Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, oil and natural gas explorer Continental Resources (CLR) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

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

Continental facts

Headquarters (Founded)

Enid, Okla. (1967)

Market Cap

$13.0 billion

Industry

Oil and gas exploration and production

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$2.3 billion

Management

Chairman/CEO Harold Hamm
President/COO Winston Bott Jr.

Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years)

22%

Cash/Debt

$259.5 million / $3.0 billion

Competitors

Abraxas Petroleum (AXAS)
Chesapeake Energy (CHKA.Q)
EOG Resources (EOG 0.20%)

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

On CAPS, 96% of the 733 members who have rated Continental believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.

Just last month, one of those Fools, All-Star Chemdawg, brought one of Continental's potent new shale plays to our community's attention: "[O]ne of the biggest players in the Bakken shale has also bought 170,000 acres in the [South Central Oklahoma Oil Province]. ... [T]his is going to huge for their overall production and profitability."

If you want market-thumping returns, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, Continental 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.