Crescent Energy Company research snapshot

CRGY AI Stock Analysis

CRGY AI stock analysis as of the August 4, 2026 data cutoff reads Crescent Energy as a quality U.S. oil and gas exploration and production company that just delivered its strongest quarter on record. The stock closed at $11.43 on August 3, 2026, down 0.35% from the $11.47 close on July 31, then moved to $11.93 in after-hours trading, up 4.37%, after Crescent reported Q2 2026 results with record operating cash flow of $707 million, record levered free cash flow of $418 million, and record adjusted EBITDAX of $798 million, on production of 335 MBoe/d including 140 MBo/d of oil. Market capitalization stood near $3.77 billion, matching the $11.43 price times 330.35 million shares outstanding. The Q2 2026 GAAP net income of $493.7 million included large derivative gains, while adjusted net income was $263 million and diluted EPS came in at $1.30. Management raised 2026 production guidance to 327 to 335 MBoe/d, cut adjusted operating expense guidance to $11.00 to $12.00 per Boe, raised the Permian synergy target to approximately $250 million to $300 million, and redeemed the remaining $259 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2029. The 15-analyst consensus is Buy with an average price target of $15.93, or roughly 39% above the close. This page uses scenario ranges and source checks, not a certain stock price prediction, and is for informational use only.

Current price

$11.43 at the August 3, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT market close, down 0.04 or 0.35% from the $11.47 July 31 close, after opening at $11.00 and trading in a session range of $11.00 to $11.45, with an after-hours quote of $11.93, up 0.50 or 4.37%, after the Q2 2026 earnings release

Market cap

$3.77 billion reported by StockAnalysis.com at the August 3, 2026 market close, matching the $11.43 price times 330.35 million shares outstanding, with the Q2 2026 Form 10-Q cover listing approximately 330,403,696 shares of Class A common stock outstanding as of July 31, 2026

AI score

72 / 100

Rating

Quality E&P operator with record free cash flow and deleveraging

Trend status

Bullish above the 50-day moving average near $10.90 and the 200-day moving average near $10.55, with a positive after-hours reaction to Q2 2026 results

Data cutoff (updated monthly)

August 4, 2026

Informational use only. This page is not investment advice.

Research quality check

information Richness
B-level information richness. Crescent Energy has a 2021 SPAC listing history, public filings including the Q2 2026 Form 10-Q, 15 analysts covering the stock, and detailed quarterly disclosure, but the December 2025 Vital Energy merger, issued 73.3 million shares, and the 2026 asset and royalty acquisitions make recent history and pro forma comparisons harder to read than for legacy E&P peers.
bias Check
The main AI bias risk is overweighting the record Q2 2026 quarter and the low 4.8x forward P/E while underweighting the high leverage near $5.2 billion of total debt, the Altman Z-score of 0.42, commodity price dependence, and the $11.93 after-hours price that already prices in the strong report. The reverse check asks whether record free cash flow driven by realized oil prices near $96 per barrel before derivatives can persist if WTI mean-reverts, and whether the debt load stays serviceable through a commodity downcycle.
ai Confidence
Medium-high for market data, Q2 2026 results, balance sheet items, and valuation ratios that cross-validated across StockAnalysis.com statistics, financials, and forecast pages plus the Q2 2026 Form 10-Q and earnings release during the August 4, 2026 refresh. Medium for forward scenarios and technical levels because E&P stocks move with WTI and Henry Hub prices that shift 10% to 20% within weeks.
investment Certainty
Medium. The business is understandable, the Q2 2026 quarter was a clear operational and free cash flow step-up, and analyst consensus is bullish, but certainty is capped by commodity price cycles, a leverage ratio near 2.4x debt to EBITDA, a short interest of 12.6% of shares, and the integration work still under way after the Vital Energy merger.

Quick verdict table

DimensionConclusionConfidence
Business qualityCrescent operates long-life oil and gas assets in the Eagle Ford, Permian, and Uinta basins, with minerals and royalty interests, and just delivered record operating cash flow of $707 million, record levered free cash flow of $418 million, and record adjusted EBITDAX of $798 million in Q2 2026.Medium-high
MoatMoat is moderate and comes from low-decline production, basin-scale acreage in three basins, an established acquire-and-integrate capability proven with the SilverBow and Vital Energy deals, and minerals and royalty interests across premium U.S. basins.Medium
ManagementManagement raised 2026 production guidance to 327 to 335 MBoe/d, cut adjusted opex guidance by 4%, lifted the Permian synergy target to roughly $250 million to $300 million with about $190 million captured, redeemed $259 million of 2029 senior notes at par in July, and kept the $0.12 quarterly dividend while maintaining a ~$336 million buyback authorization.Medium-high
Financial trendQ2 2026 revenue rose to $1,394.95 million from $897.98 million a year earlier, GAAP net income was $493.7 million including derivative gains, adjusted net income was $263 million, and six-month operating cash flow reached $1,116 million, a clear improvement over the loss-making 2024 period.Medium-high
ValuationAt $11.43, CRGY trades at a forward P/E near 4.78, a price-to-book near 0.81, a price-to-sales near 0.99, and an EV/EBITDA near 4.12, below the market on most measures, but the leverage of roughly $5.2 billion of debt and a net debt of about $4.9 billion reduces the appeal of the cheap multiple.Medium
Technical trendCRGY closed at $11.43 on August 3, 2026, above the 50-day moving average near $10.90 and the 200-day near $10.55, with a 14-day RSI near 59.87, and moved to $11.93 after hours on the Q2 report, holding a range between the $7.68 low and the $14.29 52-week high.Medium
Risk levelMain risks are commodity price volatility, roughly $5.2 billion of total debt and a 2.4x debt-to-EBITDA ratio, an Altman Z-score of 0.42, short interest of 12.64% of shares, integration and dilution from the Vital Energy merger, and the exposure of realized gas prices near $0.52 per Mcf before derivatives.Medium-high
AI confidenceMedium-high for descriptive facts and cross-checked math that matched across StockAnalysis.com, the Q2 2026 Form 10-Q, and the August 3, 2026 earnings release. Lower for forward return estimates because commodity prices and hedging levels can change the outcome quickly.Medium-high data confidence
Investment certaintyMedium certainty. The page gives a research framework, scenario ranges, and monitoring rules, not a buy or sell instruction.Medium

CRGY AI stock forecast

CRGY AI Stock Forecast Scenarios

The CRGY AI stock forecast uses scenario math around the $11.43 August 3, 2026 close, the 2026 adjusted EPS consensus near $2.28, and the S&P Global revenue forecast of about $4.78 billion for fiscal 2026. The three-scenario framework produced a bearish area near $8, a base area near $13, and a bullish area near $18 over three years, using adjusted EPS growth of -5%, 5%, and 10% and exit multiples of 4x, 5x, and 6x, consistent with the analyst target range of $11 to $19. These are scenarios, not price commitments.

Bullish case

$16 to $19

More likely if WTI stays above $75, Permian synergies reach the raised $250 million to $300 million target, production guidance keeps rising, debt falls toward $4 billion or below, and the market re-rates CRGY closer to mid-cycle E&P multiples of 5x to 6x EBITDA.

Base case

$12 to $15

More likely if Crescent compounds free cash flow near current levels, keeps the dividend at $0.48 per year, maintains leverage discipline after the 2029 note redemption, and trades in line with small-cap E&P peer multiples near 4x to 5x normalized EBITDA, with the consensus target of $15.93 as the anchor.

Bearish case

$7 to $9

More likely if WTI falls below $60, realized gas prices stay near current lows, production growth stalls after the integration work, debt service consumes cash flow, short interest keeps rising, or impairments recur and pressure book value and the dividend.

CRGY AI technical analysis

CRGY AI Technical Analysis

CRGY AI technical analysis is bullish-to-neutral as of the August 4, 2026 data cutoff. The stock closed at $11.43 on August 3, 2026, down 0.35% from the $11.47 July 31 close, above its 50-day moving average near $10.90 and its 200-day moving average near $10.55, with a 14-day RSI near 59.87 on StockAnalysis.com statistics. After-hours trading moved the price to $11.93, up 4.37%, after the Q2 2026 earnings release, while the 52-week range of $7.68 to $14.29 still frames the longer-term trend.

LevelValueWhy it matters
Current price$11.43StockAnalysis.com real-time quote at the August 3, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT close, down 0.04 or 0.35% from the $11.47 July 31 close after opening at $11.00 and trading between $11.00 and $11.45.
After-hours level$11.93StockAnalysis.com after-hours quote of $11.93 at 7:34 PM EDT on August 3, 2026, up 0.50 or 4.37%, following the Q2 2026 earnings release, implying the next session could open above the close.
Near support$10.90 to $11.00The 50-day moving average near $10.90 reported by StockAnalysis.com on August 3, 2026 and the round $11.00 level form the first support zone below the close.
Deeper support$10.55 areaThe 200-day moving average near $10.55 reported by StockAnalysis.com acts as the medium-term trend support. A close below it would shift the trend to neutral.
Near resistance$12.00 to $12.50The after-hours high near $11.93 and the $12.00 round number form the first overhead zone, ahead of the $12.50 area.
Long-term resistance$14.29The 52-week high of $14.29 set earlier in 2026 remains the upper reference point for a full recovery scenario.
MomentumRSI near 59.87The 14-day RSI was near 59.87 on StockAnalysis.com statistics on August 3, 2026, mildly bullish and not yet overbought, with room before the 70 level.
VolumeAbout 5.69 million average sharesStockAnalysis.com listed 20-day average volume near 5.69 million shares on August 3, 2026, supporting liquidity for position entries and exits.
Volatility52-week gain near 27.6%CRGY is up about 27.6% over the trailing 52 weeks with a beta near 0.89, and the after-hours move to $11.93 shows single-day swings can be sharp around earnings.
InvalidationClose below $10.55A decisive close below the 200-day moving average near $10.55 would weaken the bullish trend; a close below the July consolidation near $10.00 would open a path back toward the $9 area.

CRGY AI trading strategy

CRGY AI Trading Strategy Framework

The CRGY AI trading strategy is a rules-based research framework for monitoring an E&P stock with a 4.2% dividend yield, commodity exposure, and a deleveraging story. It is not personal advice and should be paired with fresh WTI and Henry Hub prices, quarterly results, debt metrics, hedging disclosures, and a defined invalidation level.

Trend-following setup

Watch for CRGY to hold above the 50-day moving average near $10.90 and reclaim the $12.00 to $12.50 resistance zone on volume after the $11.93 after-hours print. A sustained move toward $13 to $15 would require continued free cash flow, steady production, and constructive guidance updates.

A close below the 200-day moving average near $10.55 or a dividend cut should invalidate the trend setup. Reduce position size if WTI breaks below $60 or leverage stops falling.

Mean-reversion setup

If CRGY pulls back toward the $10.55 to $11.00 support cluster without a negative commodity or operational catalyst, compare the 4.2% dividend yield, the deleveraging path, and Permian synergy progress before assuming a floor is durable.

Do not average down without a defined maximum loss rule because E&P stocks can gap 10% or more on OPEC announcements, production guidance changes, or debt-related headlines.

Fundamental monitor

Track quarterly production volumes, realized oil and gas prices, adjusted EBITDAX, operating cash flow, levered free cash flow, debt levels and the 2.4x debt-to-EBITDA ratio, dividend coverage, Permian synergy capture, and 2026 production guidance of 327 to 335 MBoe/d.

Reduce confidence if free cash flow consistently falls short of the dividend and debt service, short interest keeps rising above 12.6% of shares, or realized commodity prices deteriorate faster than hedges protect cash flow.

Investment research summary

Four-master Research Compression

Business essence

Crescent Energy acquires and operates oil and gas producing assets in the Eagle Ford, Permian, and Uinta basins, plus minerals and royalty interests across premium U.S. basins. Customers pay because the company supplies crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs into liquid commodity markets with long-life, low-decline production and a proven acquire-and-integrate model.

Moat

The moat is based on basin-scale acreage, low-decline production, acquisition and integration expertise proven with the SilverBow and Vital Energy deals, and relationships with mineral owners and operators. It supports a repeatable returns-driven growth strategy, but commodity price cycles and asset competition limit pricing power.

Munger risk inversion

The thesis fails if commodity prices decline and stay low, the Vital Energy integration or Permian synergies under-deliver, debt near $5.2 billion consumes cash flow, impairments recur and erode book value, or the 4.2% dividend becomes unsustainable. The Altman Z-score of 0.42 flags the leverage side of the risk.

Management

Management should be judged by the record Q2 2026 results, the production guidance raise to 327 to 335 MBoe/d, the Permian synergy target increase to roughly $250 million to $300 million, the $259 million 2029 note redemption, the maintained $0.12 quarterly dividend, and whether the ~$336 million buyback authorization is used at disciplined prices.

Industry trend

The U.S. energy sector is in a consolidation and capital discipline cycle, with realizations helped in Q2 2026 by elevated oil prices near $96 per barrel before derivatives. The main swing factors are OPEC supply policy, Middle East tensions, natural gas fundamentals that kept realized gas near $0.52 per Mcf, and the energy transition narrative.

Valuation and margin of safety

At $11.43 with a forward P/E near 4.78, price-to-book near 0.81, and a 4.2% dividend yield, the stock prices in a cautious commodity outlook. Margin of safety improves if the company keeps delivering free cash flow, cuts debt, and the yield supports the stock above the $10.55 to $11.00 support zone, but the leverage means the safety margin is thinner than the cheap multiple alone suggests.

Source-backed data

CRGY Data Table

Every metric below includes a source and last verification date.

MetricValueSourceLast verified
CRGY price$11.43 at the August 3, 2026, 4:00 PM EDT market close, down 0.04 or 0.35% from the $11.47 July 31 close, after opening at $11.00 and trading in a session range of $11.00 to $11.45, with an after-hours quote of $11.93 up 0.50 or 4.37%StockAnalysis.com real-time quoteAugust 4, 2026
Market capitalizationNear $3.77 billion at the August 3, 2026 close, verified as the $11.43 price times 330.35 million shares, with the Q2 2026 Form 10-Q cover listing approximately 330,403,696 Class A shares outstanding as of July 31, 2026StockAnalysis.com quote and Crescent Q2 2026 Form 10-QAugust 4, 2026
Q2 2026 production335 MBoe/d including 140 MBo/d of oil, about 42% oil and 64% liquids, with 43 gross operated wells drilled and 32 brought online during the quarterCrescent Q2 2026 earnings release and Q2 2026 Form 10-QAugust 4, 2026
Q2 2026 revenue$1,394.95 million in total revenues, up from $897.98 million in Q2 2025, including $1,226.83 million of oil revenue and $129.37 million of NGL revenueCrescent Q2 2026 earnings releaseAugust 4, 2026
Q2 2026 net income and EPSGAAP net income of $493.7 million, net income attributable to Crescent of $492.8 million, adjusted net income of $263 million, and diluted EPS of $1.30, with GAAP results including a $181.9 million gain on derivativesCrescent Q2 2026 earnings release and Q2 2026 Form 10-QAugust 4, 2026
Q2 2026 cash flowRecord operating cash flow of $707 million, record levered free cash flow of $418 million, record adjusted EBITDAX of $798 million, and capital expenditures excluding acquisitions of $284 millionCrescent Q2 2026 earnings releaseAugust 4, 2026
Six-month 2026 cash flowNet cash provided by operating activities of $1,115.98 million for the first six months of 2026, with $651.33 million of development capital spending and $354.42 million of acquisitionsCrescent Q2 2026 Form 10-Q cash flow statementAugust 4, 2026
TTM revenueApproximately $4.31 billion over the trailing twelve months ended June 30, 2026, cross-checked between StockAnalysis.com financials at $4,309 million and the sum of quarterly revenue from the Q2 2026 Form 10-QStockAnalysis.com financials and Crescent Q2 2026 Form 10-QAugust 4, 2026
Shares outstanding330.25 million shares per StockAnalysis.com, with 330,345,624 shares outstanding as of June 30, 2026 and approximately 330,403,696 as of July 31, 2026 per the Q2 2026 Form 10-QStockAnalysis.com statistics and Crescent Q2 2026 Form 10-QAugust 4, 2026
Cash and debtCash and cash equivalents of $264.9 million, long-term debt of $5,166.02 million, and total debt of about $5.17 billion as of June 30, 2026, with a net debt near $4.9 billionCrescent Q2 2026 Form 10-Q balance sheetAugust 4, 2026
Balance sheet totalsTotal assets of $12,008.4 million, total liabilities of $6,848.8 million, and total equity of $5,159.6 million as of June 30, 2026Crescent Q2 2026 Form 10-Q balance sheetAugust 4, 2026
Vital Energy mergerClosed in December 2025, with Crescent issuing 73.3 million shares of Class A common stock and paying $3.7 million in cash, adding Permian assets, and the share count rising 78.45% year over year as a result of the merger and related transactionsCrescent Q2 2026 Form 10-Q acquisition noteAugust 4, 2026
2026 guidanceTotal production of 327 to 335 MBoe/d raised from 320 to 335, oil production of 40% to 42%, adjusted opex of $11.00 to $12.00 per Boe lowered from $11.50 to $12.50, production taxes of 5.0% to 6.0%, and development capital of $1,325 to $1,425 million unchangedCrescent Q2 2026 earnings release guidance updateAugust 4, 2026
Permian synergy targetRaised to approximately $250 million to $300 million, roughly three times the original target, with about $190 million captured to dateCrescent Q2 2026 earnings releaseAugust 4, 2026
Liquidity and debt maturityApproximately $2.2 billion of liquidity as of June 30, 2026, with about $2.0 billion expected after the July 2026 redemption of the remaining $259 million of 7.75% senior notes due 2029 at par, eliminating the nearest maturityCrescent Q2 2026 earnings releaseAugust 4, 2026
Dividend and buybackQuarterly dividend of $0.12 per share, or $0.48 per share annualized, approved August 3, 2026 and payable August 31, 2026, representing a 4.20% yield at the $11.43 close, with approximately $336 million of share repurchase authorization remainingCrescent Q2 2026 Form 10-Q and StockAnalysis.com dividend dataAugust 4, 2026
Hedging positionEconomically hedged production of 66% of oil and 52% of natural gas in Q2 2026, with realized oil prices of $96.61 per barrel before derivatives and $73.33 after derivativesCrescent Q2 2026 Form 10-Q derivative disclosureAugust 4, 2026
Valuation checkForward P/E near 4.78, price-to-sales near 0.99, price-to-book near 0.81, price-to-free-cash-flow near 10.09, and EV/EBITDA near 4.12 at the $11.43 closeStockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 4, 2026
Analyst consensusBuy rating across 15 analysts with an average price target of $15.93, low of $11, median of $16, and high of $19, implying about 39% upside from the $11.43 closeStockAnalysis.com forecast and analyst ratingsAugust 4, 2026
Analyst rating mix, August 202610 Strong Buy, 2 Buy, and 3 Hold out of 15 analysts, with recent actions including Evercore ISI Buy at $18 on July 27, Wells Fargo Buy at $18 on July 24, BMO Hold at $13 on July 23, Siebert Williams Shank Buy at $16 on July 21, and UBS initiation at Buy with a $13 target in JulyStockAnalysis.com forecast recommendation trendsAugust 4, 2026
2026 and 2027 consensus estimatesFiscal 2026 revenue estimate of about $4.78 billion with adjusted EPS of $2.28, and fiscal 2027 revenue estimate of about $4.60 billion with adjusted EPS of $2.26, with 2026 adjusted EPS estimates ranging from $1.74 to $2.81StockAnalysis.com forecast financial forecastAugust 4, 2026
Short interest41.74 million shares short, or 12.64% of shares outstanding and 14.13% of float, up from 37.11 million the prior month, with 6.47 days to coverStockAnalysis.com statistics short sellingAugust 4, 2026
52-week range and performance52-week range of $7.68 to $14.29, up 27.57% over the trailing 52 weeks, with a beta near 0.89StockAnalysis.com quote and statisticsAugust 4, 2026
Technical snapshot50-day moving average near $10.90 and 200-day moving average near $10.55 on StockAnalysis.com statistics, 14-day RSI near 59.87, and 20-day average volume near 5.69 million shares as of August 3, 2026StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 4, 2026
Credit and efficiency scoresAltman Z-score of 0.42 and Piotroski F-score of 4 on StockAnalysis.com, with debt-to-EBITDA near 2.40, interest coverage near 2.69, and a current ratio near 0.57 as of August 3, 2026StockAnalysis.com statisticsAugust 4, 2026

Frequently Asked Questions

This CRGY AI stock analysis is an informational research tool, not investment advice, a recommendation, or a promise of future return. Forecast ranges are scenarios based on available filings, quote snapshots, and third-party data as of the stated cutoff date. They may be wrong, incomplete, or outdated after new earnings, commodity price moves, debt changes, hedging updates, or market conditions.