3 Oil Stocks to Watch as Storylines Simmer

Core Insights - Oil stocks are currently influenced by geopolitical developments, including a halt in exports from the Caspian Pipeline Consortium due to a Ukraine drone attack and ongoing tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela, which may affect supply [1] - OPEC+ has decided to maintain oil output levels unchanged for the first quarter of 2026, contributing to the current market dynamics [1] - January-dated crude prices have increased by 1% to $59.11 [1] Company Performance - Exxon Mobil Corp (NYSE:XOM) shares have risen by 0.6% to $116.70, following an increase in HSBC's price target from $121 to $126, despite a year-to-date gain of only 8.6% [2] - Chevron Corp (NYSE:CVX) stock is up 1.1% to $152.80, maintaining a year-to-date breakeven level while trading between $146 and $161 since July [3] - ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) shares have increased by 1.8% to $90.32, although the stock is down 9% in 2025, facing resistance from moving averages above [3] Analyst Sentiment - Analysts remain overwhelmingly bullish on Exxon Mobil, Chevron, and ConocoPhillips, with only three out of 77 brokerage positions rated as "sell," while the majority are "buy" or "hold" ratings [4] - Potential downgrades could occur if analysts are dissatisfied with the geopolitical developments affecting these companies [4]