SUN vs EPD vs ET vs PAA vs MPLX

For growth investors, Sunoco LP (SUN) is the stronger pick with 11.

1% revenue growth year-over-year, versus -6. 4% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD). MPLX Lp (MPLX) offers the better valuation at 11. 7x trailing P/E (12. 7x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD) a "Buy" — based on 45 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, MPLX Lp (MPLX) is the cheapest at 11.

7x versus Plains All American Pipeline, L. P. at 30. 3x. On forward P/E, Sunoco LP is actually cheaper at 9. 4x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth. The PEG ratio (P/E divided by earnings growth rate) is the most growth-adjusted single valuation metric: Sunoco LP wins at 0. 53x versus Enterprise Products Partners L. P. 's 1. 42x — a PEG below 1. 0 traditionally signals the market is underpricing earnings growth.

Over the past 5 years, Plains All American Pipeline, L.

P. (PAA) delivered a total return of +195. 2%, compared to +105. 7% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: SUN returned +209. 2% versus PAA's +54. 1%. 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), Enterprise Products Partners L.

P. (EPD) is the lower-risk stock at 0. 06β versus Energy Transfer LP's 0. 19β — meaning ET is approximately 197% more volatile than EPD relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Plains All American Pipeline, L. P. (PAA) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 61% versus 2% for Sunoco LP — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.

By revenue growth (latest reported year), Sunoco LP (SUN) is pulling ahead at 11.

1% versus -6. 4% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD). On earnings-per-share growth, the picture is similar: MPLX Lp grew EPS 14. 5% year-over-year, compared to -47. 9% for Plains All American Pipeline, L. P.. Over a 3-year CAGR, PAA leads at 6. 0% 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.

MPLX Lp (MPLX) is the more profitable company, earning 41.

6% net margin versus 1. 5% for Plains All American Pipeline, L. P. — meaning it keeps 41. 6% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: MPLX leads at 40. 3% versus 2. 4% for PAA. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — MPLX leads at 45. 2%, 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.

The PEG ratio (forward P/E divided by expected earnings growth rate) is the most precise measure of undervaluation relative to growth potential.

By this metric, Sunoco LP (SUN) is the more undervalued stock at a PEG of 0. 53x versus Enterprise Products Partners L. P. 's 1. 42x. A PEG below 1. 0 is traditionally considered the threshold for growth-adjusted undervaluation. On forward earnings alone, Sunoco LP (SUN) trades at 9. 4x forward P/E versus 13. 8x for Plains All American Pipeline, L. P. — 4. 4x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for MPLX: 7. 1% to $60. 25.

All stocks in this comparison pay dividends.

Sunoco LP (SUN) offers the highest yield at 7. 1%, versus 5. 7% for Enterprise Products Partners L. P. (EPD).

For long-horizon retirement investors, Sunoco LP (SUN) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.

13), 7. 1% yield, +209. 2% 10Y return). Both have compounded well over 10 years (SUN: +209. 2%, ET: +142. 6%), 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.

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: SUN is a small-cap income-oriented stock; EPD is a mid-cap deep-value stock; ET is a mid-cap deep-value stock; PAA is a mid-cap income-oriented stock; MPLX is a mid-cap deep-value 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.