Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) vs Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) 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 | OBE | 28.2% revenue growth vs BRN's -36.9% |
| Quality / Margins | OBE | -33.7% net margin vs BRN's -53.1% |
| Stability / Safety | BRN | Beta 0.18 vs OBE's 1.39, lower leverage |
| Dividends | Tie | Neither pays a meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | OBE | +43.5% vs BRN's -21.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | OBE | -13.2% ROA vs BRN's -30.7%, ROIC -10.3% vs -61.9% |
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
Obsidian Energy is an oil and natural gas exploration and production company operating primarily in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin. It generates revenue through the sale of crude oil (roughly 70% of production) and natural gas liquids, with natural gas making up the remainder. The company's competitive advantage lies in its extensive, low-decline asset base in established Canadian basins — which provides operational efficiency and predictable production.
Barnwell Industries is an oil and gas exploration and production company with operations in Canada and land investments in Hawaii. It generates revenue primarily from oil and gas production in Alberta—roughly 70% of total revenue—with additional income from land investment activities and contract drilling services. The company's key advantage lies in its established land positions and operational expertise in Alberta's oil fields, though its small scale limits competitive moats.
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
OBE leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). BRN leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
OBE is the larger business by revenue, generating $705M annually — 56.6x BRN's $12M. OBE is the more profitable business, keeping -33.7% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to BRN's -53.1%. On growth, OBE holds the edge at -32.4% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | OBEObsidian Energy L… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $705M | $12M |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $311M | -$3M |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$237M | -$7M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$5M | -$607,000 |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | -1.8% | +8.6% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -44.3% | -50.9% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -33.7% | -53.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -0.6% | -4.9% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -32.4% | -40.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -42.9% | +31.6% |
Valuation Metrics
| Metric | OBEObsidian Energy L… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $527M | $14M |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $777M | $12M |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -4.02x | -1.65x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 35.04x | — |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 2.58x | — |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.86x | 1.04x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.58x | 1.63x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | — |
Profitability & Efficiency
OBE delivers a -16.9% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $-17 in annual profit, vs $-81 for BRN. BRN carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to OBE's 0.24x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), OBE scores 5/9 vs BRN's 2/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | OBEObsidian Energy L… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -16.9% | -80.6% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -13.2% | -30.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -10.3% | -61.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -12.9% | -27.5% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 5 | 2 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.24x | 0.04x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $343M | -$3M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | — | $3M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $343M | $264,000 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -13.27x | -991.14x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in OBE five years ago would be worth $57,721 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $3,738 for BRN. Over the past 12 months, OBE leads with a +43.5% total return vs BRN's -21.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors OBE at 3.5% vs BRN's -21.4% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | OBEObsidian Energy L… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +24.8% | -0.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +43.5% | -21.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +10.9% | -51.5% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +477.2% | -62.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +20.4% | -6.5% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +3.5% | -21.4% |
Risk & Volatility
BRN is the less volatile stock with a 0.18 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than OBE's 1.39 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. OBE currently trades 96.9% from its 52-week high vs BRN's 50.0% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | OBEObsidian Energy L… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.39x | 0.18x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $8.10 | $2.28 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $3.88 | $0.93 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +96.9% | +50.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 55.9 | 50.2 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 436K | 126K |
Analyst Outlook
| Metric | OBEObsidian Energy L… | BRNBarnwell Industri… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | — |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | — |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 1 | — |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | — |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 2 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | — |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +5.8% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Feb 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) | 100 | 1,253.57 | +1153.6% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | 100 | 172.88 | +72.9% |
Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) returned +477% over 5 years vs Barnwell Industries… (BRN)'s -63%. A $10,000 investment in OBE 5 years ago would be worth $57,721 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) | $608M | $838M | +37.8% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | $13M | $14M | +3.1% |
Barnwell Industries, Inc.'s revenue grew from $13M (2016) to $14M (2025) — a 0.3% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) | -114.5% | -24.2% | +78.9% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | -27.2% | -50.4% | -85.4% |
Barnwell Industries, Inc.'s net margin went from -27% (2016) to -50% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 4 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2023 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) | 0.8 | 5.3 | +562.5% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | 14.9 | 5.2 | -65.1% |
Obsidian Energy Ltd. has traded in a 1x–5x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-4x. Barnwell Industries, Inc. has traded in a 4x–15x P/E range over 3 years; current trailing P/E is ~-2x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) | -9.7 | -2.67 | +72.5% |
| Barnwell Industries… (BRN) | -0.44 | -0.69 | -56.8% |
Barnwell Industries, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.44 (2016) to $-0.69 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Obsidian Energy Ltd. generated $-65M FCF in 2024 (-212% vs 2021). Barnwell Industries, Inc. generated $-5M FCF in 2025 (-348% vs 2021).
OBE vs BRN: Frequently Asked Questions
7 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is OBE or BRN a better buy right now?
Analysts rate Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) a "Hold" — based on 1 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 is the better long-term investment — OBE or BRN?
Over the past 5 years, Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) delivered a total return of +477.2%, compared to -62.6% for Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN). A $10,000 investment in OBE five years ago would be worth approximately $58K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OBE returned +20.4% versus BRN's -6.5%. Past returns do not guarantee future results, and the stock with the higher historical return may already have its best growth priced in.
03Which is safer — OBE or BRN?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) is the lower-risk stock at 0.18β versus Obsidian Energy Ltd.'s 1.39β — meaning OBE is approximately 652% more volatile than BRN relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 24% for Obsidian Energy Ltd. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
04Which has better profit margins — OBE or BRN?
Obsidian Energy Ltd. (OBE) is the more profitable company, earning -24.2% net margin versus -50.4% for Barnwell Industries, Inc. — meaning it keeps -24.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OBE leads at -29.8% versus -39.1% for BRN. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — BRN leads at 11.6%, 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.
05Which pays a better dividend — OBE or BRN?
None of the stocks in this comparison currently pay a material dividend. All are effectively zero-yield and should be held for capital appreciation rather than income.
06Is OBE or BRN better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Barnwell Industries, Inc. (BRN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.18)). Both have compounded well over 10 years (BRN: -6.5%, OBE: +20.4%), 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.
07What are the main differences between OBE and BRN?
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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