Stocks · ONGC vs Coal India
ONGC vs Coal India: which PSU dividend stock is better?
Oil-price-linked upstream versus a coal monopoly with a dividend floor. A factual, signed comparison, informational and not a recommendation to buy or sell either stock.
The verdict
Coal India is the near-monopoly cash-and-dividend machine levered to power demand, while ONGC is the oil-price-linked upstream producer whose earnings swing with Brent. Both are PSU dividend plays, the split is a steadier dividend floor versus commodity-price upside. As of 2026-06-09, the systematic read scores Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd 80 and Coal India Ltd 53 on the BazaarBaazi Crack Score, an Edge Score of 77 out of 100 to Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd.
BazaarBaaziSource & method
The matchup, at a glanceONGC 80 · COALINDIA 53
The Edge Score is a BazaarBaazi number for this matchup: 50 plus the gap between the two Crack Scores, capped at 100. 50 is a dead heat; the further above 50, the more decisively the systematic read favours the leader.
The case for eachStructural, not a tip
What each stock has going for it, factually. The Crack Score is the live systematic read; the edges are durable structural points, not forecasts.
The case for
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd
Crack Score
80 / 100Bullish
Structural edges
- Largest domestic upstream oil and gas producer.
- Direct leverage to a rising Brent regime.
- Reserve base and production scale.
The case for
Coal India Ltd
Crack Score
53 / 100Neutral
Structural edges
- Near-monopoly on domestic coal supply.
- A strong, well-covered dividend that anchors the stock.
- Direct leverage to rising power demand and e-auction realisations.
The live ratios, side by sideQ4 FY26 results · live spot
Valuation and quality ratios computed from each company's latest filed results times its live spot, the same engine as the fundamentals calculator. The price-derived ratios (P/E, P/B, yield) move with the market; the rest hold until the next results.
| Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd | Coal India Ltd | |
|---|---|---|
| P / E | 7.9x | 9.2x |
| P / B | 0.88x | 2.41x |
| Dividend yield | 7.13% | 4.72% |
| Return on equity | 11.1% | 26.1% |
| Net profit margin | 6.3% | 18.5% |
| EPS growth (YoY) | +14.3% | -12.4% |
| Debt to equity | 0.47 | 0.12 |
Stored from each company's filed results, as of 2026-06-09 and currency-checked; anything we could not verify is shown as n/a rather than guessed. Move the price and watch them react in the calculator.
The comparison, side by sideFactual
Sector, indicative market cap, the live Crack Score and stance, then the structural read on each business. The live valuation and quality ratios are in the table above; read any ratio against the sector and the company's own history.
| Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd | Coal India Ltd | |
|---|---|---|
| Sector | Oil and gas PSU | Mining PSU |
| Market capIndicative band, refreshed monthly. Read the live figure from the latest screen. | ₹3.30 lakh cr | ₹2.80 lakh cr |
| Crack Score | 80 / 100 | 53 / 100 |
| Systematic stance | Bullish | Neutral |
| What they do | India's largest upstream oil and gas producer, state-owned. | The near-monopoly producer of domestic coal, state-owned. |
| The moat | Domestic upstream scale and reserves. | A near-monopoly on domestic coal supply and a strong dividend record. |
| Key driver 2026 to 2030 | The Brent regime, production trajectory and windfall-tax pass-through. | Power demand, e-auction realisations and production volumes. |
| Main risk | A fall in oil prices and any decline in production. | The energy transition over the long run and changes to notified coal prices. |
| Best suited to | The investor who wants commodity-price upside with a dividend. | The investor who wants a steadier dividend floor backed by a monopoly. |
Compute the live valuation and quality ratios for either stock, or read the full signed verdict on ONGC and COALINDIA.
FAQ4 reader questions · AEO-eligible
The ONGC vs Coal India call, distilled and schema-marked for AI Overview, Perplexity, and reader search.
Is ONGC or Coal India a better dividend stock?
Coal India offers a steadier dividend floor backed by its near-monopoly, while ONGC offers commodity-price upside with a dividend but swings with Brent. Both are PSU dividend plays. Read each company's current dividend yield in the fundamentals calculator from the latest payout and price.
Which PSU is more exposed to commodity prices?
ONGC is more directly exposed to commodity prices because its realisations move with Brent crude, so its earnings are more volatile. Coal India sells largely at notified and e-auction prices, which makes its cash flows steadier through the cycle.
Is Coal India a safe dividend stock?
Coal India has a long record of high, well-covered dividends supported by its near-monopoly cash flows, which is why the market treats the dividend as a floor. The long-run risk is the energy transition. None of this is investment advice, read the latest payout from the company.
What is the biggest long-term risk for these PSUs?
For ONGC it is a sustained fall in oil prices and production decline, and for Coal India it is the structural energy transition away from thermal coal over the long run. Both are state-owned, so policy and notified-price decisions also matter.
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