years ago would be worth $18,640 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $8,193 for CRGY. Over the past 12 months, EPM leads with a -1.8% total return vs CRGY's -3.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRGY at 4.4% vs EPM's -3.2% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +22.8% | +37.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -1.8% | -3.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -9.2% | +14.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.4% | -18.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +86.6% | -18.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -3.2% | +4.4% |
Risk & Volatility
EPM is the less volatile stock with a 0.69 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. CRGY currently trades 90.7% 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… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.69x | 1.74x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $5.70 | $12.85 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.19 | $6.83 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +78.4% | +90.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 59.5 | 64.1 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 375K | 4.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates EPM as "Buy" and CRGY as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 15.2% upside for EPM (target: $5) vs -5.7% for CRGY (target: $11). For income investors, EPM offers the higher dividend yield at 10.97% vs CRGY's 4.03%.
| Metric | EPMEvolution Petrole… | CRGYCrescent Energy C… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $5.15 | $11.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 11 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +11.0% | +4.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.49 | $0.47 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.3% | +0.9% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Jan 22 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 100 | 77.03 | -23.0% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | 79.96 | 56.06 | -29.9% |
Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) returned +86% over 5 years vs Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY)'s -18%. A $10,000 investment in EPM 5 years ago would be worth $18,640 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | $26M | $86M | +225.8% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | $1.1B | $3.6B | +229.3% |
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% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | -1.3% | 3.7% | +383.0% |
Evolution Petroleum Corporation's net margin went from 94% (2016) to 2% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 32.6 | 106.6 | +227.0% |
| 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. Crescent Energy Company has traded in a 5x–29x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~22x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evolution Petroleum… (EPM) | 0.73 | 0.03 | -95.5% |
| Crescent Energy Com… (CRGY) | 0 | 0.54 | — |
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). Crescent Energy Company generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+4576% vs 2021).
EPM vs CRGY: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPM or CRGY a better buy right now?
Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) offers the better valuation at 21.6x trailing P/E (9.2x 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 CRGY?
On trailing P/E, Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) is the cheapest at 21.6x versus Evolution Petroleum Corporation at 134.6x. On forward P/E, Crescent Energy Company is actually cheaper at 9.2x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPM or CRGY?
Over the past 5 years, Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) delivered a total return of +86.4%, compared to -18.1% for Crescent Energy Company (CRGY). A $10,000 investment in EPM five years ago would be worth approximately $19K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EPM returned +86.6% 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 CRGY?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.69β versus Crescent Energy Company's 1.74β — meaning CRGY is approximately 153% more volatile than EPM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 52% versus 107% for Crescent Energy Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EPM or CRGY?
Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) is the more profitable company, earning 3.7% net margin versus 1.7% for Evolution Petroleum Corporation — meaning it keeps 3.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CRGY leads at 6.4% versus 4.9% for EPM. 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 CRGY 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 EPM: 15.2% to $5.15.
07Which pays a better dividend — EPM or CRGY?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Evolution Petroleum Corporation (EPM) offers the highest yield at 11.0%, versus 4.0% for Crescent Energy Company (CRGY).
08Is EPM or CRGY 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). 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 (EPM: +86.6%, 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 CRGY?
Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. 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.
Find Stocks Like These
Explore pre-built screens for each stock's profile, or build a custom screen to find stocks that beat both.