Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare SM Energy Company (SM) vs EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) 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 | SM | 18.1% revenue growth vs EOG's -3.5% |
| Value | SM | Lower P/E (6.3x vs 13.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | EOG | 22.1% net margin vs SM's 20.5% |
| Stability / Safety | EOG | Beta 0.79 vs SM's 1.70, lower leverage |
| Dividends | SM | 3.5% yield, 4-year raise streak, vs EOG's 3.2% |
| Momentum (1Y) | EOG | +0.9% vs SM's -26.8% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | EOG | 9.6% ROA vs SM's 7.0%, ROIC 19.1% vs 0.2% |
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
SM Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on acquiring, developing, and operating hydrocarbon assets in Texas. It generates revenue primarily from selling crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids — with oil contributing the majority of production value — through its operations in the Midland Basin and South Texas. The company's competitive advantage lies in its concentrated, high-quality acreage positions in prolific Texas basins, which provide operational efficiency and predictable drilling inventory.
EOG Resources is a leading independent exploration and production company focused on finding and developing oil and natural gas reserves. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales (roughly 70% of total revenue), with natural gas and natural gas liquids making up the remainder. The company's competitive advantage lies in its premium drilling inventory—particularly in the Delaware Basin and Eagle Ford shale—where its technical expertise and operational efficiency deliver industry-leading returns.
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
EOG leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). SM leads in 2 (Valuation Metrics, Analyst Outlook).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
EOG is the larger business by revenue, generating $22.6B annually — 7.2x SM's $3.2B. Profitability is closely matched — net margins range from 22.1% (EOG) to 20.5% (SM). On growth, EOG holds the edge at -0.2% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | EOGEOG Resources, In… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $3.2B | $22.6B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $1.2B | $12.7B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $648M | $5.0B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $169M | $3.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | — | +68.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +0.5% | +35.1% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +20.5% | +22.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +5.3% | +15.8% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -14.1% | -0.2% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -42.3% | -41.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 4.1x trailing earnings, SM trades at a 70% valuation discount to EOG's 13.6x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, SM's 3.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than EOG's 5.7x.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | EOGEOG Resources, In… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $2.7B | $67.3B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $4.6B | $72.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 4.10x | 13.62x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 6.30x | 12.96x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 3.74x | 5.71x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.84x | 2.98x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.55x | 2.24x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | 4.63x | 17.14x |
Profitability & Efficiency
EOG delivers a 16.7% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $17 in annual profit, vs $13 for SM. EOG carries lower financial leverage with a 0.28x 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 EOG's 4/9, reflecting strong financial health.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | EOGEOG Resources, In… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +13.5% | +16.7% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +7.0% | +9.6% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +0.2% | +19.1% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +0.2% | +17.6% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 7 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.48x | 0.28x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $1.9B | $5.0B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $368M | $3.4B |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.3B | $8.4B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | — | 29.82x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in EOG five years ago would be worth $23,291 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $17,987 for SM. Over the past 12 months, EOG leads with a +0.9% total return vs SM's -26.8%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors EOG at 6.7% vs SM's -5.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | EOGEOG Resources, In… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +20.9% | +16.6% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -26.8% | +0.9% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -14.2% | +21.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +79.9% | +132.9% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +476.8% | +141.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -5.0% | +6.7% |
Risk & Volatility
EOG is the less volatile stock with a 0.79 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than SM's 1.70 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. EOG currently trades 95.1% from its 52-week high vs SM's 69.8% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | EOGEOG Resources, In… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 1.70x | 0.79x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $33.14 | $130.52 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $17.45 | $101.59 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +69.8% | +95.1% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 51.0 | 60.7 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 5.0M | 3.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates SM as "Buy" and EOG as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 24.8% upside for SM (target: $29) vs 7.4% for EOG (target: $133). For income investors, SM offers the higher dividend yield at 3.46% vs EOG's 3.23%.
| Metric | SMSM Energy Company | EOGEOG Resources, In… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Buy | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $28.86 | $133.21 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 53 | 65 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +3.5% | +3.2% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 4 | 1 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $0.80 | $4.01 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | 0.0% |
Historical Charts
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Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Feb 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | 100 | 612.62 | +512.6% |
| EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) | 100 | 172.46 | +72.5% |
EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) returned +133% over 5 years vs SM Energy Company (SM)'s +80%. A $10,000 investment in EOG 5 years ago would be worth $23,291 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | $1.2B | $3.2B | +167.2% |
| EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) | $7.5B | $22.6B | +202.4% |
SM Energy Company's revenue grew from $1.2B (2016) to $3.2B (2025) — a 11.5% CAGR. EOG Resources, Inc.'s revenue grew from $7.5B (2016) to $22.6B (2025) — a 13.1% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | -64.2% | 20.5% | +132.0% |
| EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) | -14.7% | 22.1% | +250.2% |
SM Energy Company's net margin went from -64% (2016) to 21% (2025). EOG Resources, Inc.'s net margin went from -15% (2016) to 22% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | 1.7 | 3.3 | +94.1% |
| EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) | 24.2 | 11.5 | -52.5% |
SM Energy Company has traded in a 2x–102x P/E range over 6 years; current trailing P/E is ~4x. EOG Resources, Inc. has traded in a 9x–24x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~14x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| SM Energy Company (SM) | -9.9 | 5.64 | +157.0% |
| EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) | -1.98 | 9.11 | +560.1% |
SM Energy Company's EPS grew from $-9.90 (2016) to $5.64 (2025). EOG Resources, Inc.'s EPS grew from $-1.98 (2016) to $9.11 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
SM Energy Company generated $573M FCF in 2025 (+19% vs 2021). EOG Resources, Inc. generated $4B FCF in 2025 (-20% vs 2021).
SM vs EOG: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is SM or EOG a better buy right now?
SM Energy Company (SM) offers the better valuation at 4.1x trailing P/E (6.3x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate SM Energy Company (SM) a "Buy" — based on 53 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 — SM or EOG?
On trailing P/E, SM Energy Company (SM) is the cheapest at 4.1x versus EOG Resources, Inc. at 13.6x. On forward P/E, SM Energy Company is actually cheaper at 6.3x.
03Which is the better long-term investment — SM or EOG?
Over the past 5 years, EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) delivered a total return of +132.9%, compared to +79.9% for SM Energy Company (SM). A $10,000 investment in EOG five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SM returned +476.8% versus EOG's +141.1%. 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 — SM or EOG?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) is the lower-risk stock at 0.79β versus SM Energy Company's 1.70β — meaning SM is approximately 115% more volatile than EOG relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 28% versus 48% for SM Energy Company — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — SM or EOG?
EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) is the more profitable company, earning 22.1% net margin versus 20.5% for SM Energy Company — meaning it keeps 22.1% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: EOG leads at 35.1% versus 0.5% for SM. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — EOG leads at 68.1%, 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 SM or EOG more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, SM Energy Company (SM) trades at 6.3x forward P/E versus 13.0x for EOG Resources, Inc. — 6.7x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for SM: 24.8% to $28.86.
07Which pays a better dividend — SM or EOG?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. SM Energy Company (SM) offers the highest yield at 3.5%, versus 3.2% for EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG).
08Is SM or EOG better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, EOG Resources, Inc. (EOG) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.79), 3.2% yield, +141.1% 10Y return). SM Energy Company (SM) carries a higher beta of 1.70 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (EOG: +141.1%, SM: +476.8%), 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 SM and EOG?
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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