MTDR vs XOM

For growth investors, Matador Resources Company (MTDR) is the stronger pick with 5.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -4. 5% for Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM). Matador Resources Company (MTDR) offers the better valuation at 9. 5x trailing P/E (8. 0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Matador Resources Company (MTDR) a "Buy" — based on 42 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, Matador Resources Company (MTDR) is the cheapest at 9.

5x versus Exxon Mobil Corporation at 22. 2x. On forward P/E, Matador Resources Company is actually cheaper at 8. 0x.

Over the past 5 years, Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) delivered a total return of +171.

8%, compared to +118. 5% for Matador Resources Company (MTDR). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MTDR returned +205. 6% versus XOM's +107. 4%. 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), Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) is the lower-risk stock at -0.

15β versus Matador Resources Company's 0. 06β — meaning MTDR is approximately -142% more volatile than XOM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 16% versus 59% for Matador Resources Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Matador Resources Company (MTDR) is pulling ahead at 5.

1% versus -4. 5% for Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Exxon Mobil Corporation grew EPS -14. 5% year-over-year, compared to -14. 7% for Matador Resources Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, MTDR leads at 6. 1% 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.

Matador Resources Company (MTDR) is the more profitable company, earning 20.

8% net margin versus 8. 9% for Exxon Mobil Corporation — meaning it keeps 20. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MTDR leads at 32. 5% versus 10. 5% for XOM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MTDR leads at 43. 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, Matador Resources Company (MTDR) trades at 8.

0x forward P/E versus 15. 0x for Exxon Mobil Corporation — 7. 0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MTDR: 18. 2% to $68. 29.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Exxon Mobil Corporation (XOM) offers the highest yield at 2. 7%, versus 2. 3% for Matador Resources Company (MTDR).

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

15), 2. 7% yield, +107. 4% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (XOM: +107. 4%, MTDR: +205. 6%), 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: MTDR is a small-cap deep-value stock; XOM is a large-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.