RES vs LBRT vs PUMP vs ACDC vs WTTR

For growth investors, RPC, Inc.

(RES) is the stronger pick with 15. 0% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -12. 1% for ProPetro Holding Corp. (PUMP). Liberty Energy Inc. (LBRT) offers the better valuation at 35. 6x trailing P/E (3480. 2x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Liberty Energy Inc. (LBRT) a "Buy" — based on 19 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, Liberty Energy Inc.

(LBRT) is the cheapest at 35. 6x versus ProPetro Holding Corp. at 1993. 6x. On forward P/E, RPC, Inc. is actually cheaper at 34. 6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Select Water Solutions, Inc.

(WTTR) delivered a total return of +158. 4%, compared to -63. 7% for ProFrac Holding Corp. (ACDC). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: LBRT returned +94. 1% versus ACDC's -63. 7%. 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), RPC, Inc.

(RES) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 54β versus Liberty Energy Inc. 's 1. 31β — meaning LBRT is approximately 142% more volatile than RES relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, RPC, Inc. (RES) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 9% versus 130% for ProFrac Holding Corp. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

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

(RES) is pulling ahead at 15. 0% versus -12. 1% for ProPetro Holding Corp. (PUMP). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: ProPetro Holding Corp. grew EPS 100. 6% year-over-year, compared to -66. 7% for ProFrac Holding Corp.. Over a 3-year CAGR, RES leads at 0. 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.

Liberty Energy Inc.

(LBRT) is the more profitable company, earning 3. 7% net margin versus -19. 0% for ProFrac Holding Corp. — meaning it keeps 3. 7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: RES leads at 3. 5% versus -6. 9% for ACDC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — RES leads at 14. 3%, 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, RPC, Inc.

(RES) trades at 34. 6x forward P/E versus 3480. 2x for Liberty Energy Inc. — 3445. 7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for LBRT: 7. 4% to $34. 00.

In this comparison, RES (2.

2% yield), WTTR (1. 9% yield), LBRT (1. 0% yield) pay a dividend. PUMP, ACDC do not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.

For long-horizon retirement investors, RPC, Inc.

(RES) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0. 54), 2. 2% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (RES: -36. 1%, PUMP: +7. 2%), 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.

These companies operate in different sectors (RES (Energy) and LBRT (Energy) and PUMP (Energy) and ACDC (Energy) and WTTR (Utilities)), which means they face different economic cycles, regulatory environments, and macro sensitivities — making direct comparison nuanced.

RES, LBRT, WTTR pay a dividend while PUMP, ACDC do 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.