If you don't buy Conoco stock, which oil stock should you buy instead?Shares of ConocoPhillips (COP 2.89%) dipped on Tuesday after TheFly.com reported multiple bank analysts forecasting lower price targets for the oil major in light of an ongoing trade war and recent declines in oil prices. On Wednesday, however, Conoco stock perked back up, rising a modest 2.3%, and indeed, recovering all of yesterday's losses.And why?Because oil prices are going back up.More oil, less gasAs OilPrice.com reports, oil inven ...

The latest monthly report from OPEC shows that the cartel has revised its global oil demand growth forecast for 2025 downward for the first time since December, now projecting an increase of 1.3 million barrels per day (bpd) — 150,000 bpd less than previous estimates. The revision stems largely from slower-than-expected consumption and new U.S. tariffs that have rattled trade dynamics and economic sentiment globally. As President Trump ramps up tariff measures, including a 125% levy on Chinese imports, inve ...

Oil prices have tumbled this year. WTI, the primary U.S. oil price benchmark, has plunged from about $80 a barrel in early January to around $60 a barrel. The culprit has been the concern that tariffs will slow the global economy, driving down demand for crude oil. Lower crude prices will impact oil company cash flows. However, some oil stocks are in a better position to navigate the lower oil prices than others due to their abundant low-cost oil resources. Three oil companies that can still thrive in the c ...

Core Viewpoint - The energy sector is currently the best-performing stock market sector, with a year-to-date increase of 7.9%, contrasting with a 5.1% decline in the S&P 500, driven by leading oil and gas companies that provide safety amid economic uncertainty and trade tensions [1] Group 1: Company Performance and Cash Flow - ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips are highlighted as strong dividend stocks due to their ability to generate significant free cash flow (FCF) even at current oil prices [2][3] - ExxonMobil aims to break even at $30 per barrel Brent by 2030 and projects $110 billion in surplus cash through 2030, even if Brent averages $55 per barrel [4] - Chevron expects to generate $5 billion in FCF at $70 Brent in 2025 and $6 billion in 2026, with 75% of its oil investments breaking even below $50 per barrel Brent [5] - ConocoPhillips is investing in long-term projects expected to yield $6 billion in incremental FCF, supported by its acquisition of Marathon Oil [6] Group 2: Capital Return Programs - All three companies are returning substantial amounts to shareholders, with ExxonMobil returning $36 billion in 2024, Chevron over $75 billion between 2022 and 2024, and ConocoPhillips planning to return $10 billion in 2025 [7][8][9] - Despite high yields, these companies spent more on buybacks than dividends in 2024, indicating strong FCF generation and providing a cushion against falling oil prices [10] Group 3: Financial Health and Valuation - ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips maintain strong balance sheets with debt-to-capital ratios near 10-year lows, allowing them to support operations and capital expenditures with FCF [12][13] - The companies exhibit reasonable valuations with low price-to-earnings and price-to-FCF ratios, suggesting they are good investment values [14] - Valuation metrics are based on trailing-12-month results, and while margins may decrease with lower oil prices in 2025, acquisitions and expansions could still drive earnings and FCF growth [15][16][17] Group 4: Investment Appeal - ExxonMobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips are positioned to grow cash flows and return profits to shareholders, offering yields significantly higher than the S&P 500 average of 1.3%, making them attractive for passive income investors [18] - Although energy is not typically viewed as a safe sector, these high-quality companies are considered safe stocks due to their strong balance sheets and manageable payouts [19]

Shares of ConocoPhillips (COP) slipped 10.23% in the last trading session to close at $95.25 per share. The stock price is not far away from the 52-week low of $86.81 per share, and yesterday’s selling pressure was reflected in the spike in share volumes traded. The volume of shares traded in the last market session was 13,869,000, significantly higher than the past several trading days. Image Source: Yahoo FinanceDoes it mean that investors should join the crowd to sell the stock? Before reaching an invest ...

Group 1 - ConocoPhillips is considering the sale of its oil and gas assets in Oklahoma, acquired through its $22.5 billion takeover of Marathon Oil last year, with the potential sale managed by Moelis & Co [1] - The assets cover approximately 300,000 net acres in the Anadarko Basin, producing around 39,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with an expected sale price of over $1 billion [2] - The sale aligns with ConocoPhillips' strategy to streamline its portfolio and raise $2 billion through asset sales, having already sold more than $1 billion worth of non-core assets since the acquisition [3] Group 2 - Potential buyers may include producers looking to benefit from rising natural gas demand, particularly for power generation in data centers, as energy consumption from data centers is projected to surge [4] - If the deal materializes, it would allow ConocoPhillips to focus on higher-return assets in key regions such as the Permian, Eagle Ford, and Bakken basins, which were strengthened by the Marathon acquisition [5]

Core Viewpoint - ConocoPhillips has successfully completed its $22.5 billion acquisition of Marathon Oil, enhancing its U.S. onshore position and international operations, which is expected to significantly increase free cash flow and shareholder returns [1][10]. Group 1: Acquisition Impact - The acquisition of Marathon Oil has allowed ConocoPhillips to enhance its portfolio of low-cost oil and gas resources, enabling the company to streamline its operations and improve its financial position [2][10]. - The deal added over 2 billion barrels of resources to ConocoPhillips' existing U.S. onshore portfolio, particularly in the Permian, Eagle Ford, and Bakken regions, with an average supply cost below $30 per barrel [3]. Group 2: Asset Sales - ConocoPhillips is selling its acquired assets in Oklahoma for over $1 billion, which includes 300,000 net acres producing approximately 39,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, with a significant portion being natural gas [4]. - The company aims to divest $2 billion of non-core assets following the Marathon acquisition, having already sold interests in the Ursa and Europa Fields to Shell for $735 million [5][6]. Group 3: Financial Position - Following the acquisition and asset sales, ConocoPhillips is expected to strengthen its balance sheet, ending last year with $6.4 billion in cash and short-term investments, alongside $1.1 billion in long-term investments [7]. - The company has an A-rated credit profile, allowing it to return a significant portion of its free cash flow to investors, with plans to return $10 billion this year, an increase from $9.1 billion last year [8]. Group 4: Future Plans - ConocoPhillips plans to continue returning cash to investors, targeting dividend growth within the top 25% of S&P 500 companies and repurchasing over $20 billion of its stock over the next three years [9]. - The company has significantly upgraded its portfolio and aims to maintain a strong financial profile to ensure robust total returns in the future [10].

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP ) is one of the largest E&P-focused companies in the world, with operations spanning multiple continents, which consists of finding, developing, and producing crude oil, natural gas, and NGLs. Operations span through Alaska, the continental U.S., where the recent Seeking Alpha's Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed ...

ConocoPhillips (COP) closed the latest trading day at $105.39, indicating a +0.35% change from the previous session's end. This change lagged the S&P 500's 0.38% gain on the day. On the other hand, the Dow registered a loss of 0.03%, and the technology-centric Nasdaq increased by 0.87%. The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from #1 (Strong Buy) to #5 (Strong Sell), has an impressive outside- audited track record of outperformance, with #1 stocks generating an average annual return of +25% since 1988. Over the ...

Group 1: Stock Performance - ConocoPhillips (COP) ended the latest trading session at $102.55, reflecting a +0.35% adjustment from the previous day's close, outperforming the S&P 500's daily gain of 0.16% [1] - The stock gained 3.41% over the previous month, surpassing the Oils-Energy sector's gain of 1.79% and the S&P 500's loss of 3.59% [1] Group 2: Earnings Expectations - The upcoming earnings release is anticipated to report an EPS of $2.04, marking a 0.49% rise compared to the same quarter of the previous year, with a consensus estimate for quarterly revenue of $16.34 billion, up 12.89% from the year-ago period [2] - For the entire fiscal year, Zacks Consensus Estimates predict earnings of $8.12 per share and revenue of $64.6 billion, indicating changes of +4.24% and +13.43%, respectively, from the previous year [3] Group 3: Analyst Projections and Rankings - Recent shifts in analyst projections for ConocoPhillips should be monitored, as they reflect evolving short-term business trends, with positive changes indicating a favorable outlook on the company's business health and profitability [4] - The Zacks Rank system, which ranges from 1 (Strong Buy) to 5 (Strong Sell), currently ranks ConocoPhillips at 3 (Hold), with the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate having moved 0.47% lower within the past month [6] Group 4: Valuation Metrics - ConocoPhillips has a Forward P/E ratio of 12.58, which is a discount compared to the average Forward P/E of 15.37 for its industry [7] - The company holds a PEG ratio of 0.8, compared to the average PEG ratio of 1.49 for the Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States industry [8] Group 5: Industry Context - The Oil and Gas - Integrated - United States industry, part of the Oils-Energy sector, has a Zacks Industry Rank of 140, placing it in the bottom 45% of all 250+ industries [9]