CNQ vs MPLX vs SO Stock Comparison

Canadian Natural Resources, Mplx and Southern Prices as of Oct 27, 2026 Peers: Industry group
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CNQ CANADIAN NATURAL RESOURCES Ltd
$54.07 +14.0% 1M +71.7% 1Y
Market cap
$114.68B
P/E
14.3x
Revenue (TTM)
$33.47B
Div. yield
-0.03%
Oil and Gas Exploration and Production Energy
6 wins
MPLX Mplx Lp
$58.09 +2.3% 1M +14.3% 1Y
Market cap
$59.31B
P/E
12.5x
Revenue (TTM)
$13.22B
Div. yield
0.07%
Oil and Gas Pipelines Energy
6 wins
SO Southern Co
$92.64 +11.8% 1M -2.9% 1Y
Market cap
$105.50B
P/E
22.7x
Revenue (TTM)
$30.18B
Div. yield
0.03%
Regulated Electric Utilities Utilities

Head to Head

12 decided of 12

Canadian Natural Resources leads on 6 of the 12 questions below (Canadian Natural Resources 6, Mplx 6). Which ones matter depends on what you are buying for; a cheap multiple and slow growth often come together.

QuestionCNQMPLXSOLeader
Larger companyMarket capitalisation $114.68B $59.31B $105.50B CNQ
Cheaper on earningsLower P/E, profitable companies only 14.3x 12.5x 22.7x MPLX
Cheaper on forward earningsLower price / next fiscal year consensus EPS 11.3x 14.2x 19.1x CNQ
Faster revenue growthRevenue growth, trailing twelve months +6.7% +8.7% +6.4% MPLX
More profitableNet margin, trailing twelve months 24.0% 35.8% 15.4% MPLX
Better return on capitalReturn on invested capital — 14.6% 5.1% MPLX
Less leveragedLower net debt / EBITDA 0.3x 3.4x 5.3x CNQ
Higher dividend yieldTrailing dividend yield -0.03% 0.07% 0.03% MPLX
Better 1-year returnPrice return, last 12 months +71.7% +14.3% -2.9% CNQ
Better 5-year returnAnnualised price return, 5 years +20.8%/yr +13.8%/yr +8.1%/yr CNQ
Less volatileAnnualised volatility, 1 year 31.0% 17.1% 17.9% MPLX
Higher overall scoreMean of the five percentile scores vs peers 76/100 59/100 43/100 CNQ

Percentile Scorecard

CNQMPLXSO

Each axis is the mean percentile of its metrics against the company's industry group. 100 is the best in the group, 50 the middle.

Scores by Axis

AxisCNQMPLXSO
Valuation 78 #23 of 99 41 #21 of 35 35 #44 of 67
Growth 78 #22 of 97 27 #25 of 34 53 #31 of 65
Profitability 85 #15 of 96 94 #3 of 34 76 #16 of 63
Financial Health 94 #7 of 102 62 #14 of 35 34 #42 of 63
Shareholder Returns 43 #44 of 76 70 #10 of 31 17 #56 of 67
Overall 76 59 43
  • CNQ ranked among 103 companies in Oil and Gas Upstream
  • MPLX ranked among 35 companies in Oil and Gas Midstream
  • SO ranked among 67 companies in Regulated Utilities

Price Performance

Price return, split-adjusted, before dividends. Click a name to hide or show it.

Returns

PeriodCNQMPLXSOSPY
1 month +14.0%+2.3%+11.8% -0.2%
3 months +22.4%-1.9%-4.3% +3.9%
6 months +16.6%+5.5%-1.9% +8.2%
Year to date +59.7%+8.8%+6.2% +12.9%
1 year +71.7%+14.3%-2.9% +12.3%
3 years +70.4%+62.8%+39.2% +87.4%
3 years, per year +19.5%+17.6%+11.7% +23.3%
5 years +157.2%+90.5%+47.7% +67.9%
5 years, per year +20.8%+13.8%+8.1% +10.9%
10 years +239.4%+72.4%+82.5% +261.1%
10 years, per year +13.0%+5.6%+6.2% +13.7%

Risk

MeasureCNQMPLXSOSPY
Volatility, 1Y 31.0%17.1%17.9% 12.7%
Downside volatility, 1Y 32.5%17.9%17.5% 12.7%
Beta vs S&P 500, 1Y -0.51-0.05-0.23 1.00
Return / volatility, 1Y 2.310.84-0.16 0.97
Max drawdown, 5Y -38.9%-20.1%-23.3% -25.4%
From 52-week high -1.9%-3.9%-6.5% -1.2%
52-week high $55.10$60.43$99.11 $779.14
52-week low $30.59$50.29$82.35 $631.97

Valuation History

Weekly multiples on trailing twelve-month fundamentals. Negative or extreme readings (a loss year, a collapsed denominator) are left out so the chart stays readable.

MultipleCNQMPLXSO
P/E now vs peer median 14.1xmedian 13.0x 12.5xmedian 20.9x 22.6xmedian 20.9x
P/S now vs peer median 3.4xmedian 2.1x 4.5xmedian 2.7x 3.5xmedian 2.9x
EV/EBITDA now vs peer median 3.9xmedian 5.9x 11.4xmedian 11.0x 13.1xmedian 13.2x
P/FCF now vs peer median 6.0xmedian 11.1x 17.7xmedian 16.5x -32.6xmedian 36.9x
P/B now vs peer median —median 1.5x 4.1xmedian 2.6x 2.5xmedian 1.7x
PEG now vs peer median 0.26median 2.27 2.39median 1.95 0.71median 2.31

Financial History

Reported figures by fiscal period, placed on the calendar year (or quarter) each period ended in, so companies with different fiscal years line up.

Trailing twelve monthsCNQMPLXSO
Revenue $33.47B $13.22B $30.18B
Gross profit $26.58B $11.61B $25.14B
Operating income $24.77B $5.88B $7.31B
Net income $8.48B $4.77B $4.66B
Free cash flow $18.68B $3.34B -$3.27B
EPS (diluted) $3.83 $4.66 $4.08
Cash & equivalents $1.84B $1.03B $2.98B
Total debt $49.14B $26.01B $295.00B
Shares (diluted) 2.10B 1.02B 1.14B
Enterprise value $111.68B $52.87B $96.55B

All Metrics

58 metrics · best in bold

Bold marks the best reading: the lowest positive value for multiples, leverage and payout, the highest for everything else. The bar under each value is its percentile against that company's own peers. Hover a value for its rank and the peer median.

Valuation

12 metrics
MetricCNQMPLXSO
P/E 14.1x 12.5x 22.6x
P/FCF 6.0x 17.7x -32.6x
P/Operating cash flow 8.7x 9.9x 10.0x
P/S 3.4x 4.5x 3.5x
P/B – 4.1x 2.5x
P/Tangible book – 4.6x 2.5x
EV/EBITDA 3.9x 11.4x 13.1x
EV/EBIT 5.0x 14.3x 24.5x
EV/Revenue 3.7x 6.3x 5.9x
EV/FCF 6.6x 25.1x -54.8x
EV/Operating cash flow 9.5x 14.0x 16.8x
PEG (3Y EPS CAGR) 0.26 2.39 0.71

Growth

14 metrics
MetricCNQMPLXSO
Revenue growth (1Y) 6.7% 8.7% 6.4%
Revenue CAGR (3Y) -2.3% 4.9% 3.0%
Gross profit growth (1Y) 5.0% 9.5% 5.3%
Gross profit CAGR (3Y) -3.2% 2.5% 1.6%
Operating income growth (1Y) -26.5% 11.4% 1.5%
Operating income CAGR (3Y) -15.2% 4.8% 14.7%
Net income growth (1Y) 42.1% 9.6% 8.7%
Net income CAGR (3Y) 14.2% 4.7% 16.2%
EPS growth (1Y) 408,311% 10.6% 5.6%
EPS CAGR (3Y) 53.8% 5.2% 31.9%
Operating cash flow growth (1Y) 30.3% -1.6% 15.5%
Operating cash flow CAGR (3Y) 5.4% 5.6% 23.7%
Free cash flow growth (1Y) 33.0% -32.1% -152.2%
Free cash flow CAGR (3Y) 13.6% -6.8% -3.1%

Profitability

14 metrics
MetricCNQMPLXSO
Gross margin 79.4% 87.8% 83.3%
EBITDA margin 94.6% 55.4% 45.2%
Operating margin 74.0% 44.4% 24.2%
Pretax margin 32.2% 36.1% 17.4%
Net margin 24.0% 35.8% 15.4%
FCF margin 55.8% 25.2% -10.8%
Operating cash flow margin 38.5% 45.2% 35.3%
Return on equity – 33.4% 9.2%
Return on assets – 11.1% 2.9%
Return on invested capital – 14.6% 5.1%
Return on capital employed – 14.8% 5.1%
Asset turnover – 0.3x 0.2x
Cash conversion (OCF / net income) 1.5x 1.3x 2.3x
Stock comp / revenue 1.3% – –

Financial Health

11 metrics
MetricCNQMPLXSO
Debt / assets – 60.5% 46.6%
Debt / equity – 1.8x 1.8x
Net debt / EBITDA 0.3x 3.4x 5.3x
Debt / FCF 0.6x 7.8x -23.1x
Liabilities / assets – 66.8% 73.9%
Equity / assets – 33.2% 26.1%
Interest coverage 38.3x 5.3x 2.3x
Current ratio – 0.9x 0.8x
Quick ratio – 0.8x 0.4x
Cash ratio – 0.3x 0.2x
Altman Z-score – – –

Shareholder Returns

7 metrics
MetricCNQMPLXSO
Dividend yield 5.8% 7.4% 3.2%
Net buyback yield -0.3% 0.5% –
Shareholder yield 5.5% 7.9% 3.2%
Payout ratio (earnings) 42.5% 89.3% 66.6%
Payout ratio (FCF) 19.3% 127.5% -94.8%
Dividend growth (1Y) -8.3% 12.3% 4.7%
Dividend CAGR (3Y) -111.0% 11.8% 1.2%

Analyst Estimates

Solid lines are reported fiscal-year results; dashed lines are the consensus for the years ahead. Hover a year for the analysts' high and low, and how each result compared with its estimate.

ConsensusCNQMPLXSO
Forward P/E 11.3xFY2026 14.2xFY2026 19.1xFY2026
EPS, next fiscal year $4.80FY2026 $4.10FY2026 $4.84FY2026
EPS growth, next FY +85.3%FY2026 -14.9%FY2026 +12.6%FY2026
EPS growth, the year after -15.4% +13.7% -3.1%
Revenue, next fiscal year $38.26BFY2026 $13.68BFY2026 $31.54BFY2026
Revenue growth, next FY +35.4%FY2026 +5.2%FY2026 +6.7%FY2026
Revenue growth, the year after -6.6% -4.0% +8.8%

Institutional Ownership

13F filings, quarter ended Jun 30, 2026
HoldersCNQMPLXSO
Held by institutions 71.6% 18.8% 72.5%
Institutions holding 745 625 2,363
Change in shares held, QoQ -5.0% -3.3% +5.7%
Institutions buying 386 301 1,248
Institutions selling 242 144 724
Buyers to sellers 1.60 2.09 1.72

Return Correlation

Daily returns, last 12 months

1.00 means two stocks move in lockstep, 0 that they move independently. Pairs below about 0.5 diversify each other.

CNQMPLXSO
CNQ 1.00 0.20 0.12
MPLX 0.20 1.00 0.20
SO 0.12 0.20 1.00

Add a Peer

Largest companies in the same industry

Related Comparisons

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is bigger, CNQ, MPLX and SO?

Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) is the largest by market capitalisation: Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) $114.68B, Mplx (MPLX) $59.31B, Southern (SO) $105.50B.

Which stock is cheaper, CNQ, MPLX and SO?

Mplx (MPLX) trades on the lowest price-to-earnings ratio (Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) 14.3x, Mplx (MPLX) 12.5x, Southern (SO) 22.7x). On next year's consensus earnings, Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) is cheapest (Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) 11.3x, Mplx (MPLX) 14.2x, Southern (SO) 19.1x). A lower multiple can reflect slower expected growth, so read it next to the growth figures.

Which company is growing faster?

Mplx (MPLX) grew revenue fastest over the trailing twelve months: Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) +6.7%, Mplx (MPLX) +8.7%, Southern (SO) +6.4%.

Which company is more profitable?

Mplx (MPLX) has the highest net margin (Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) 24.0%, Mplx (MPLX) 35.8%, Southern (SO) 15.4%). On return on invested capital, Mplx (MPLX) leads (Mplx (MPLX) 14.6%, Southern (SO) 5.1%).

Which stock has performed better?

Over the past year Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) returned the most: Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) +71.7%, Mplx (MPLX) +14.3%, Southern (SO) -2.9%. Over five years, Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) compounded fastest (Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) +20.8%/yr, Mplx (MPLX) +13.8%/yr, Southern (SO) +8.1%/yr). Returns are price only, before dividends.

Which pays a higher dividend?

Mplx (MPLX) has the highest dividend yield: Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) -0.03%, Mplx (MPLX) 0.07%, Southern (SO) 0.03%. Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) pays no regular dividend.

Which stock is riskier?

By one-year price volatility, Mplx (MPLX) has been the steadiest (Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) 31.0%, Mplx (MPLX) 17.1%, Southern (SO) 17.9%). Volatility measures how widely the price swings, not the risk of the business.

Which is the better stock, CNQ, MPLX and SO?

There is no single answer; it depends on what you are buying for. On the 12 head-to-head measures on this page, Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ) leads on 6. Business Quant does not give investment advice; use the comparison as a starting point for your own research.

Data from SEC filings, exchange prices and consensus estimates, via Business Quant. Percentile scores compare each company with its own peer group, so two companies' scores are each relative to different peers unless you rank against the whole market. Price returns exclude dividends. Nothing on this page is investment advice.