Sifting through countless of stocks in the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry can be tedious, and sometimes two stocks are just too similar to judge which is the better investment. If you’re on the fence about investing in PBF Energy Inc. or SM Energy Company because you’re not sure how they measure up, it’s important to compare them on a few factors before making your decision.

Read on to learn how PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company compare based on key financial metrics to determine which better meets your investment needs.

About PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company

PBF Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the refining and supplying of petroleum products. It operates through two segments, Refining and Logistics. The company produces gasoline, ultra-low-sulfur diesel, heating oil, jet fuel, lubricants, petrochemicals, and asphalt; diesel fuel; and unbranded transportation fuels, petrochemical feedstocks, blending components, and other petroleum products. It sells its products in the Northeast, Midwest, Gulf Coast, and West Coast of the United States, as well as in other regions of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and internationally. The company is also involved in the provision of various rail, truck, and marine terminaling services; and pipeline transportation and storage services. PBF Energy Inc. was founded in 2008 and is based in Parsippany, New Jersey.

SM Energy Company, an independent energy company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, gas, and natural gas liquids in the United States. The company holds working interests in oil and gas producing wells in the Midland Basin, South Texas, Uinta Basin, and DJ Basin. The company was formerly known as St. Mary Land & Exploration Company and changed its name to SM Energy Company in May 2010. SM Energy Company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Denver, Colorado.

Latest Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels and PBF Energy Inc., SM Energy Company Stock News

As of May 29, 2026, PBF Energy Inc. had a $4.8 billion market capitalization, compared to the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels median of $2.4 million. PBF Energy Inc.’s stock is up 59.1% in 2026, up 7.3% in the previous five trading days and up 113.54% in the past year.

Currently, PBF Energy Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 10.7. PBF Energy Inc.’s trailing 12-month revenue is $30.2 billion with a 1.5% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 11.9%. There are no analysts providing consensus earnings estimates for the current fiscal year. PBF Energy Inc. currently has a 2.7% dividend yield.

As of May 29, 2026, SM Energy Company had a $7.4 billion market cap, putting it in the 73rd percentile of all stocks. SM Energy Company’s stock is up 77% in 2026, down 2% in the previous five trading days and up 29.8% in the past year.

Currently, SM Energy Company’s price-earnings ratio is 31.9. SM Energy Company’s trailing 12-month revenue is $3.6 billion with a 3.6% net profit margin. Year-over-year quarterly sales growth most recently was 73.0%. Analysts expect adjusted earnings to reach $7.689 per share for the current fiscal year. SM Energy Company currently has a 2.9% dividend yield.

How We Compare PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company Stock Grades

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data and the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movements. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors streamline and work through such data.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A‐F grades for each of five key investing factors: value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality. Here, we’ll take a closer look at PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company’s stock grades to see how they measure up against one another.

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PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company’s Quality Grades

Company	Ticker	Quality
PBF Energy Inc.	PBF	D
SM Energy Company	SM	F

Like the Value Grade, AAII’s A+ Investor Quality Grade comes from the percentile rank of key metrics. Specifically, the Quality Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of return on assets (ROA), return on invested capital (ROIC), gross profit relative to assets, buyback yield, change in total liabilities to assets, accruals, Z double prime bankruptcy risk (Z) score and the F-Score.

The score is variable, meaning it can consider all eight measures or, should any of the eight measures not be valid, the remaining measures that are valid. To be assigned a Quality Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) measure and corresponding ranking for at least four of the eight quality measures.

The Quality Score is used to assess the underlying “quality” of a particular stock. A higher-quality stock possesses traits associated with upside potential and reduced downside risk. Backtesting of the Quality Grade shows that stocks with higher grades, on average, outperformed stocks with lower grades over the period of 1998 through 2019.

Stocks receive better grades (higher scores) for having higher scores for the quality subcomponents and worse grades (lower scores) for lower scores for the subcomponents.

PBF Energy Inc. has a Quality Score of 26, which is Weak. SM Energy Company has a Quality Score of 19, which is Very Weak.

The Quality Stock Winner: No Clear Winner

Neither PBF Energy Inc. or SM Energy Company has a high enough Quality Grade to be considered a “winner.” Investors who are considering these companies should do additional due diligence and research to see if either could be a good addition to their portfolios. It’s important to look at a wide range of financial metrics in order to determine if PBF Energy Inc. or SM Energy Company is the better investment when it comes to quality.

PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company’s Momentum Grades

Company	Ticker	Momentum
PBF Energy Inc.	PBF	A
SM Energy Company	SM	B

Momentum grades help to uncover stocks experiencing anomalously high rates of return; research finds that stocks with high relative levels of momentum tend to outperform, whereas those with low levels of momentum tend to continue underperforming. Momentum is based on the price change of a stock over a specified period relative to all other stocks.

Typically, AAII looks at the weighted relative strength over the trailing four quarters. The weighted four-quarter relative strength rank is the relative price change for each of the past four quarters. The most recent quarterly price change is given a weight of 40% and each of the three previous quarters are given a weighting of 20%.

PBF Energy Inc. has a Momentum Score of 81, which is Very Strong. SM Energy Company has a Momentum Score of 76, which is Strong.

The Momentum Grade Winner: PBF Energy Inc.

As you can clearly see from the Momentum Grade breakdown above, PBF Energy Inc. is considered to have stronger momentum compared to SM Energy Company. For those specifically looking for companies that have stronger momentum compared to other companies in the same industry, PBF Energy Inc. could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important for investors to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company’s Estimate Revisions Grades

Company	Ticker	Earnings Estimate
PBF Energy Inc.	PBF	C
SM Energy Company	SM	B

Earnings estimate revisions scores consider the magnitude of a company’s earnings surprise in its last two reported fiscal quarters. Often, positive surprises beget further positive surprises‐or at least continued sales growth (the exact opposite is generally true, too).

Estimate revisions offer an indication of what analysts are thinking about the short-term prospects of a firm. Estimate revisions are based on the statistical significance of a firm’s last two quarterly earnings surprises and the percentage change in its consensus estimate for the current fiscal year over the past month and past three months.

PBF Energy Inc. has a Earnings Estimate Score of 49, which is Neutral. SM Energy Company has a Earnings Estimate Score of 67, which is Positive.

The Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade Winner: SM Energy Company

As you can clearly see from the Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade breakdown above, SM Energy Company has a better Earnings Estimate Revisions Grade than PBF Energy Inc.. For those who are specifically looking for companies with better short-term prospects when compared to other companies in the same industry, SM Energy Company could be a good stock to invest in. However, it’s important to analyze multiple factors based on a wide range of metrics before deciding whether to buy.

Other PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company Grades

In addition to Quality, Estimate Revisions and Momentum, A+ Investor also provides grades for Value and Growth.

Growth investing builds on the idea that stocks of companies exhibiting strong, consistent and prolonged growth outperform those of slower-growth companies. AAII measures growth through consistency of annual sales growth, five-year sales growth rankings adjusted for extreme levels, and consistency of positive annual cash from operations.

Successful stock investing involves buying low and selling high, so stock valuation is an important consideration for stock selection. Buying stocks that are going to go up typically means buying stocks that are undervalued in the first place, although momentum investors may argue that point.

These 2 key factors, when combined with the above, provide a holistic view into a particular stock. Further, by joining A+ Investor you can see whether PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company pass any of our 60+ stock screens that have outperformed the market since their creation.

So, Which Is the Better Investment, PBF Energy Inc. or SM Energy Company Stock?

Overall, PBF Energy Inc. stock has a Momentum Score of 81, Estimate Revisions Score of 49 and Quality Score of 26.

SM Energy Company stock has a Momentum Score of 76, Estimate Revisions Score of 67 and Quality Score of 19.

Comparing PBF Energy Inc. and SM Energy Company’s grades, scores and metrics can act as a solid basis to determine whether they may be a good investment or not. You’ll also want to look at your portfolio’s asset allocation as well as your risk tolerance and financial goals to see if either of these stocks would make a good fit for you. AAII can help you figure out which investments align with your individual needs and preferences.

Investors are encouraged to do their own due diligence and research. In this way, individuals can effectively become managers of their own assets‐without having to rely on others for financial independence. You can count on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis.

A+ Investor adds to our qualitative teaching with a powerful data suite to help you whittle down investment choices to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith, and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.