Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Shell plc (SHEL) vs California Resources Corporation (CRC) 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 | CRC | 5.1% revenue growth vs SHEL's -5.9% |
| Value | SHEL | Lower P/E (13.4x vs 45.3x) |
| Quality / Margins | CRC | 10.9% net margin vs SHEL's 6.7% |
| Stability / Safety | SHEL | Beta 0.64 vs CRC's 1.26 |
| Dividends | SHEL | 3.4% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs CRC's 2.4% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRC | +35.4% vs SHEL's +28.1% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | CRC | 5.7% ROA vs SHEL's 4.8%, ROIC 14.5% vs 9.9% |
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
Shell is a global integrated energy company that explores for, produces, refines, and markets oil, natural gas, and petrochemical products. It generates revenue primarily through its upstream oil and gas production (~40% of earnings), integrated gas and LNG operations (~30%), and downstream marketing and chemicals businesses (~30%). The company's competitive advantage lies in its massive scale, integrated value chain—from production to retail—and leading positions in liquefied natural gas and deepwater exploration.
California Resources Corporation is an independent oil and natural gas exploration and production company focused exclusively on California. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales (~60%), natural gas and natural gas liquids (~25%), and electricity generation from its cogeneration facilities (~15%). The company's key advantage is its extensive mineral acreage position—approximately 1.9 million net acres—in a mature, high-barrier-to-entry California market with established infrastructure.
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
CRC leads in 3 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SHEL leads in 3 (Valuation Metrics, Risk & Volatility).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
SHEL is the larger business by revenue, generating $267.5B annually — 75.8x CRC's $3.5B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 10.9% (CRC) to 6.7% (SHEL). On growth, SHEL holds the edge at -1.7% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $267.5B | $3.5B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $53.0B | $1.4B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $17.8B | $384M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $22.7B | $545M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +16.7% | +37.9% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +11.5% | +21.2% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +6.7% | +10.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +8.5% | +15.4% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -1.7% | -11.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | +3.7% | -79.9% |
Valuation Metrics
At 12.7x trailing earnings, CRC trades at a 8% valuation discount to SHEL's 13.9x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SHEL's 5.9x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than CRC's 4761.3x.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $235.8B | $5.36T |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $310.1B | $5.36T |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 13.87x | 12.74x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 13.40x | 45.26x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 5.85x | 4761.27x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.88x | 1812.76x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.42x | 1.35x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 10.81x | 9999.00x |
Profitability & Efficiency
CRC delivers a 11.2% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $10 for SHEL. CRC carries lower financial leverage with a 0.35x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to SHEL's 0.60x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), SHEL scores 6/9 vs CRC's 3/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +10.2% | +11.2% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +4.8% | +5.7% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +9.9% | +14.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +10.6% | +13.7% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 6 | 3 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.60x | 0.35x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $74.4B | $851M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $30.2B | $372M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $104.6B | $1.2B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 6.98x | 5.95x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth $24,361 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $23,319 for SHEL. Over the past 12 months, CRC leads with a +35.4% total return vs SHEL's +28.1%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors SHEL at 14.7% vs CRC's 14.3% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +11.7% | +26.8% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +28.1% | +35.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +51.0% | +49.2% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +133.2% | +143.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +146.2% | +1037.4% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +14.7% | +14.3% |
Risk & Volatility
SHEL is the less volatile stock with a 0.64 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than CRC's 1.26 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.64x | 1.26x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $83.67 | $60.03 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $58.55 | $30.97 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.8% | +98.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 60.8 | 61.0 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 4.8M | 696K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SHEL as "Buy" and CRC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 11.7% upside for CRC (target: $66) vs 2.6% for SHEL (target: $86). For income investors, SHEL offers the higher dividend yield at 3.42% vs CRC's 2.36%.
| Metric | SHELShell plc | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $85.67 | $65.71 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 12 | 23 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.4% | +2.4% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 3 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $2.85 | $1.39 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +6.5% | +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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 100 | 172 | +72.0% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 100 | 832.44 | +732.4% |
California Resource… (CRC) returned +144% over 5 years vs Shell plc (SHEL)'s +133%. A $10,000 investment in CRC 5 years ago would be worth $24,361 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | $233.6B | $267.5B | +14.5% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | $1.8B | $3.0B | +68.7% |
Shell plc's revenue grew from $233.6B (2016) to $267.5B (2025) — a 1.5% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 2.0% | 6.7% | +241.3% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 15.9% | 12.7% | -20.1% |
Shell plc's net margin went from 2% (2016) to 7% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 21.4 | 12.2 | -43.0% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 2.5 | 11.2 | +348.0% |
Shell plc has traded in a 5x–21x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x. California Resources Corporation has traded in a 1x–11x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~13x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shell plc (SHEL) | 1.16 | 6.02 | +419.0% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 6.76 | 4.62 | -31.7% |
Shell plc's EPS grew from $1.16 (2016) to $6.02 (2025) — a 20% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Shell plc generated $22B FCF in 2025 (-16% vs 2021). California Resources Corporation generated $350M FCF in 2024 (-25% vs 2021).
SHEL vs CRC: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SHEL or CRC a better buy right now?
California Resources Corporation (CRC) offers the better valuation at 12.7x trailing P/E (45.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Shell plc (SHEL) a "Buy" — based on 12 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 — SHEL or CRC?
On trailing P/E, California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the cheapest at 12.7x versus Shell plc at 13.9x. On forward P/E, Shell plc is actually cheaper at 13.4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SHEL or CRC?
Over the past 5 years, California Resources Corporation (CRC) delivered a total return of +143.6%, compared to +133.2% for Shell plc (SHEL). A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth approximately $24K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRC returned +1037% versus SHEL's +146.2%. 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 — SHEL or CRC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Shell plc (SHEL) is the lower-risk stock at 0.64β versus California Resources Corporation's 1.26β — meaning CRC is approximately 98% more volatile than SHEL relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, California Resources Corporation (CRC) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 35% versus 60% for Shell plc — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SHEL or CRC?
California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the more profitable company, earning 12.7% net margin versus 6.7% for Shell plc — meaning it keeps 12.7% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: CRC leads at 22.0% versus 11.5% for SHEL. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — CRC leads at 40.6%, 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.
06Is SHEL or CRC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Shell plc (SHEL) trades at 13.4x forward P/E versus 45.3x for California Resources Corporation — 31.9x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for CRC: 11.7% to $65.71.
07Which pays a better dividend — SHEL or CRC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Shell plc (SHEL) offers the highest yield at 3.4%, versus 2.4% for California Resources Corporation (CRC).
08Is SHEL or CRC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 1.26), 2.4% yield, +1037% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (CRC: +1037%, SHEL: +146.2%), 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.
09What are the main differences between SHEL and CRC?
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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