MUSA vs SUN vs CAPL vs DINO vs VLO

For growth investors, Sunoco LP (SUN) is the stronger pick with 11.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -10. 6% for CrossAmerica Partners LP (CAPL). Sunoco LP (SUN) offers the better valuation at 18. 5x trailing P/E (9. 4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate HF Sinclair Corporation (DINO) a "Buy" — based on 16 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, Sunoco LP (SUN) is the cheapest at 18.

5x versus Valero Energy Corporation at 31. 2x. On forward P/E, Sunoco LP is actually cheaper at 9. 4x. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Sunoco LP wins at 0. 53x versus Murphy USA Inc. 's 1. 53x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Murphy USA Inc.

(MUSA) delivered a total return of +318. 2%, compared to +56. 1% for CrossAmerica Partners LP (CAPL). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: MUSA returned +803. 3% versus CAPL's +87. 5%. 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), Murphy USA Inc.

(MUSA) is the lower-risk stock at -0. 23β versus HF Sinclair Corporation's 0. 31β — meaning DINO is approximately -234% more volatile than MUSA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, HF Sinclair Corporation (DINO) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 35% versus 5% for Murphy USA Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sunoco LP (SUN) is pulling ahead at 11.

1% versus -10. 6% for CrossAmerica Partners LP (CAPL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: HF Sinclair Corporation grew EPS 241. 8% year-over-year, compared to -39. 0% for Sunoco LP. Over a 3-year CAGR, SUN leads at -0. 7% 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.

Murphy USA Inc.

(MUSA) is the more profitable company, earning 2. 4% net margin versus 1. 1% for CrossAmerica Partners LP — meaning it keeps 2. 4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CAPL leads at 5. 6% versus 3. 5% for DINO. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CAPL leads at 9. 2%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Sunoco LP (SUN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 53x versus Murphy USA Inc. 's 1. 53x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Sunoco LP (SUN) trades at 9. 4x forward P/E versus 49. 5x for CrossAmerica Partners LP — 40. 1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SUN: 0. 3% to $68. 00.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

CrossAmerica Partners LP (CAPL) offers the highest yield at 9. 9%, versus 0. 4% for Murphy USA Inc. (MUSA).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Murphy USA Inc.

(MUSA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β -0. 23), +803. 3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (MUSA: +803. 3%, DINO: +202. 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (MUSA (Consumer Cyclical) and SUN (Energy) and CAPL (Energy) and DINO (Energy) and VLO (Energy)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

In terms of investment character: MUSA is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; SUN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; CAPL is a small-cap income-oriented stock; DINO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock; VLO is a mid-cap quality compounder stock. SUN, CAPL, DINO, VLO pay a dividend while MUSA 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.