NOV vs HAL

For growth investors, NOV Inc.

(NOV) is the stronger pick with -1. 4% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -3. 3% for Halliburton Company (HAL). Halliburton Company (HAL) offers the better valuation at 26. 1x trailing P/E (16. 8x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Halliburton Company (HAL) a "Buy" — based on 64 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, Halliburton Company (HAL) is the cheapest at 26.

1x versus NOV Inc. at 49. 5x. On forward P/E, Halliburton Company is actually cheaper at 16. 8x.

Over the past 5 years, Halliburton Company (HAL) delivered a total return of +82.

6%, compared to +19. 6% for NOV Inc. (NOV). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: HAL returned +16. 2% versus NOV's -31. 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), Halliburton Company (HAL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.

57β versus NOV Inc. 's 1. 01β — meaning NOV is approximately 76% more volatile than HAL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, NOV Inc. (NOV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 37% versus 77% for Halliburton Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), NOV Inc.

(NOV) is pulling ahead at -1. 4% versus -3. 3% for Halliburton Company (HAL). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Halliburton Company grew EPS -47. 0% year-over-year, compared to -75. 6% for NOV Inc.. Over a 3-year CAGR, NOV leads at 6. 5% 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.

Halliburton Company (HAL) is the more profitable company, earning 5.

8% net margin versus 1. 7% for NOV Inc. — meaning it keeps 5. 8% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: HAL leads at 10. 2% versus 6. 5% for NOV. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — NOV leads at 20. 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.

On forward earnings alone, Halliburton Company (HAL) trades at 16.

8x forward P/E versus 21. 7x for NOV Inc. — 4. 9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for NOV: 0. 4% to $19. 38.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

NOV Inc. (NOV) offers the highest yield at 2. 6%, versus 1. 8% for Halliburton Company (HAL).

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

57), 1. 8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (HAL: +16. 2%, NOV: -31. 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.

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.