Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR) vs Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) 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 | EXE | 187.2% revenue growth vs GPOR's -11.7% |
| Value | GPOR | Lower P/E (8.5x vs 12.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | GPOR | 28.2% net margin vs EXE's 15.0% |
| Stability / Safety | EXE | Beta 0.49 vs GPOR's 0.76 |
| Dividends | EXE | 100.0% yield, 1-year raise streak, vs GPOR's 0.1% |
| Momentum (1Y) | GPOR | +22.9% vs EXE's +11.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | GPOR | 14.1% ROA vs EXE's 6.4%, ROIC -6.6% vs 7.4% |
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
Gulfport Energy is an independent natural gas and oil exploration and production company focused on developing reserves in the Utica Shale and SCOOP plays. It generates revenue primarily from natural gas sales (roughly 70% of total revenue), with the remainder coming from crude oil and natural gas liquids production. The company's competitive advantage lies in its large, low-cost acreage positions in premium shale plays—particularly its core Utica Shale assets in Ohio—which provide substantial proved reserves and efficient drilling inventory.
Expand Energy Corporation is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on unconventional natural gas resources in the United States. It generates revenue primarily from natural gas sales — with additional contributions from oil and natural gas liquids — through its extensive portfolio of approximately 5,000 wells across key shale plays like the Marcellus and Haynesville formations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its large-scale, low-cost position in premier natural gas basins and its operational expertise in unconventional resource development.
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
EXE leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). GPOR leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Total Returns). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EXE is the larger business by revenue, generating $12.1B annually — 8.0x GPOR's $1.5B. GPOR is the more profitable business, keeping 28.2% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to EXE's 15.0%. On growth, GPOR holds the edge at +94.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | GPORGulfport Energy C… | EXEExpand Energy Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.5B | $12.1B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $906M | $5.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $428M | $1.8B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $276M | $1.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +86.6% | +80.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +39.6% | +18.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +28.2% | +15.0% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +18.2% | +15.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +94.9% | +63.7% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +144.4% | +2.3% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, EXE's 5.0x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than GPOR's 52.1x.
| Metric | GPORGulfport Energy C… | EXEExpand Energy Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $3.9B | $25.7B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $25.1B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -14.18x | 14.26x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 8.53x | 12.05x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 52.07x | 5.00x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 4.23x | 2.12x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.15x | 0.00x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 20.03x | 13.98x |
Profitability & Efficiency
GPOR delivers a 23.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $23 in annual profit, vs $10 for EXE. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), EXE scores 8/9 vs GPOR's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | GPORGulfport Energy C… | EXEExpand Energy Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +23.3% | +9.8% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +14.1% | +6.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -6.6% | +7.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -8.7% | +8.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 8 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.41x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $707M | -$616M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $1M | $616M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $709M | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 10.95x | 9.91x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in GPOR five years ago would be worth $28,603 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $28,500 for EXE. Over the past 12 months, GPOR leads with a +22.9% total return vs EXE's +11.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors GPOR at 46.7% vs EXE's 13.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | GPORGulfport Energy C… | EXEExpand Energy Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +1.2% | -1.7% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +22.9% | +11.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +215.6% | +44.3% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +186.0% | +185.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +186.0% | +197.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +46.7% | +13.0% |
Risk & Volatility
EXE is the less volatile stock with a 0.49 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than GPOR's 0.76 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. GPOR currently trades 92.4% from its 52-week high vs EXE's 85.2% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | GPORGulfport Energy C… | EXEExpand Energy Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.76x | 0.49x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $225.78 | $126.62 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $153.27 | $91.02 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +92.4% | +85.2% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 52.5 | 50.9 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 233K | 2.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates GPOR as "Buy" and EXE as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 27.7% upside for EXE (target: $138) vs 14.2% for GPOR (target: $238). For income investors, EXE offers the higher dividend yield at 100.00% vs GPOR's 0.11%.
| Metric | GPORGulfport Energy C… | EXEExpand Energy Cor… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $238.25 | $137.80 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 8 | 19 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +0.1% | +100.0% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.23 | $3182.59 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.7% | +0.4% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | May 21 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport Energy Cor… (GPOR) | 100 | 266.63 | +166.6% |
| Expand Energy Corpo… (EXE) | 100 | 194.86 | +94.9% |
Gulfport Energy Cor… (GPOR) returned +186% over 5 years vs Expand Energy Corpo… (EXE)'s +185%. A $10,000 investment in GPOR 5 years ago would be worth $28,603 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport Energy Cor… (GPOR) | $560M | $929M | +65.7% |
| Expand Energy Corpo… (EXE) | $7.9B | $12.1B | +54.0% |
Expand Energy Corporation's revenue grew from $7.9B (2016) to $12.1B (2025) — a 4.9% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport Energy Cor… (GPOR) | -174.8% | -28.1% | +83.9% |
| Expand Energy Corpo… (EXE) | -55.8% | 15.0% | +126.9% |
Expand Energy Corporation's net margin went from -56% (2016) to 15% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2021 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport Energy Cor… (GPOR) | 11.1 | 2 | -82.0% |
| Expand Energy Corpo… (EXE) | 1.2 | 14.6 | +1116.7% |
Gulfport Energy Corporation has traded in a 2x–11x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-14x. Expand Energy Corporation has traded in a 1x–15x P/E range over 4 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport Energy Cor… (GPOR) | -7.97 | -14.72 | -84.7% |
| Expand Energy Corpo… (EXE) | -1,278 | 7.57 | +100.6% |
Expand Energy Corporation's EPS grew from $-1278.00 (2016) to $7.57 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Gulfport Energy Corporation generated $196M FCF in 2024 (+26% vs 2021). Expand Energy Corporation generated $2B FCF in 2025 (+75% vs 2021).
GPOR vs EXE: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is GPOR or EXE a better buy right now?
Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) offers the better valuation at 14.3x trailing P/E (12.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR) 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 — GPOR or EXE?
On forward P/E, Gulfport Energy Corporation is actually cheaper at 8.5x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — GPOR or EXE?
Over the past 5 years, Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR) delivered a total return of +186.0%, compared to +185.0% for Expand Energy Corporation (EXE). A $10,000 investment in GPOR five years ago would be worth approximately $29K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: EXE returned +197.4% versus GPOR's +186.0%. 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 — GPOR or EXE?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) is the lower-risk stock at 0.49β versus Gulfport Energy Corporation's 0.76β — meaning GPOR is approximately 54% more volatile than EXE relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — GPOR or EXE?
Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) is the more profitable company, earning 15.0% net margin versus -28.1% for Gulfport Energy Corporation — meaning it keeps 15.0% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EXE leads at 16.8% versus -25.5% for GPOR. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EXE leads at 80.4%, 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 GPOR or EXE more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR) trades at 8.5x forward P/E versus 12.0x for Expand Energy Corporation — 3.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for EXE: 27.7% to $137.80.
07Which pays a better dividend — GPOR or EXE?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) offers the highest yield at 100.0%, versus 0.1% for Gulfport Energy Corporation (GPOR).
08Is GPOR or EXE better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Expand Energy Corporation (EXE) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.49), 100.0% yield, +197.4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (EXE: +197.4%, GPOR: +186.0%), 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 GPOR and EXE?
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: GPOR is a small-cap quality compounder stock; EXE is a mid-cap deep-value stock. EXE pays a dividend while GPOR does not, making them suitable for different income and tax situations. 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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