Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (PNRG) vs ConocoPhillips (COP) 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 | PNRG | 90.0% revenue growth vs COP's 9.3% |
| Value | COP | Lower P/E (23.0x vs 35.7x) |
| Quality / Margins | COP | 13.3% net margin vs PNRG's 12.9% |
| Stability / Safety | COP | Beta 0.99 vs PNRG's 1.40 |
| Dividends | COP | 2.9% yield; 1-year raise streak; PNRG pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | COP | +17.7% vs PNRG's +1.5% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | PNRG | 7.6% ROA vs COP's 6.5%, ROIC 28.5% vs 10.7% |
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
PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation is an independent oil and natural gas company that acquires, develops, and produces oil and gas properties primarily in Oklahoma and Texas. It generates revenue through oil and gas production from its operated wells — approximately 710 active wells — and non-operating interests in about 822 additional wells, supplemented by contract services for third-party drilling operations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its established operational footprint in prolific basins and its dual revenue model combining production with well-servicing capabilities.
ConocoPhillips is a global independent exploration and production company that finds, produces, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. It generates revenue primarily from selling hydrocarbons produced from its diverse portfolio — including unconventional shale plays in North America, conventional assets worldwide, and oil sands in Canada — with no refining or marketing operations. The company's competitive advantage lies in its low-cost position, large-scale resource base, and operational expertise across multiple geographies and resource types.
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
COP leads in 2 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). PNRG leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
COP is the larger business by revenue, generating $59.7B annually — 304.3x PNRG's $196M. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 13.3% (COP) to 12.9% (PNRG). On growth, COP holds the edge at -0.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | PNRGPrimeEnergy Resou… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $196M | $59.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $120M | $23.2B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $25M | $7.9B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $20M | $16.8B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +25.4% | +35.2% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +16.8% | +19.8% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +12.9% | +13.3% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +10.0% | +28.1% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -33.0% | -0.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -50.2% | -38.4% |
Valuation Metrics
At 9.1x trailing earnings, PNRG trades at a 49% valuation discount to COP's 17.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, PNRG's 2.3x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than COP's 6.7x.
| Metric | PNRGPrimeEnergy Resou… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $327M | $139.0B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $332M | $156.0B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 9.06x | 17.90x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 35.71x | 23.03x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | 0.12x | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 2.28x | 6.71x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 1.40x | 2.33x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 2.47x | 2.11x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 8.29x |
Profitability & Efficiency
COP delivers a 12.3% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $12 in annual profit, vs $12 for PNRG. PNRG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.04x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to COP's 0.36x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), PNRG scores 8/9 vs COP's 7/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | PNRGPrimeEnergy Resou… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +11.8% | +12.3% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.6% | +6.5% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +28.5% | +10.7% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +27.6% | +10.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 8 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.04x | 0.36x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $6M | $16.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $3M | $6.5B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $8M | $23.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 14.38x | 11.99x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in PNRG five years ago would be worth $41,437 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $24,904 for COP. Over the past 12 months, COP leads with a +17.7% total return vs PNRG's +1.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PNRG at 29.5% vs COP's 6.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | PNRGPrimeEnergy Resou… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.1% | +18.2% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +1.5% | +17.7% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +117.4% | +20.0% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +314.4% | +149.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +301.3% | +306.3% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +29.5% | +6.3% |
Risk & Volatility
COP is the less volatile stock with a 0.99 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PNRG's 1.40 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. COP currently trades 99.7% from its 52-week high vs PNRG's 83.5% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | PNRGPrimeEnergy Resou… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.40x | 0.99x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $238.20 | $113.80 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $126.40 | $79.88 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +83.5% | +99.7% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 52.1 | 62.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 49K | 7.0M |
Analyst Outlook
COP is the only dividend payer here at 2.94% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | PNRGPrimeEnergy Resou… | COPConocoPhillips |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | — | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | — | $116.79 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | — | 52 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +2.9% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 1 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $3.34 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +4.1% | +3.6% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrimeEnergy Resourc… (PNRG) | 100 | 123.55 | +23.6% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 100 | 206.76 | +106.8% |
PrimeEnergy Resourc… (PNRG) returned +314% over 5 years vs ConocoPhillips (COP)'s +149%. A $10,000 investment in PNRG 5 years ago would be worth $41,437 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrimeEnergy Resourc… (PNRG) | $60M | $234M | +287.5% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | $23.9B | $59.7B | +149.8% |
ConocoPhillips's revenue grew from $23.9B (2016) to $59.7B (2025) — a 10.7% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrimeEnergy Resourc… (PNRG) | 5.7% | 23.7% | +315.2% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | -15.1% | 13.3% | +187.8% |
ConocoPhillips's net margin went from -15% (2016) to 13% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrimeEnergy Resourc… (PNRG) | 3.6 | 10 | +177.8% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | 11.7 | 14.8 | +26.5% |
PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation has traded in a 4x–121x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~9x. ConocoPhillips has traded in a 8x–15x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~18x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| PrimeEnergy Resourc… (PNRG) | 1.13 | 21.95 | +1842.5% |
| ConocoPhillips (COP) | -2.9 | 6.34 | +318.6% |
ConocoPhillips's EPS grew from $-2.90 (2016) to $6.34 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation generated $-3M FCF in 2024 (-142% vs 2021). ConocoPhillips generated $17B FCF in 2025 (+44% vs 2021).
PNRG vs COP: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PNRG or COP a better buy right now?
PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (PNRG) offers the better valuation at 9.1x trailing P/E (35.7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate ConocoPhillips (COP) 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 — PNRG or COP?
On trailing P/E, PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (PNRG) is the cheapest at 9.1x versus ConocoPhillips at 17.9x. On forward P/E, ConocoPhillips is actually cheaper at 23.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PNRG or COP?
Over the past 5 years, PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (PNRG) delivered a total return of +314.4%, compared to +149.0% for ConocoPhillips (COP). A $10,000 investment in PNRG five years ago would be worth approximately $41K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: COP returned +306.3% versus PNRG's +301.3%. 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 — PNRG or COP?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), ConocoPhillips (COP) is the lower-risk stock at 0.99β versus PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation's 1.40β — meaning PNRG is approximately 42% more volatile than COP relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (PNRG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 4% versus 36% for ConocoPhillips — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — PNRG or COP?
PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation (PNRG) is the more profitable company, earning 23.7% net margin versus 13.3% for ConocoPhillips — meaning it keeps 23.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PNRG leads at 29.4% versus 19.8% for COP. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PNRG leads at 37.5%, 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 PNRG or COP more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, ConocoPhillips (COP) trades at 23.0x forward P/E versus 35.7x for PrimeEnergy Resources Corporation — 12.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis.
07Which pays a better dividend — PNRG or COP?
In this comparison, COP (2.9% yield) pays a dividend. PNRG does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is PNRG or COP better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, ConocoPhillips (COP) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.99), 2.9% yield, +306.3% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (COP: +306.3%, PNRG: +301.3%), 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 PNRG and COP?
Both stocks operate in the Energy sector, making this a peer-level intra-sector comparison — the same macro tailwinds and headwinds will affect both. COP pays a dividend while PNRG 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.
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