Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) vs Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) 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 | OXY | -20.3% revenue growth vs CTRA's -49.6% |
| Value | CTRA | Lower P/E (14.6x vs 43.8x) |
| Quality / Margins | CTRA | 62.4% net margin vs OXY's 9.2% |
| Stability / Safety | CTRA | Beta 0.63 vs OXY's 0.95, lower leverage |
| Dividends | OXY | 3.0% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs CTRA's 2.9% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CTRA | +16.6% vs OXY's +10.6% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CTRA | 7.7% ROA vs OXY's 2.7%, ROIC 11.4% vs 5.8% |
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
Occidental Petroleum is an international oil and gas exploration and production company with operations spanning the United States, Middle East, Africa, and Latin America. It generates revenue primarily from its Oil and Gas segment — which contributes the majority of earnings — along with its Chemical manufacturing and Midstream marketing operations. The company's key advantage lies in its extensive, geographically diverse asset portfolio and its leadership in carbon capture technology through its Oxy Low Carbon Ventures division.
Coterra Energy is an independent oil and gas producer focused on developing natural gas and crude oil reserves across premier U.S. shale basins. It generates revenue primarily from selling natural gas (roughly 60% of production) and crude oil/liquids (roughly 40%), with its largest operations in the Marcellus Shale and Permian Basin. The company's competitive advantage lies in its low-cost, high-quality asset portfolio across multiple basins — particularly its core Marcellus position — which provides operational flexibility and resilience across commodity price cycles.
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
CTRA leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Valuation Metrics). OXY leads in 1 (Analyst Outlook). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
OXY is the larger business by revenue, generating $25.0B annually — 9.1x CTRA's $2.8B. CTRA is the more profitable business, keeping 62.4% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to OXY's 9.2%. On growth, OXY holds the edge at -26.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | OXYOccidental Petrol… | CTRACoterra Energy In… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $25.0B | $2.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $11.4B | $4.8B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $2.3B | $1.7B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $4.1B | $2.2B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +29.2% | +60.4% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +14.9% | +89.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +9.2% | +62.4% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +16.4% | +81.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -26.2% | -2.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +77.8% | +20.0% |
Valuation Metrics
At 13.6x trailing earnings, CTRA trades at a 59% valuation discount to OXY's 33.0x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, OXY's 4.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CTRA's 4.8x.
| Metric | OXYOccidental Petrol… | CTRACoterra Energy In… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $52.3B | $23.2B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $52.1B | $23.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 32.97x | 13.60x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 43.77x | 14.65x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | 0.39x |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 4.58x | 4.84x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 2.42x | 8.44x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.45x | 1.36x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 12.74x | 5.77x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CTRA delivers a 10.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $10 in annual profit, vs $6 for OXY. CTRA carries lower financial leverage with a 0.01x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to OXY's 0.05x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), CTRA scores 6/9 vs OXY's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | OXYOccidental Petrol… | CTRACoterra Energy In… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +6.3% | +10.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +2.7% | +7.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +5.8% | +11.4% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +4.9% | +11.9% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.05x | 0.01x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.8B | $136M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $2.0B | $114M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $1.8B | $250M |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 4.14x | 9.24x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in OXY five years ago would be worth $20,333 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $19,613 for CTRA. Over the past 12 months, CTRA leads with a +16.6% total return vs OXY's +10.6%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CTRA at 10.3% vs OXY's -1.7% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | OXYOccidental Petrol… | CTRACoterra Energy In… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +25.2% | +15.0% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +10.6% | +16.6% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -5.0% | +34.1% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +103.3% | +96.1% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +0.8% | +90.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -1.7% | +10.3% |
Risk & Volatility
CTRA is the less volatile stock with a 0.63 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than OXY's 0.95 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. OXY currently trades 99.5% from its 52-week high vs CTRA's 93.6% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | OXYOccidental Petrol… | CTRACoterra Energy In… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.95x | 0.63x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $53.33 | $32.67 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $34.78 | $22.33 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.5% | +93.6% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 66.6 | 53.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 9.9M | 9.3M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates OXY as "Buy" and CTRA as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 5.9% upside for CTRA (target: $32) vs -2.0% for OXY (target: $52). For income investors, OXY offers the higher dividend yield at 3.00% vs CTRA's 2.93%.
| Metric | OXYOccidental Petrol… | CTRACoterra Energy In… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $52.00 | $32.40 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 52 | 55 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.0% | +2.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.59 | $0.90 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | 0.0% | +0.6% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental Petroleu… (OXY) | 100 | 132.93 | +32.9% |
| Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) | 100 | 191.13 | +91.1% |
Occidental Petroleu… (OXY) returned +103% over 5 years vs Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA)'s +96%. A $10,000 investment in OXY 5 years ago would be worth $20,333 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental Petroleu… (OXY) | $10.1B | $21.6B | +113.9% |
| Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) | $1.2B | $2.8B | +130.3% |
Occidental Petroleum Corporation's revenue grew from $10.1B (2016) to $21.6B (2025) — a 8.8% CAGR. Coterra Energy Inc.'s revenue grew from $1.2B (2016) to $2.8B (2025) — a 9.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental Petroleu… (OXY) | -5.7% | 11.0% | +292.9% |
| Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) | -34.9% | 62.4% | +278.8% |
Occidental Petroleum Corporation's net margin went from -6% (2016) to 11% (2025). Coterra Energy Inc.'s net margin went from -35% (2016) to 62% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental Petroleu… (OXY) | 43.3 | 25.5 | -41.1% |
| Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) | 130 | 11.7 | -91.0% |
Occidental Petroleum Corporation has traded in a 5x–43x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~33x. Coterra Energy Inc. has traded in a 5x–130x P/E range over 9 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Occidental Petroleu… (OXY) | -0.75 | 1.61 | +314.7% |
| Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) | -0.91 | 2.25 | +347.3% |
Occidental Petroleum Corporation's EPS grew from $-0.75 (2016) to $1.61 (2025). Coterra Energy Inc.'s EPS grew from $-0.91 (2016) to $2.25 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Occidental Petroleum Corporation generated $4B FCF in 2025 (-46% vs 2021). Coterra Energy Inc. generated $4B FCF in 2025 (+328% vs 2021).
OXY vs CTRA: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is OXY or CTRA a better buy right now?
Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) offers the better valuation at 13.6x trailing P/E (14.6x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) a "Buy" — based on 52 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 — OXY or CTRA?
On trailing P/E, Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) is the cheapest at 13.6x versus Occidental Petroleum Corporation at 33.0x. On forward P/E, Coterra Energy Inc. is actually cheaper at 14.6x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — OXY or CTRA?
Over the past 5 years, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) delivered a total return of +103.3%, compared to +96.1% for Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA). A $10,000 investment in OXY five years ago would be worth approximately $20K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CTRA returned +90.4% versus OXY's +0.8%. 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 — OXY or CTRA?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) is the lower-risk stock at 0.63β versus Occidental Petroleum Corporation's 0.95β — meaning OXY is approximately 51% more volatile than CTRA relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 1% versus 5% for Occidental Petroleum Corporation — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — OXY or CTRA?
Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) is the more profitable company, earning 62.4% net margin versus 11.0% for Occidental Petroleum Corporation — meaning it keeps 62.4% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CTRA leads at 89.1% versus 17.2% for OXY. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CTRA leads at 60.4%, 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 OXY or CTRA more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) trades at 14.6x forward P/E versus 43.8x for Occidental Petroleum Corporation — 29.1x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CTRA: 5.9% to $32.40.
07Which pays a better dividend — OXY or CTRA?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) offers the highest yield at 3.0%, versus 2.9% for Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA).
08Is OXY or CTRA better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Coterra Energy Inc. (CTRA) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.63), 2.9% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CTRA: +90.4%, OXY: +0.8%), 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.
09What are the main differences between OXY and CTRA?
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: OXY is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; CTRA is a mid-cap deep-value 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.
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