Better Buy: Apache Corp. vs. Devon Energy

If you want to compare apples to apples in the oil industry, you can't do much better than looking at Devon Energy (NYSE: DVN) and Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA). The companies have nearly identical market caps and annual revenues, they've both recently made big asset sales, and both have been hit hard over the past year by the continued weakness in the oil markets. Apache's shares are down about 27%, and Devon's are down nearly 31%.

There's more to the story, though, for these beaten-down oil drillers. Let's compare their recent performances and outlooks to see which is looking like a top prospect for industry investors right now.

Both Devon Energy and Apache Corporation are top prospects for outperformance in the oil and gas industry. Image source: Getty Images.

Source: Fool.com