Bear Of The Day: Marathon Oil (MRO)

Core Viewpoint - Marathon Oil (MRO) is currently rated as a Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) due to declining earnings estimates driven by softer oil demand [1] Company Overview - Marathon Oil Corp. is involved in the exploration, production, and marketing of liquid hydrocarbons and natural gas, operating in two segments: United States and International [2] - The U.S. segment focuses on oil and gas exploration, development, and production within the U.S., while the International segment operates primarily in Equatorial Guinea and the United Kingdom [2] Earnings History - The company has achieved four consecutive beats of the Zacks Consensus Estimate, indicating a history of meeting or exceeding market expectations [3] - However, consistent earnings beats alone do not determine the stock's ranking; the movement of earnings estimates plays a more significant role [3] Earnings Estimates - Recent trends show a decline in annual earnings estimates for Marathon Oil, with the current fiscal year (2023) consensus dropping from $2.73 to $2.62 over the past 60 days [4] - The next year's estimate has also decreased from $3.83 to $3.14 during the same period [4] - The negative revisions in earnings estimates are a primary reason for the stock's Zacks Rank 5 (Strong Sell) classification [4]