Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) vs Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) 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 | DVN | 10.4% revenue growth vs MGY's 7.2% |
| Value | DVN | Lower P/E (13.5x vs 17.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | MGY | 24.8% net margin vs DVN's 15.9% |
| Stability / Safety | MGY | Beta 1.15 vs DVN's 1.24, lower leverage |
| Dividends | DVN | 2.3% yield, vs MGY's 1.9% |
| Momentum (1Y) | DVN | +22.8% vs MGY's +21.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | MGY | 11.2% ROA vs DVN's 8.4%, ROIC 19.2% vs 12.3% |
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
Magnolia Oil & Gas is an independent exploration and production company focused on acquiring and developing oil and natural gas reserves in South Texas. It generates revenue primarily from oil sales (roughly 60% of total), natural gas liquids (25%), and natural gas (15%), with production concentrated in the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its low-cost, high-margin acreage position in the prolific Karnes County and Giddings Field areas, which allows for efficient development and strong returns even in volatile commodity price environments.
Devon Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on U.S. onshore basins. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales (roughly 60% of total), with natural gas and natural gas liquids making up the remainder. The company's competitive advantage lies in its high-quality, low-cost asset portfolio concentrated in premier U.S. shale plays like the Delaware Basin.
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
MGY leads in 4 of 6 categories — strongest in Financial Metrics and Profitability & Efficiency. 2 categories are tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
DVN is the larger business by revenue, generating $16.6B annually — 12.7x MGY's $1.3B. MGY is the more profitable business, keeping 24.8% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to DVN's 15.9%. On growth, MGY holds the edge at -2.8% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | MGYMagnolia Oil & Ga… | DVNDevon Energy Corp… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.3B | $16.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $877M | $6.9B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $325M | $2.6B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $393M | $3.0B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +36.9% | +22.7% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +33.5% | +19.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +24.8% | +15.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +30.0% | +18.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.8% | -6.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -15.9% | -9.1% |
Valuation Metrics
At 10.4x trailing earnings, DVN trades at a 28% valuation discount to MGY's 14.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, MGY's 0.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than DVN's 4.6x.
| Metric | MGYMagnolia Oil & Ga… | DVNDevon Energy Corp… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $153M | $27.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $303M | $34.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 14.34x | 10.36x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 17.04x | 13.50x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.30x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 0.33x | 4.63x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.12x | 1.57x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.64x | 1.76x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 0.35x | 8.66x |
Profitability & Efficiency
MGY delivers a 5.5% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $5 in annual profit, vs $17 for DVN. MGY carries lower financial leverage with a 0.21x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to DVN's 0.57x.
| Metric | MGYMagnolia Oil & Ga… | DVNDevon Energy Corp… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.5% | +17.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +11.2% | +8.4% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +19.2% | +12.3% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +20.6% | +13.8% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 5 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.21x | 0.57x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $150M | $7.3B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $260M | $1.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $410M | $8.8B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 31.93x | 7.42x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in DVN five years ago would be worth $24,978 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $24,913 for MGY. Over the past 12 months, DVN leads with a +22.8% total return vs MGY's +21.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors MGY at 10.5% vs DVN's -3.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | MGYMagnolia Oil & Ga… | DVNDevon Energy Corp… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +24.5% | +14.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +21.5% | +22.8% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +34.8% | -9.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +149.1% | +149.8% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +200.5% | +194.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +10.5% | -3.3% |
Risk & Volatility
MGY is the less volatile stock with a 1.15 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than DVN's 1.24 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. MGY currently trades 99.5% from its 52-week high vs DVN's 94.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | MGYMagnolia Oil & Ga… | DVNDevon Energy Corp… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.15x | 1.24x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $27.95 | $46.15 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $19.09 | $25.89 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.5% | +94.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 64.6 | 54.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 2.4M | 8.6M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates MGY as "Buy" and DVN as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 9.8% upside for DVN (target: $48) vs -0.7% for MGY (target: $28). For income investors, DVN offers the higher dividend yield at 2.26% vs MGY's 1.88%.
| Metric | MGYMagnolia Oil & Ga… | DVNDevon Energy Corp… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $27.63 | $47.78 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 25 | 63 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +1.9% | +2.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 0 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.52 | $0.98 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +100.0% | +3.9% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas … (MGY) | 100 | 324.64 | +224.6% |
| Devon Energy Corpor… (DVN) | 100 | 254.21 | +154.2% |
Devon Energy Corpor… (DVN) returned +150% over 5 years vs Magnolia Oil & Gas … (MGY)'s +149%. A $10,000 investment in DVN 5 years ago would be worth $24,978 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas … (MGY) | $111M | $1.3B | +1086.3% |
| Devon Energy Corpor… (DVN) | $10.5B | $17.2B | +63.4% |
Devon Energy Corporation's revenue grew from $10.5B (2016) to $17.2B (2025) — a 5.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas … (MGY) | 19.4% | 27.8% | +43.7% |
| Devon Energy Corpor… (DVN) | -31.4% | 15.4% | +149.0% |
Devon Energy Corporation's net margin went from -31% (2016) to 15% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas … (MGY) | 4.4 | 12.1 | +175.0% |
| Devon Energy Corpor… (DVN) | 24.4 | 8.7 | -64.3% |
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation has traded in a 4x–45x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x. Devon Energy Corporation has traded in a 4x–24x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~10x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Magnolia Oil & Gas … (MGY) | 0.29 | 1.94 | +569.0% |
| Devon Energy Corpor… (DVN) | -6.44 | 4.2 | +165.2% |
Devon Energy Corporation's EPS grew from $-6.44 (2016) to $4.20 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation generated $432M FCF in 2024 (-22% vs 2021). Devon Energy Corporation generated $3B FCF in 2025 (+8% vs 2021).
MGY vs DVN: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is MGY or DVN a better buy right now?
Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) offers the better valuation at 10.4x trailing P/E (13.5x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) a "Buy" — based on 25 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 — MGY or DVN?
On trailing P/E, Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) is the cheapest at 10.4x versus Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation at 14.3x. On forward P/E, Devon Energy Corporation is actually cheaper at 13.5x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — MGY or DVN?
Over the past 5 years, Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) delivered a total return of +149.8%, compared to +149.1% for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY). A $10,000 investment in DVN five years ago would be worth approximately $25K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MGY returned +200.5% versus DVN's +194.4%. 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 — MGY or DVN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) is the lower-risk stock at 1.15β versus Devon Energy Corporation's 1.24β — meaning DVN is approximately 8% 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 57% for Devon Energy Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — MGY or DVN?
Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY) is the more profitable company, earning 27.8% net margin versus 15.4% for Devon Energy Corporation — meaning it keeps 27.8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MGY leads at 38.9% versus 22.0% for DVN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MGY leads at 51.7%, 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.
06Is MGY or DVN more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) trades at 13.5x forward P/E versus 17.0x for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation — 3.5x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for DVN: 9.8% to $47.78.
07Which pays a better dividend — MGY or DVN?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Devon Energy Corporation (DVN) offers the highest yield at 2.3%, versus 1.9% for Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation (MGY).
08Is MGY or DVN better for a retirement portfolio?
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 1.15), 1.9% yield, +200.5% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MGY: +200.5%, DVN: +194.4%), 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 MGY and DVN?
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.
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