Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) 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 EPSN's 2.6% |
| Value |  EPSN | Lower P/E (15.9x vs 23.5x) |
| Quality / Margins | COP | 13.3% net margin vs EPSN's 12.9% |
| Stability / Safety | EPSN | Beta 0.57 vs COP's 0.99, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EPSN | 4.6% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs COP's 2.9% |
| Momentum (1Y) | COP | +33.7% vs EPSN's -15.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | COP | 6.5% ROA vs EPSN's 4.7%, ROIC 10.7% vs 2.9% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
EPSNDividend streak 1 yrs, beta 0.57, yield 4.6%
Growth exposure
COPRev growth 9.3%, EPS growth -18.8%, 3Y rev CAGR -8.8%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
COP237.7% 10Y total return vs EPSN's -85.4%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
EPSNLower volatility, beta 0.57, Low D/E 0.5%, current ratio 2.02x
Defensive / Recession hedge
EPSNBeta 0.57, yield 4.6%, current ratio 2.02x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Epsilon Energy is an independent oil and gas company that acquires, develops, and produces natural gas and oil reserves in the United States. It generates revenue primarily through its Upstream segment—which produces natural gas from Pennsylvania's Marcellus shale and oil/gas from Oklahoma's Anadarko Basin—and its Gathering System segment that processes and transports gas for fees. The company's competitive advantage lies in its strategic acreage positions in prolific shale basins and its integrated gathering infrastructure that provides operational control and additional revenue streams.
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 3EPSN 2EPSN4/6 metricsCOP3/5 metricsCOP5/9 metricsCOP6/6 metricsEPSN1/1 metricsCOP leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). EPSN leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COP is the larger business by revenue, generating $59.7B annually — 1305.4x EPSN's $46M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 13.3% (COP) to 12.9% (EPSN). On growth, EPSN holds the edge at +23.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $46M | $59.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $22M | $23.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6M | $7.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $10M | $16.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +47.6% | +35.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.9% | +19.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +13.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +22.7% | +28.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +23.2% | -0.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | -38.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 18.2x trailing earnings, COP trades at a 70% valuation discount to EPSN's 61.5x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, COP's 6.8x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than EPSN's 8.3x.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $119M | $141.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $113M | $158.6B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 61.55x | 18.24x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.91x | 23.47x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 8.32x | 6.83x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.79x | 2.37x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.23x | 2.15x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 8.45x |
Profitability & Efficiency
COP delivers a 12.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $12 in annual profit, vs $6 for EPSN. EPSN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.00x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COP's 0.36x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), COP scores 7/9 vs EPSN's 6/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.9% | +12.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.7% | +6.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.9% | +10.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.0% | +10.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$6M | $16.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7M | $6.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $476,911 | $23.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 157.74x | 11.99x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in COP five years ago would be worth $22,981 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $16,567 for EPSN. Over the past 12 months, COP leads with a +33.7% total return vs EPSN's -15.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors COP at 4.8% vs EPSN's 2.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +17.6% | +20.5% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -15.6% | +33.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +6.0% | +15.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +65.7% | +129.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -85.4% | +237.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +2.0% | +4.8% |
Risk & Volatility
EPSN is the less volatile stock with a 0.57 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 94.4% from its 52-week high vs EPSN's 63.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.57x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.50 | $122.50 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $4.20 | $79.88 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +63.6% | +94.4% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 65.0 | 73.4 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 169K | 8.4M |
Analyst Outlook
Consensus price targets imply 55.3% upside for EPSN (target: $8) vs 1.0% for COP (target: $117). For income investors, EPSN offers the higher dividend yield at 4.62% vs COP's 2.89%.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $8.40 | $116.79 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 52 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.6% | +2.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.25 | $3.34 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.5% | +3.5% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | 100 | 171.61 | +71.6% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 100 | 247.88 | +147.9% |
ConocoPhillips (COP) returned +130% over 5 years vs Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN)'s +66%. A $10,000 investment in COP 5 years ago would be worth $22,981 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | $25M | $32M | +24.1% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | $23.9B | $59.7B | +149.8% |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | -11.6% | 6.1% | +152.6% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | -15.1% | 13.3% | +187.8% |
ConocoPhillips's net margin went from -15% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | 263.4 | 70.6 | -73.2% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 11.7 | 14.8 | +26.5% |
Epsilon Energy Ltd. has traded in a 4x–263x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~62x. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | -0.13 | 0.09 | +167.6% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | -2.9 | 6.34 | +318.6% |
ConocoPhillips's EPS grew from $-2.90 (2016) to $6.34 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Epsilon Energy Ltd. generated $-20M FCF in 2024 (-231% vs 2021). ConocoPhillips generated $17B FCF in 2025 (+44% vs 2021).
EPSN vs COP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPSN or COP a better buy right now?
ConocoPhillips (COP) offers the better valuation at 18.2x trailing P/E (23.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ConocoPhillips (COP) a "Buy" — based on 52 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 — EPSN or COP?
On trailing P/E, ConocoPhillips (COP) is the cheapest at 18.2x versus Epsilon Energy Ltd. at 61.5x. On forward P/E, Epsilon Energy Ltd. is actually cheaper at 15.9x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPSN or COP?
Over the past 5 years, ConocoPhillips (COP) delivered a total return of +129.8%, compared to +65.7% for Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN). A $10,000 investment in COP five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COP returned +237.7% versus EPSN's -85.4%. 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 — EPSN or COP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.57β versus ConocoPhillips's 0.99β — meaning COP is approximately 73% more volatile than EPSN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 0% versus 36% for ConocoPhillips — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EPSN or COP?
ConocoPhillips (COP) is the more profitable company, earning 13.3% net margin versus 6.1% for Epsilon Energy Ltd. — 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 10.9% for EPSN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EPSN leads at 37.5%, 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 EPSN or COP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) trades at 15.9x forward P/E versus 23.5x for ConocoPhillips — 7.6x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EPSN: 55.3% to $8.40.
07Which pays a better dividend — EPSN or COP?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) offers the highest yield at 4.6%, versus 2.9% for ConocoPhillips (COP).
08Is EPSN or COP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.57), 4.6% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EPSN: -85.4%, COP: +237.7%), 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 EPSN 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: EPSN is a small-cap income-oriented 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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