Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, oil and gas explorer Equal Energy (NYSE: EQU) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Equal Energy's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Equal Energy facts

Headquarters (founded)

Calgary, Canada (1998)

Market Cap

$117.2 million

Industry

Oil and gas exploration and production

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$112.9 million

Management

CEO Don Klapko
CFO Wendell Chapman

Return on Equity (average, past 3 years)

(9.7%)

Cash/Debt

$3.6 million/$157.3 million

Competitors

Baytex Energy (BTE 0.26%)
Bonavista Energy
Encana (OVV 0.25%)

Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 94% of the 357 members who have rated Equal Energy believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.

Just last week, one of those bulls, All-Star TMFDeej, tapped Equal Energy as a special situation: "This mis-managed E&P company has finally initiated a strategic review that might just right the ship so to speak. It has slowly begin to divest non-core assets and it may even eventually convert into an MLP, which according to one Seeking Alpha article has the potential to yield 10% and cause the company's share price to rise by 90%."

If you want market-thumping returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite its five-star rating, Equal Energy may not be your top choice.

We've found another energy play we are incredibly excited about -- excited enough to dub it "The Only Energy Stock You'll Ever Need." We have compiled a special free report for investors to uncover this stock today. The report is 100% free, but it won't be here forever, so click here to access it now.

Want to see how well (or not so well) the stocks in this series are performing? Follow the TrackPoisedTo CAPS account.