Comprehensive Stock Comparison
Compare Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS) 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 | 24.1% revenue growth vs WDS's -1.5% |
| Value |  WDS | Lower P/E (31.6x vs 47.4x) |
| Quality / Margins | WDS | 24.1% net margin vs CRC's 9.9% |
| Stability / Safety | WDS | Beta 0.82 vs CRC's 1.26 |
| Dividends | WDS | 4.8% yield, vs CRC's 2.5% |
| Momentum (1Y) | CRC | +61.4% vs WDS's +50.0% |
| Efficiency (ROA) | WDS | 9.5% ROA vs CRC's 5.3%, ROIC 6.3% vs 11.5% |
Who Each Stock Is For
Income & stability
WDSDividend streak 0 yrs, beta 0.82, yield 4.8%
Growth exposure
CRCRev growth 24.1%, EPS growth -10.2%, 3Y rev CAGR 4.0%
Long-term compounding (10Y)
CRC279.1% 10Y total return vs WDS's 63.3%
Sleep-well-at-night portfolio
WDSLower volatility, beta 0.82, Low D/E 34.4%, current ratio 1.59x
Defensive / Recession hedge
WDSBeta 0.82, yield 4.8%, current ratio 1.59x
Business Model
What each company does and how it makes money
Woodside Energy Group is an Australian oil and gas company that explores for, develops, and produces hydrocarbons — primarily liquefied natural gas (LNG) and crude oil — from assets across Australia, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It generates revenue by selling LNG (its largest segment), pipeline gas, crude oil, condensate, and liquefied petroleum gas, with LNG exports to Asia being the dominant earnings driver. The company's competitive advantage lies in its ownership of large-scale, low-cost LNG production assets in Australia — particularly the North West Shelf and Pluto projects — which benefit from proximity to major Asian energy markets.
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
Segment breakdown not available.
Financial Metrics Comparison
Side-by-side fundamentals across 2 stocks. BestLagging
Financial Scorecard
CRC 3WDS 2WDS3/5 metricsCRC3/5 metricsCRC4/7 metricsCRC5/6 metricsWDS2/2 metricsCRC leads in 3 of 6 categories (Valuation Metrics, Profitability & Efficiency). WDS leads in 2 (Financial Metrics, Risk & Volatility). 1 tied.
Financial Metrics (TTM)
WDS is the larger business by revenue, generating $26.2B annually — 7.1x CRC's $3.7B. WDS is the more profitable business, keeping 24.1% of every revenue dollar as net income compared to CRC's 9.9%. On growth, CRC holds the edge at +14.9% YoY revenue growth, suggesting stronger near-term business momentum.
| Metric | WDSWoodside Energy G… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| RevenueTrailing 12 months | $26.2B | $3.7B |
| EBITDAEarnings before interest/tax | $18.6B | $1.1B |
| Net IncomeAfter-tax profit | $6.3B | $363M |
| Free Cash FlowCash after capex | -$1.5B | $662M |
| Gross MarginGross profit ÷ Revenue | +37.8% | — |
| Operating MarginEBIT ÷ Revenue | +32.6% | +16.3% |
| Net MarginNet income ÷ Revenue | +24.1% | +9.9% |
| FCF MarginFCF ÷ Revenue | -5.7% | +18.0% |
| Rev. Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -11.1% | +14.9% |
| EPS Growth (YoY)Latest quarter vs prior year | -15.1% | -41.7% |
Valuation Metrics
At 14.9x trailing earnings, CRC trades at a 3% valuation discount to WDS's 15.3x P/E. On an enterprise value basis, CRC's 4.7x EV/EBITDA is more attractive than WDS's 5.2x.
| Metric | WDSWoodside Energy G… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Market CapShares × price | $41.3B | $5.5B |
| Enterprise ValueMkt cap + debt − cash | $49.3B | $5.2B |
| Trailing P/EPrice ÷ TTM EPS | 15.28x | 14.85x |
| Forward P/EPrice ÷ next-FY EPS est. | 31.60x | 47.41x |
| PEG RatioP/E ÷ EPS growth rate | — | — |
| EV / EBITDAEnterprise value multiple | 5.24x | 4.72x |
| Price / SalesMarket cap ÷ Revenue | 3.18x | 1.49x |
| Price / BookPrice ÷ Book value/share | 1.04x | 1.47x |
| Price / FCFMarket cap ÷ FCF | — | 6.32x |
Profitability & Efficiency
WDS delivers a 15.8% return on equity — every $100 of shareholder capital generates $16 in annual profit, vs $10 for CRC.
| Metric | WDSWoodside Energy G… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| ROE (TTM)Return on equity | +15.8% | +9.9% |
| ROA (TTM)Return on assets | +9.5% | +5.3% |
| ROICReturn on invested capital | +6.3% | +11.5% |
| ROCEReturn on capital employed | +6.6% | +10.0% |
| Piotroski ScoreFundamental quality 0–9 | 4 | 4 |
| Debt / EquityFinancial leverage | 0.34x | — |
| Net DebtTotal debt minus cash | $8.0B | -$235M |
| Cash & Equiv.Liquid assets | $5.7B | $235M |
| Total DebtShort + long-term debt | $13.7B | $0 |
| Interest CoverageEBIT ÷ Interest expense | 109.20x | 5.74x |
Total Returns (with DRIP)
A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth $25,397 today (with dividends reinvested), compared to $15,005 for WDS. Over the past 12 months, CRC leads with a +61.4% total return vs WDS's +50.0%. The 3-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) favors CRC at 14.4% vs WDS's 1.0% — a key indicator of consistent wealth creation.
| Metric | WDSWoodside Energy G… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| YTD ReturnYear-to-date | +35.7% | +32.9% |
| 1-Year ReturnPast 12 months | +50.0% | +61.4% |
| 3-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +3.2% | +49.9% |
| 5-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +50.1% | +154.0% |
| 10-Year ReturnCumulative with dividends | +63.3% | +279.1% |
| CAGR (3Y)Annualised 3-year return | +1.0% | +14.4% |
Risk & Volatility
WDS is the less volatile stock with a 0.82 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 | WDSWoodside Energy G… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Beta (5Y)Sensitivity to S&P 500 | 0.82x | 1.26x |
| 52-Week HighHighest price in past year | $21.91 | $62.69 |
| 52-Week LowLowest price in past year | $11.26 | $30.97 |
| % of 52W HighCurrent price vs 52-week peak | +99.0% | +98.3% |
| RSI (14)Momentum oscillator 0–100 | 73.1 | 65.6 |
| Avg Volume (50D)Average daily shares traded | 735K | 667K |
Analyst Outlook
Wall Street rates WDS as "Hold" and CRC as "Buy". Consensus price targets imply 29.0% upside for WDS (target: $28) vs 6.6% for CRC (target: $66). For income investors, WDS offers the higher dividend yield at 4.85% vs CRC's 2.52%.
| Metric | WDSWoodside Energy G… | CRCCalifornia Resour… |
|---|---|---|
| Analyst RatingConsensus buy/hold/sell | Hold | Buy |
| Price TargetConsensus 12-month target | $28.00 | $65.71 |
| # AnalystsCovering analysts | 2 | 23 |
| Dividend YieldAnnual dividend ÷ price | +4.8% | +2.5% |
| Dividend StreakConsecutive years of raises | 0 | 4 |
| Dividend / ShareAnnual DPS | $1.05 | $1.56 |
| Buyback YieldShare repurchases ÷ mkt cap | +0.1% | +6.9% |
Historical Charts
Charts are rendered on first load. Hover for details.
Chart 1Total Return — 5 Years (Rebased to 100)
| Stock | Mar 20 | Mar 26 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside Energy Gro… (WDS) | 100 | 119.17 | +19.2% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 100 | 895.86 | +795.9% |
California Resource… (CRC) returned +154% over 5 years vs Woodside Energy Gro… (WDS)'s +50%. A $10,000 investment in CRC 5 years ago would be worth $25,397 today (including dividends reinvested).
Chart 2Revenue Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside Energy Gro… (WDS) | $4.1B | $13.0B | +218.6% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | $1.8B | $3.7B | +109.3% |
Woodside Energy Group Ltd's revenue grew from $4.1B (2016) to $13.0B (2025) — a 13.7% CAGR. California Resources Corporation's revenue grew from $1.8B (2016) to $3.7B (2025) — a 8.6% CAGR.
Chart 3Net Margin Trend — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside Energy Gro… (WDS) | 21.3% | 20.9% | -1.7% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 15.9% | 9.9% | -37.8% |
Woodside Energy Group Ltd's net margin went from 21% (2016) to 21% (2025). California Resources Corporation's net margin went from 16% (2016) to 10% (2025).
Chart 4P/E Ratio History — 9 Years
| Stock | 2017 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside Energy Gro… (WDS) | 20.9 | 11 | -47.4% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 2.5 | 10.8 | +332.0% |
Woodside Energy Group Ltd has traded in a 6x–65x P/E range over 8 years; current trailing P/E is ~15x. California Resources Corporation has traded in a 1x–11x P/E range over 7 years; current trailing P/E is ~15x.
Chart 5EPS Growth — 10 Years
| Stock | 2016 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodside Energy Gro… (WDS) | 1.04 | 1.42 | +36.5% |
| California Resource… (CRC) | 6.76 | 4.15 | -38.6% |
Woodside Energy Group Ltd's EPS grew from $1.04 (2016) to $1.42 (2025) — a 4% CAGR. California Resources Corporation's EPS grew from $6.76 (2016) to $4.15 (2025) — a -5% CAGR.
Chart 6Free Cash Flow — 5 Years
Woodside Energy Group Ltd generated $-782M FCF in 2025 (-167% vs 2021). California Resources Corporation generated $865M FCF in 2025 (+86% vs 2021).
WDS vs CRC: Frequently Asked Questions
9 questions · data-driven answers · updated daily
01Is WDS or CRC a better buy right now?
California Resources Corporation (CRC) offers the better valuation at 14.9x trailing P/E (47.4x forward), making it the more compelling value choice. Analysts rate California Resources Corporation (CRC) a "Buy" — based on 23 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 — WDS or CRC?
On trailing P/E, California Resources Corporation (CRC) is the cheapest at 14.9x versus Woodside Energy Group Ltd at 15.3x. On forward P/E, Woodside Energy Group Ltd is actually cheaper at 31.6x — notably different from the trailing picture, reflecting expected earnings growth.
03Which is the better long-term investment — WDS or CRC?
Over the past 5 years, California Resources Corporation (CRC) delivered a total return of +154.0%, compared to +50.1% for Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS). A $10,000 investment in CRC five years ago would be worth approximately $25K today (assuming dividends reinvested). Over 10 years, the gap is even starker: CRC returned +279.1% versus WDS's +63.3%. 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 — WDS or CRC?
By beta (market sensitivity over 5 years), Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS) is the lower-risk stock at 0.82β versus California Resources Corporation's 1.26β — meaning CRC is approximately 53% more volatile than WDS relative to the S&P 500.
05Which has better profit margins — WDS or CRC?
Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS) is the more profitable company, earning 20.9% net margin versus 9.9% for California Resources Corporation — meaning it keeps 20.9% of every revenue dollar as bottom-line profit. Operating margin tells a similar story: WDS leads at 29.8% versus 16.3% for CRC. At the gross margin level — before operating expenses — WDS leads at 34.9%, 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 WDS or CRC more undervalued right now?
On forward earnings alone, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS) trades at 31.6x forward P/E versus 47.4x for California Resources Corporation — 15.8x cheaper on a one-year earnings basis. Analyst consensus price targets imply the most upside for WDS: 29.0% to $28.00.
07Which pays a better dividend — WDS or CRC?
All stocks in this comparison pay dividends. Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS) offers the highest yield at 4.8%, versus 2.5% for California Resources Corporation (CRC).
08Is WDS or CRC better for a retirement portfolio?
For long-horizon retirement investors, Woodside Energy Group Ltd (WDS) is the stronger choice — it scores higher on the combination of lower volatility, dividend reliability, and long-term compounding (low volatility (β 0.82), 4.8% yield). Both have compounded well over 10 years (WDS: +63.3%, CRC: +279.1%), 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 WDS 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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