EPD vs RRC: How Enterprise Products Partners and Range Resources Corporation Compare (2026)
Last updated July 2026
Short answer
EPD is the larger of the two ($84.37B market cap): the incumbent the market prices for continued execution (12.43x forward earnings, beta 0.47). RRC is the smaller challenger ($9.24B), cheaper on forward earnings (9.89x): more room to run, but more to prove. The real question is which set of drivers you believe, and whether owning one (or both) leaves you over-concentrated.
EPD vs RRC: the tie-breaker metrics
Same yardstick, side by side (as of July 2026). Valuation lined up like this is most meaningful for two names in the same corner of the market, which these are. Figures are approximate; verify before investing.
| Metric | EPD | RRC | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|---|
| Market cap | $84.37B | $9.24B | Size. The larger name is the incumbent; the smaller has more room to grow and more to prove. |
| Forward P/E | 12.43 | 9.89 | Valuation on next year's expected earnings, the same yardstick for both. Lower is cheaper for that growth; higher means the market is paying up. |
| Trailing P/E | 14.44 | 10.92 | Valuation on the last 12 months. A big drop from trailing to forward means the market expects earnings to jump, so more growth is already in the price. |
| Beta | 0.47 | 0.41 | Volatility vs the market. Above 1 swings harder than the index; below 1 is steadier. Higher beta means bigger drawdowns to hold through. |
| Price vs 52-week range | 88% of range | 44% of range | Where today's price sits between the 52-week low and high. Near the high is momentum with less margin of safety; near the low is out of favor or a discount, depending on why. |
| Price / book | 2.86 | 1.96 | How much you pay over book value. Very high can signal an asset-light, high-return business or a rich price. |
Reading it: RRC is the cheaper of the two on forward earnings, but cheaper is not the same as better. Pair the valuation with growth (how far the forward P/E sits below the trailing P/E) and risk (beta) before you decide.
Before you buy: how EPD and RRC affect your concentration
The metrics above tell you which is the marginally better business. The bigger risk for most people is not picking the slightly worse stock, it is over-concentrating. EPD and RRC share themes, so owning both, or adding either to what you already hold, can quietly push a large share of your portfolio into one bet.
This is the part a generic comparison page cannot answer, because it depends on what you own. Connect your brokerage and Walnut shows your real, combined EPD and RRC exposure, flags overlap with your existing positions, and tells you if adding one would tip you past a concentration you are comfortable with, read-only by default, with your login staying at your broker. Walnut is not an investment adviser.
What does Enterprise Products Partners (EPD) do?
Enterprise Products Partners operates one of the most integrated midstream systems in North America, with tens of thousands of miles of pipelines plus storage, natural gas processing, NGL fractionation, and marine export terminals along the Gulf Coast. The bulk of its cash flow is fee-based, meaning it earns fees for moving and handling volumes rather than taking direct commodity price bets, which historically has produced more stable cash flow than producers. In the first quarter of 2026 the partnership reported record NGL fractionation volumes of about 1.9 million barrels per day and roughly 2.7 billion dollars of EBITDA, up about 10 percent year over year, helped by newly commissioned assets such as the Bahia NGL pipeline and the Neches River export terminal.
What does Range Resources Corporation (RRC) do?
Range Resources Corporation is a Fort Worth-based independent energy company that produces natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and a small amount of oil. Its operations are concentrated in the Appalachian region, with its principal area being the Marcellus Shale in southwest Pennsylvania, where it controls roughly 763,000 net acres with a high average working interest. Natural gas accounts for more than two-thirds of production, while its liquids-rich acreage yields NGLs, a higher-value product generally linked to oil prices, which helps differentiate its price realizations from dry-gas-only peers. The company markets its production across multiple regions and export channels, which has at times let it capture pricing premiums to benchmark hubs.
EPD vs RRC: how do they differ?
Both fit overlapping themes, but they are not interchangeable. The useful comparison is which set of drivers and risks you want exposure to.
- EPD drivers: A 27-year distribution-growth streak; Fee-based, volume-driven cash flow.
- RRC drivers: Low-cost, liquids-rich Appalachian acreage; Strong cash flow and debt reduction.
Which fits which kind of investor
A faster-growing, richer-valued name usually swings harder, so it suits a longer horizon and a higher tolerance for volatility; a steadier, more cash-generative business suits a more conservative or income-minded investor. The honest test is which set of risks you could hold through a drawdown: EPD's volumes and some margins are still tied to commodity production and global energy demand, so a sustained downturn in oil, natural gas, or NGL activity could pressure cash flow. For RRC, range's earnings and cash flow are highly sensitive to natural gas and NGL prices, which the company does not control and which depend on weather, storage levels, competing supply, and demand.
EPD or RRC: which should you pick?
Growth-minded investors who believe the theme has years to run tend to accept the richer multiple for more upside; value-minded investors lean toward the cheaper forward earnings and steadier profile. Pick EPD if you believe its drivers more; RRC if you believe its. Many investors hold both, but since they share themes, that is a concentrated bet, not diversification. Decide deliberately and check overlap. For the full detail, see the EPD and RRC guides.
EPD vs RRC: the full fundamentals
EPD. EPD is typically held as an income holding rather than a high-growth one, so investors tend to weigh distribution coverage, leverage, and yield more than earnings multiples. Because it is an MLP, total return blends the cash distribution with modest growth from new projects. Figures are approximate, reflect data around Q1 2026 and mid-2026 unit prices, and move with the market.
RRC. Range trades at roughly 9x forward earnings and about 9.5x EV/EBITDA, valuations broadly in line with its Appalachian gas peers. First-quarter 2026 results beat consensus on both revenue and earnings, helped by liquids strength and pricing premiums, and the company reduced net debt while raising NGL guidance. As with any commodity producer, these figures move with natural gas and NGL prices and should be read as a snapshot rather than a trend.
Headline figures (approximate, 2026-06-26): EPD shows revenue (ttm) ~$51.6 billion, q1 2026 distributable cash flow coverage ~1.8x, distribution yield ~5.8% to 6.1%, annualized distribution per unit ~$2.20; RRC shows revenue (q1 2026) ~$1.03 billion, net income (q1 2026) ~$342 million, diluted eps (q1 2026) ~$1.44, production (q1 2026) ~2.21 Bcfe/day.
The bottom line: EPD vs RRC
EPD and RRC are related but distinct: same themes, different businesses and risks. Neither wins in the abstract; the right pick is whichever thesis you actually believe, sized so you are not over-concentrated in one theme. Walnut can show your combined EPD and RRC exposure against your real portfolio. It is not an investment adviser.
Investing in Enterprise Products Partners with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how EPD fits what you actually hold: whether you own it already through a fund, what it would do to your concentration, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is the difference between EPD and RRC?
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Enterprise Products Partners operates one of the most integrated midstream systems in North America, with tens of thousands of miles of pipelines plus storage, natural gas processing, NGL fractionation, and marine export terminals along the Gulf Coast. Range Resources Corporation is a Fort Worth-based independent energy company that produces natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and a small amount of oil. They show up together because they share investment themes, but they are different businesses, so the better fit depends on which thesis you are expressing.
Is EPD or RRC the better stock?
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Neither is universally better. EPD is the larger incumbent; RRC is the smaller challenger and looks cheaper on forward earnings. Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Compare what each does, the tie-breaker metrics above, and the risks, then decide which fits your thesis and what you already own.
Which is cheaper, EPD or RRC?
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On forward P/E (as of July 2026), EPD trades at 12.43x and RRC at 9.89x, so RRC is the cheaper of the two on next year's expected earnings. A lower multiple is not automatically the better buy: a richer valuation can be justified by faster growth, and a lower one can reflect real risk. Weigh the multiple against how fast each business is compounding.
Should you own both EPD and RRC?
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Because they share themes, owning both concentrates you in that theme. That can be intentional (a focused bet) or accidental (less diversification than it looks). Walnut can show your combined exposure across both, and whether adding either over-concentrates you, before you buy.
What are the risks of EPD vs RRC?
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EPD: EPD's volumes and some margins are still tied to commodity production and global energy demand, so a sustained downturn in oil, natural gas, or NGL activity could pressure cash flow. As an MLP it issues a Schedule K-1, which adds tax complexity, can complicate holding units inside retirement accounts due to unrelated business taxable income, and may not suit every investor. High-yield midstream units can also be sensitive to interest rates, since income investors compare the yield to bonds. Over the long term, the energy transition toward lower-carbon sources is a structural uncertainty for fossil-fuel infrastructure demand. RRC: Range's earnings and cash flow are highly sensitive to natural gas and NGL prices, which the company does not control and which depend on weather, storage levels, competing supply, and demand. Analysts and the EIA have flagged a sustained U.S. natural gas oversupply scenario, with production forecast to reach record highs, that could put a structural ceiling on prices and pressure cash flow. Realized pricing also depends on takeaway capacity and transport arrangements, and Range has at times faced narrower price realizations than some peers. The company still carries debt, so leverage and interest costs matter most in low-price periods. Growth in LNG and power demand depends on pipeline and export infrastructure being completed on time, and Range faces regulatory, permitting, and environmental risks tied to drilling in Pennsylvania.
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Walnut is informational, not investment advice. This page is descriptive and not a recommendation to buy or sell EPD or RRC; figures are approximate and dated (as of July 2026). Verify current data before investing.