Why Marathon Oil (MRO) is a Top Momentum Stock for the Long-Term

Zacks Premium and Style Scores - Zacks Premium provides tools for investors to become smarter and more confident, including daily updates of Zacks Rank, Zacks Industry Rank, Zacks 1 Rank List, Equity Research reports, and Premium stock screens [1] - Zacks Style Scores rate stocks based on value, growth, and momentum qualities, with ratings from A to F, where A indicates the highest potential for outperformance [2] - The Style Scores are divided into four categories: Value Score, Growth Score, Momentum Score, and VGM Score, which combines all three styles [2][3][4] Zacks Rank and Investment Strategy - The Zacks Rank uses earnings estimate revisions to help investors build successful portfolios, with 1 (Strong Buy) stocks averaging a +25.41% annual return since 1988 [5] - Investors should focus on stocks with a Zacks Rank 1 or 2 and Style Scores of A or B for the highest probability of success [6][7] - Stocks with a 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell) rating, even with high Style Scores, are likely to have declining earnings forecasts and share prices [6] Marathon Oil (MRO) Analysis - Marathon Oil is a leading oil and natural gas exploration and production company with operations in the U.S. and Africa, holding 1,320 million oil-equivalent barrels in net proved reserves as of 2023 [8] - The company's 2023 production was 405,000 net barrels of oil equivalent per day, with 88% of volumes coming from the U.S. [8] - MRO has a Zacks Rank of 3 (Hold) and a VGM Score of B, with a Momentum Style Score of A and a 5% share price increase over the past four weeks [8][9] - Five analysts revised their earnings estimates higher for fiscal 2024, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate increasing by $0.07 to $2.68 per share and an average earnings surprise of 13% [9]