Oil & Gas Exploration & Production
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PR vs SM
Revenue, margins, valuation, and 5-year total return — side by side.
Oil & Gas Exploration & Production
PR vs SM — Key Financials
Market cap, revenue, margins, and valuation side-by-side.
| Company Snapshot | ||
|---|---|---|
| Industry | Oil & Gas Exploration & Production | Oil & Gas Exploration & Production |
| Market Cap | $17.56B | $3.28B |
| Revenue (TTM) | $3.69B | $3.15B |
| Net Income (TTM) | $649M | $648M |
| Gross Margin | 32.7% | 31.9% |
| Operating Margin | 38.7% | 26.1% |
| Forward P/E | 11.5x | 4.3x |
| Total Debt | $3.70B | $2.30B |
| Cash & Equiv. | $154M | $368M |
PR vs SM — Long-Term Stock Performance
Price return indexed to 100 at period start. Dividends excluded.
| Stock | May 20 | May 26 | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Permian Resources C… (PR) | 100 | 2100.0 | +2000.0% |
| SM Energy Company (SM) | 100 | 811.1 | +711.1% |
Price return only. Dividends and distributions are not included.
Quick Verdict: PR vs SM
Each card shows where this stock fits in a portfolio — not just who wins on paper.
PR is the clearest fit if your priority is growth exposure and long-term compounding.
- Rev growth 1.3%, EPS growth -11.7%, 3Y rev CAGR 33.5%
- 130.0% 10Y total return vs SM's 118.0%
- Lower volatility, beta 0.23, Low D/E 32.0%, current ratio 0.78x
SM carries the broadest edge in this set and is the clearest fit for income & stability.
- Dividend streak 4 yrs, beta 0.16, yield 2.8%
- 18.1% revenue growth vs PR's 1.3%
- Lower P/E (4.3x vs 11.5x)
See the full category breakdown
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Growth | 18.1% revenue growth vs PR's 1.3% | |
| Value | Lower P/E (4.3x vs 11.5x) | |
| Quality / Margins | 20.5% margin vs PR's 17.6% | |
| Stability / Safety | Beta 0.16 vs PR's 0.23 | |
| Dividends | 2.9% yield, vs SM's 2.8% | |
| Momentum (1Y) | +82.3% vs SM's +36.5% | |
| Efficiency (ROA) | 7.2% ROA vs PR's 3.7%, ROIC 8.9% vs 7.5% |
PR vs SM — Revenue Breakdown by Segment
How each company's revenue is distributed across its business units
PR vs SM — Financial Metrics
Side-by-side numbers across 2 stocks — who leads on profitability, valuation, growth, and risk.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
Evenly matched — PR and SM each lead in 3 of 6 comparable metrics.
Income & Cash Flow (Last 12 Months)
PR and SM operate at a comparable scale, with $3.7B and $3.2B in trailing revenue. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 20.5% (SM) to 17.6% (PR). On growth, SM holds the edge at -14.1% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.7B | $3.2B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $3.5B | $2.0B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $649M | $648M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $1.0B | -$241M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +32.7% | +31.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +38.7% | +26.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +17.6% | +20.5% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +27.4% | -7.7% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -100.0% | -14.1% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -88.6% | -41.7% |
Valuation Metrics
SM leads this category, winning 6 of 6 comparable metrics.
Valuation Metrics
At 5.1x trailing earnings, SM trades at a 69% valuation discount to PR's 16.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SM's 2.6x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than PR's 6.0x.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $17.6B | $3.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $21.1B | $5.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 16.57x | 5.06x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 11.51x | 4.34x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 6.02x | 2.57x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.47x | 1.04x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.34x | 0.68x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 31.51x | 5.73x |
Profitability & Efficiency
SM leads this category, winning 7 of 9 comparable metrics.
Profitability & Efficiency
SM delivers a 14.0% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $14 in annual profit, vs $6 for PR. PR carries lower financial leverage with a 0.32x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SM's 0.48x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SM scores 7/9 vs PR's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +5.8% | +14.0% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +3.7% | +7.2% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +7.5% | +8.9% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +9.2% | +10.4% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 7 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.32x | 0.48x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $3.5B | $1.9B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $154M | $368M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $3.7B | $2.3B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 7.73x | 2.92x |
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
PR leads this category, winning 5 of 6 comparable metrics.
Total Returns (Dividends Reinvested)
A $10,000 investment in PR five years ago would be worth $50,885 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $18,422 for SM. Over the past 12 months, PR leads with a +82.3% total return vs SM's +36.5%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors PR at 31.0% vs SM's 5.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +48.4% | +50.4% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +82.3% | +36.5% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +124.7% | +16.7% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +408.8% | +84.2% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +130.0% | +118.0% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +31.0% | +5.3% |
Risk & Volatility
Evenly matched — PR and SM each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Risk & Volatility
SM is the less volatile stock with a 0.16 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than PR's 0.23 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. PR currently trades 93.5% from its 52-week high vs SM's 85.9% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.23x | 0.16x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $22.68 | $33.25 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.64 | $17.45 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +93.5% | +85.9% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 68.0 | 60.5 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 13.3M | 5.9M |
Analyst Outlook
Evenly matched — PR and SM each lead in 1 of 2 comparable metrics.
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates PR as "Buy" and SM as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 5.1% upside for PR (target: $22) vs 1.6% for SM (target: $29). For income investors, PR offers the higher dividend yield at 2.89% vs SM's 2.80%.
| Metric | ||
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $22.29 | $29.00 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 20 | 54 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +2.9% | +2.8% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.61 | $0.80 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.4% | +0.4% |
SM leads in 2 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). PR leads in 1 (Total Returns). 3 tied.
PR vs SM: Frequently Asked Questions
10 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is PR or SM a better buy right now?
For growth investors, SM Energy Company (SM) is the stronger pick with 18.
1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus 1. 3% for Permian Resources Corporation (PR). SM Energy Company (SM) offers the better valuation at 5. 1x trailing P/E (4. 3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Permian Resources Corporation (PR) a "Buy" — based on 20 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 — PR or SM?
On trailing P/E, SM Energy Company (SM) is the cheapest at 5.
1x versus Permian Resources Corporation at 16. 6x. On forward P/E, SM Energy Company is actually cheaper at 4. 3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — PR or SM?
Over the past 5 years, Permian Resources Corporation (PR) delivered a total return of +408.
8%, compared to +84. 2% for SM Energy Company (SM). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: PR returned +130. 0% versus SM's +118. 0%. 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 — PR or SM?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), SM Energy Company (SM) is the lower-risk stock at 0.
16β versus Permian Resources Corporation's 0. 23β — meaning PR is approximately 42% more volatile than SM relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Permian Resources Corporation (PR) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 32% versus 48% for SM Energy Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which is growing faster — PR or SM?
By revenue growth (latest reported year), SM Energy Company (SM) is pulling ahead at 18.
1% versus 1. 3% for Permian Resources Corporation (PR). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: Permian Resources Corporation grew EPS -11. 7% year-over-year, compared to -15. 4% for SM Energy Company. Over a 3-year CAGR, PR leads at 33. 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.
06Which has better profit margins — PR or SM?
SM Energy Company (SM) is the more profitable company, earning 20.
5% net margin versus 18. 5% for Permian Resources Corporation — meaning it keeps 20. 5% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: PR leads at 29. 0% versus 26. 1% for SM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — PR leads at 32. 7%, 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.
07Is PR or SM more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, SM Energy Company (SM) trades at 4.
3x forward P/E versus 11. 5x for Permian Resources Corporation — 7. 2x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for PR: 5. 1% to $22. 29.
08Which pays a better dividend — PR or SM?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.
Permian Resources Corporation (PR) offers the highest yield at 2. 9%, versus 2. 8% for SM Energy Company (SM).
09Is PR or SM better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, SM Energy Company (SM) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.
16), 2. 8% yield, +118. 0% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SM: +118. 0%, PR: +130. 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.
10What are the main differences between PR and SM?
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: PR is a mid-cap deep-value stock; SM is a small-cap high-growth 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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