Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) vs Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) 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 | VTLE | 26.2% revenue growth vs OVV's -4.5% |
| Value | VTLE | Lower P/E (4.0x vs 12.0x) |
| Quality / Margins | OVV | 14.1% net margin vs VTLE's -69.3% |
| Stability / Safety | OVV | Beta 1.42 vs VTLE's 2.02, lower leverage |
| Dividends | OVV | 2.3% yield; 5-year raise streak; VTLE pays no meaningful dividend |
| Momentum (1Y) | OVV | +19.2% vs VTLE's -32.9% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | OVV | 6.1% ROA vs VTLE's -27.9%, ROIC 8.0% vs -0.3% |
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
Vital Energy is an independent oil and gas exploration and production company focused on the Permian Basin in West Texas. It generates revenue primarily from crude oil sales (roughly 60% of total), with natural gas and natural gas liquids making up the remainder — all from its operated wells. The company's competitive advantage lies in its concentrated, high-quality acreage position in the Permian's prolific Delaware Basin, which provides predictable, low-cost production.
Ovintiv is an independent North American energy company that explores for, develops, and produces natural gas, oil, and natural gas liquids. It generates revenue primarily from selling hydrocarbons produced from its core assets — roughly 60% from the Permian and Anadarko basins in the U.S. and 40% from Canadian operations like the Montney formation. The company's competitive advantage lies in its large, low-cost resource base across premier North American basins and its operational scale, which drives capital efficiency.
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
OVV leads in 4 of 6 categories (Financial Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). VTLE leads in 1 (Valuation Metrics).
Financial Metrics (TTM)
OVV is the larger business by revenue, generating $8.8B annually — 4.6x VTLE's $1.9B. OVV is the more profitable business, keeping 14.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to VTLE's -69.3%. On growth, OVV holds the edge at -5.3% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | VTLEVital Energy, Inc. | OVVOvintiv Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $1.9B | $8.8B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | -$334M | $3.3B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | -$1.3B | $1.2B |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | $656M | $3.6B |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +44.2% | +47.1% |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | -58.3% | +12.6% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | -69.3% | +14.1% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | +34.6% | +41.2% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -8.4% | -5.3% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -2.6% | +16.8% |
Valuation Metrics
On an enterprise value basis, VTLE's 4.5x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than OVV's 5.0x.
| Metric | VTLEVital Energy, Inc. | OVVOvintiv Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $693M | $12.8B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $3.2B | $20.3B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | -3.78x | 10.58x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 3.98x | 11.97x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 4.46x | 4.96x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 0.36x | 1.47x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 0.24x | 1.17x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 8.51x |
Profitability & Efficiency
OVV delivers a 11.1% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $11 in annual profit, vs $-75 for VTLE. OVV carries lower financial leverage with a 0.67x debt-to-equity ratio, signaling a more conservative balance sheet compared to VTLE's 0.95x. On the Piotroski fundamental quality scale (0–9), OVV scores 6/9 vs VTLE's 4/9, reflecting solid financial health.
| Metric | VTLEVital Energy, Inc. | OVVOvintiv Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | -74.8% | +11.1% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | -27.9% | +6.1% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | -0.3% | +8.0% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | -0.5% | +11.1% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 6 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.95x | 0.67x |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $2.5B | $7.5B |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $40M | $35M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $2.6B | $7.5B |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | -5.04x | 3.06x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in OVV five years ago would be worth $22,658 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $5,386 for VTLE. Over the past 12 months, OVV leads with a +19.2% total return vs VTLE's -32.9%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors OVV at 8.2% vs VTLE's -29.6% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | VTLEVital Energy, Inc. | OVVOvintiv Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | — | +24.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | -32.9% | +19.2% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -65.1% | +26.6% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -46.1% | +126.6% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | -82.5% | +166.7% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | -29.6% | +8.2% |
Risk & Volatility
OVV is the less volatile stock with a 1.42 beta — it tends to amplify market swings less than VTLE's 2.02 beta. A beta below 1.0 means the stock typically moves less than the S&P 500. OVV currently trades 98.0% from its 52-week high vs VTLE's 65.3% drawdown — a narrower gap to the peak suggests stronger recent price momentum.
| Metric | VTLEVital Energy, Inc. | OVVOvintiv Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 2.02x | 1.42x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $27.46 | $51.60 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $12.30 | $29.80 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +65.3% | +98.0% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 53.2 | 63.8 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 17 | 3.8M |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates VTLE as "Hold" and OVV as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 47.9% upside for VTLE (target: $27) vs 3.1% for OVV (target: $52). OVV is the only dividend payer here at 2.34% yield — a key consideration for income-focused portfolios.
| Metric | VTLEVital Energy, Inc. | OVVOvintiv Inc. |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $26.50 | $52.14 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 36 | 26 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | — | +2.3% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | — | 5 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | — | $1.19 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.5% | +2.4% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Dec 25 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) | 100 | 92.34 | -7.7% |
| Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) | 100 | 363.78 | +263.8% |
Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) returned +127% over 5 years vs Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE)'s -46%. A $10,000 investment in OVV 5 years ago would be worth $22,658 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) | $597M | $2.0B | +226.8% |
| Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) | $2.9B | $8.7B | +199.4% |
Ovintiv Inc.'s revenue grew from $2.9B (2016) to $8.7B (2025) — a 13.0% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) | -43.6% | -8.9% | +79.6% |
| Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) | -32.4% | 14.2% | +143.9% |
Ovintiv Inc.'s net margin went from -32% (2016) to 14% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 8 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) | 4.6 | 1.4 | -69.6% |
| Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) | 15.7 | 8.2 | -47.8% |
Vital Energy, Inc. has traded in a 1x–6x P/E range over 5 years; current trailing P/E is ~-4x. Ovintiv Inc. has traded in a 4x–26x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~11x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) | -23.2 | -4.74 | +79.6% |
| Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) | -5.35 | 4.78 | +189.3% |
Ovintiv Inc.'s EPS grew from $-5.35 (2016) to $4.78 (2025).
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Vital Energy, Inc. generated $-738M FCF in 2024 (-6% vs 2021). Ovintiv Inc. generated $2B FCF in 2025 (-7% vs 2021).
VTLE vs OVV: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is VTLE or OVV a better buy right now?
Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) offers the better valuation at 10.6x trailing P/E (12.0x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) a "Buy" — based on 26 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 — VTLE or OVV?
On forward P/E, Vital Energy, Inc. is actually cheaper at 4.0x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — VTLE or OVV?
Over the past 5 years, Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) delivered a total return of +126.6%, compared to -46.1% for Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE). A $10,000 investment in OVV five years ago would be worth approximately $23K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: OVV returned +166.7% versus VTLE's -82.5%. 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 — VTLE or OVV?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) is the lower-risk stock at 1.42β versus Vital Energy, Inc.'s 2.02β — meaning VTLE is approximately 42% more volatile than OVV relative to the S&P 500. On balance sheet safety, Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) carries a lower debt/equity ratio of 67% versus 95% for Vital Energy, Inc. — giving it more financial flexibility in a downturn.
05Which has better profit margins — VTLE or OVV?
Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) is the more profitable company, earning 14.2% net margin versus -8.9% for Vital Energy, Inc. — meaning it keeps 14.2% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: OVV leads at 21.6% versus -1.2% for VTLE. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — VTLE leads at 31.4%, 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 VTLE or OVV more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) trades at 4.0x forward P/E versus 12.0x for Ovintiv Inc. — 8.0x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for VTLE: 47.9% to $26.50.
07Which pays a better dividend — VTLE or OVV?
In this comparison, OVV (2.3% yield) pays a dividend. VTLE does not pay a meaningful dividend and should not be held primarily for income.
08Is VTLE or OVV better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Ovintiv Inc. (OVV) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (2.3% yield, +166.7% 10Y return). Vital Energy, Inc. (VTLE) carries a higher beta of 2.02 — meaning larger drawdowns in market downturns, which matters significantly when you cannot wait years for a recovery. Both have compounded well over 10 years (OVV: +166.7%, VTLE: -82.5%), 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 VTLE and OVV?
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: VTLE is a small-cap quality compounder stock; OVV is a mid-cap deep-value stock. OVV pays a dividend while VTLE does 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.
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