Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) vs California Resources Corporation (CRC) 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 | CRC | 5.1% revenue growth vs EPSN's 2.6% |
| Value | EPSN | Lower P/E (15.1x vs 45.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | EPSN | 12.9% net margin vs CRC's 10.9% |
| Stability / Safety | EPSN | Beta 0.57 vs CRC's 1.26, lower leverage |
| Dividends | EPSN | 4.9% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs CRC's 2.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRC | +35.4% vs EPSN's -18.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRC | 5.7% ROA vs EPSN's 4.7%, ROIC 14.5% vs 2.9% |
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
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.
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.
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
EPSN leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). CRC leads in 1 (Total Returns). 2 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
CRC is the larger business by revenue, generating $3.5B annually — 77.2x EPSN's $46M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 12.9% (EPSN) to 10.9% (CRC). On growth, EPSN holds the edge at +23.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $46M | $3.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $22M | $1.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6M | $384M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $10M | $545M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +47.6% | +37.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +21.9% | +21.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +10.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +22.7% | +15.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +23.2% | -11.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +2.0% | -79.9% |
Valuation Metrics
At 12.7x trailing earnings, CRC trades at a 78% valuation discount to EPSN's 58.2x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, EPSN's 7.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRC's 4761.3x.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $113M | $5.36T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $107M | $5.36T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 58.25x | 12.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 15.06x | 45.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 7.85x | 4761.27x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.58x | 1812.76x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.16x | 1.35x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 9999.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CRC delivers a 11.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 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 CRC's 0.35x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EPSN scores 6/9 vs CRC's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.9% | +11.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.7% | +5.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +2.9% | +14.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +3.0% | +13.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.00x | 0.35x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | -$6M | $851M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $7M | $372M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $476,911 | $1.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 157.74x | 5.95x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth $24,361 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,612 for EPSN. Over the past 12 months, CRC leads with a +35.4% total return vs EPSN's -18.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRC at 14.3% vs EPSN's 0.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.3% | +26.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -18.6% | +35.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +2.1% | +49.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +56.1% | +143.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -99.9% | +1037.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +0.7% | +14.3% |
Risk & Volatility
EPSN is the less volatile stock with a 0.57 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRC's 1.26 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 EPSN's 60.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.57x | 1.26x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.50 | $60.03 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $4.20 | $30.97 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +60.2% | +98.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 54.2 | 61.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 137K | 696K |
Analyst Outlook
Consensus price targets imply 64.1% upside for EPSN (target: $8) vs 11.7% for CRC (target: $66). For income investors, EPSN offers the higher dividend yield at 4.89% vs CRC's 2.36%.
| Metric | EPSNEpsilon Energy Lt… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $8.40 | $65.71 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 23 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.9% | +2.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.25 | $1.39 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +1.6% | +0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | 100 | 160.4 | +60.4% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 100 | 832.44 | +732.4% |
California Resource… (CRC) returned +144% over 5 years vs Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN)'s +56%. A $10,000 investment in CRC 5 years ago would be worth $24,361 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | $24M | $32M | +32.3% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | $2.4B | $3.0B | +25.8% |
Epsilon Energy Ltd.'s revenue grew from $24M (2015) to $32M (2024) — a 3.2% CAGR. California Resources Corporation's revenue grew from $2.4B (2015) to $3.0B (2024) — a 2.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | -107.1% | 6.1% | +105.7% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | -151.2% | 12.7% | +108.4% |
Epsilon Energy Ltd.'s net margin went from -107% (2015) to 6% (2024). California Resources Corporation's net margin went from -151% (2015) to 13% (2024).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | 263.4 | 70.6 | -73.2% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 2.5 | 11.2 | +348.0% |
Epsilon Energy Ltd. has traded in a 4x–263x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~58x. 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 | 2015 | 2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) | -1.05 | 0.09 | +108.4% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | -92.79 | 4.62 | +105.0% |
Epsilon Energy Ltd.'s EPS grew from $-1.05 (2015) to $0.09 (2024). California Resources Corporation's EPS grew from $-92.79 (2015) to $4.62 (2024).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Epsilon Energy Ltd. generated $-20M FCF in 2024 (-231% vs 2021). California Resources Corporation generated $350M FCF in 2024 (-25% vs 2021).
EPSN vs CRC: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is EPSN or CRC a better buy right now?
California Resources Corporation (CRC) offers the better valuation at 12.7x trailing P/E (45.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate California Resources Corporation (CRC) a "Buy" — based on 23 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 CRC?
On trailing P/E, California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the cheapest at 12.7x versus Epsilon Energy Ltd. at 58.2x. On forward P/E, Epsilon Energy Ltd. is actually cheaper at 15.1x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — EPSN or CRC?
Over the past 5 years, California Resources Corporation (CRC) delivered a total return of +143.6%, compared to +56.1% for Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN). 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 EPSN's -99.9%. 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 CRC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.57β versus California Resources Corporation's 1.26β — meaning CRC is approximately 121% 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 35% for California Resources Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — EPSN or CRC?
California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the more profitable company, earning 12.7% net margin versus 6.1% for Epsilon Energy Ltd. — meaning it keeps 12.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CRC leads at 22.0% versus 10.9% for EPSN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CRC leads at 40.6%, 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 EPSN or CRC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) trades at 15.1x forward P/E versus 45.3x for California Resources Corporation — 30.2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EPSN: 64.1% to $8.40.
07Which pays a better dividend — EPSN or CRC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Epsilon Energy Ltd. (EPSN) offers the highest yield at 4.9%, versus 2.4% for California Resources Corporation (CRC).
08Is EPSN or CRC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.26), 2.4% yield, +1037% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRC: +1037%, EPSN: -99.9%), 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 CRC?
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; CRC is a mega-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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