MGY vs CRGY

For growth investors, Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) is the stronger pick with 22.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -0. 3% for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY). Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) offers the better valuation at 16. 1x trailing P/E (10. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) a "Buy" — based on 26 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.

On trailing P/E, Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) is the cheapest at 16.

1x versus Crescent Energy Company at 23. 0x. On forward P/E, Crescent Energy Company is actually cheaper at 6. 0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) delivered a total return of +146.

6%, compared to -12. 8% for Crescent Energy Company (CRGY). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MGY returned +203. 8% versus CRGY's -12. 8%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.

By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

24β versus Crescent Energy Company's 0. 63β — meaning CRGY is approximately 163% more volatile than MGY relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 21% versus 111% for Crescent Energy Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) is pulling ahead at 22.

1% versus -0. 3% for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Crescent Energy Company grew EPS 161. 4% year-over-year, compared to -9. 8% for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation. Over a 3-year CAGR, CRGY leads at 5. 4% annualised revenue growth. Higher growth typically commands a higher valuation multiple — check whether the premium P/E or P/S is justified by the growth rate using the PEG ratio.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) is the more profitable company, earning 24.

8% net margin versus 3. 7% for Crescent Energy Company — meaning it keeps 24. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MGY leads at 33. 5% versus 13. 2% for CRGY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MGY leads at 46. 7%, 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.

On forward earnings alone, Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) trades at 6.

0x forward P/E versus 10. 3x for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation — 4. 3x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MGY: 3. 4% to $29. 11.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Crescent Energy Company (CRGY) offers the highest yield at 3. 8%, versus 2. 2% for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

24), 2. 2% yield, +203. 8% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MGY: +203. 8%, CRGY: -12. 8%), 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.

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: MGY is a small-cap deep-value stock; CRGY is a small-cap high-growth 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.