Can Occidental Petroleum (OXY) Stock Beat The Market?

Core Viewpoint - Occidental Petroleum is a leading diversified energy company and a top holding of Berkshire Hathaway due to its high-quality operations and management team [1] Performance Analysis - Over the past five years, Occidental Petroleum has outperformed the S&P 500 with a return of 109.7% compared to the S&P 500's 86.9% [4] - In the last year, Occidental's stock has declined by 14.3%, and its total return with reinvested dividends has decreased by 15.6% [4] - The company's stock performance has been influenced by crude oil prices, which have fallen 17.5% this year and over 22% in the past three years, while WTI prices have increased nearly 25% over the last five years [5] Strategic Moves - Occidental has benefited from Berkshire Hathaway's purchases since early 2022 and has focused on debt reduction following its 2019 acquisition of Anadarko Petroleum [6] - The company has sold non-core assets, including its chemicals subsidiary OxyChem in a $9.7 billion deal, to reduce debt and strengthen its balance sheet [7] - The acquisition of CrownRock has enhanced Occidental's upstream oil and gas portfolio, providing over 20 years of low-cost resources [8] Future Growth Potential - Occidental is investing in a lower-carbon energy platform, focusing on carbon capture and storage, and is starting its first direct air capture unit [9] - The company's strategic improvements and growth initiatives could enable it to continue delivering market-beating returns in the future, contingent on favorable oil prices [10]