Core Viewpoint - Halliburton's stock surged following a U.S. military strike on Venezuela, which has the potential to increase demand for the company's services due to geopolitical changes in the region [1][3][4]. Group 1: Stock Performance - Halliburton shares experienced a significant rally, pushing the relative strength index to over 85, indicating overbought conditions that may lead to a correction [1]. - Following the recent gains, Halliburton's stock is up more than 70% compared to its 52-week low [2]. - The stock is currently trading decisively above all major moving averages, suggesting continued bullish momentum [6]. Group 2: Market Impact - The U.S. strike on Venezuela could disrupt the country's political leadership and cast doubt on its ability to maintain stable crude exports, potentially tightening global oil supply [3][4]. - Given Venezuela's status as holding the world's largest proven oil reserves, this geopolitical shake-up could create significant opportunities for American energy companies, including Halliburton [4]. Group 3: Financial Fundamentals - Halliburton reported strong Q3 results, exceeding Street estimates for both revenue and earnings, which supports its investment case [5]. - The company is trading at approximately 1.15 times sales, which is considered inexpensive relative to industry peers like Schlumberger [5]. - Halliburton offers a dividend yield of 2.3%, making it attractive for income-focused investors [6]. Group 4: Future Outlook - Wall Street firms maintain a positive outlook on Halliburton, expecting the stock to continue its upward trend over the next 12 months [8].

Every weekday, the CNBC Investing Club with Jim Cramer releases the Homestretch — an actionable afternoon update, just in time for the last hour of trading on Wall Street. Market update : Stocks are higher for the second session in a row. Energy is a big story on Monday, with oilfield services, refiners, and the two majors, Exxon Mobil and Chevron , rallying on the idea that they will be beneficiaries of the rebuilding of Venezuela's oil infrastructure following the events over the weekend. The financials a ...

Group 1: Investment in Valero Energy - Michael Burry has owned Valero Energy since 2020, viewing it as increasingly attractive due to the U.S. potentially reviving Venezuela's oil industry [1][2] - Valero is highlighted for its ability to process heavy crude, making it a key beneficiary if Venezuelan oil supply increases [3] - Shares of Valero jumped about 10% following Burry's comments and the renewed interest in Venezuelan oil [3] Group 2: Broader Industry Implications - The deterioration of Venezuela's oil infrastructure presents opportunities for U.S. oilfield services companies, such as Halliburton, Schlumberger, and Baker Hughes, if large-scale rehabilitation begins [4] - Burry owns Halliburton and sees potential upside for it and other service companies involved in rebuilding Venezuela's oil infrastructure [5] - The involvement of U.S. contractors in Venezuela's oil sector is anticipated, especially as companies like Chevron and Exxon may seek to capitalize on the situation [5]

High-rolling investors have positioned themselves bearish on SLB (NYSE:SLB), and it's important for retail traders to take note.\This activity came to our attention today through Benzinga's tracking of publicly available options data. The identities of these investors are uncertain, but such a significant move in SLB often signals that someone has privileged information.Today, Benzinga's options scanner spotted 14 options trades for SLB. This is not a typical pattern.The sentiment among these major traders ...

We recently compiled a list of the 10 Best Long-Term Investments for Kids. SLB N.V. stands among the best long-term investments. TheFly reported on December 18 that Piper Sandler analyst Derek Podhaizer maintained an Overweight rating on SLB and raised the price target to $45 from $42. This $3 increase reflects confidence in SLB’s international margin expansion and its ability to capture high-growth opportunities in the Middle East, such as the aforementioned Aramco contract. On December 23, SLB N.V. (N ...

Industry Overview - The Oil/Energy sector faced significant challenges in 2025, with oil prices remaining under pressure and the sector lagging behind the broader market, which saw the S&P 500 increase by approximately 20% [1][3] - Crude oil prices fell below $60 per barrel, representing a decline of about 20% for the year, driven by oversupply concerns and a lack of strong upward momentum [3] Market Sentiment - Negative sentiment in the energy sector led to many equities falling out of favor, despite some companies performing well [5] - Stocks trading at least 35% below their highs can attract investor interest, particularly when the declines are driven by macroeconomic factors rather than company-specific issues [6][7] Investment Opportunities - Historical patterns suggest that periods of deep pessimism can create opportunities for contrarian investors looking ahead to potential recoveries in 2026 [1][5] - Companies like Drilling Tools International (DTI), KLX Energy Services Holdings (KLXE), and W&T Offshore (WTI) are highlighted as potential investment opportunities due to their strong fundamentals despite significant stock price declines [2][9][14] Company Highlights - **Drilling Tools International (DTI)**: Specializes in downhole tools and has a projected earnings growth of 650% for 2026, with its stock trading 38% below its 2025 highs [8][11] - **KLX Energy Services Holdings (KLXE)**: Provides a range of services to onshore oil and gas producers and is positioned for a 14.5% earnings growth in 2026, with shares nearly 80% off their peak [12][14] - **W&T Offshore (WTI)**: An independent oil and natural gas producer with a strong cash flow and a drilling success rate near 90%, its stock remains over 35% below its October peak [15][17]

Market Trajectory - The market trajectory for 2026 is being discussed following a robust performance in 2025, despite some recent unsettling weeks that resembled a bear market [1] Investment Strategy - The individual investor and writer Vasily Zyryanov focuses on identifying underpriced equities with strong upside potential and overappreciated companies with inflated valuations [1] - Zyryanov emphasizes the importance of analyzing Free Cash Flow and Return on Capital in addition to profit and sales to gain deeper insights into investment opportunities [1] - While favoring underappreciated equities, Zyryanov acknowledges that some growth stocks may warrant their premium valuations, highlighting the need for thorough analysis to determine the accuracy of market opinions [1]

RPC, Inc. (NYSE:RES) is included among the 13 Best Debt Free Dividend Stocks to Buy Now. Piper Sandler Lifts RPC Target While Keeping Cautious Stance Image by Alexsander-777 from Pixabay On December 18, Piper Sandler analyst Derek Podhaizer raised the firm’s price target on RPC, Inc. (NYSE:RES) to $5 from $4 and maintained an Underweight rating. The firm stated that, although 2025 proved challenging, the industry demonstrated resilience once again. Companies turned inward, focused on execution, and lean ...

Group 1 - BMO Capital reiterated a Market Perform rating and a $31 price target on Halliburton, citing resilience in North American activity and steady international growth [1] - The firm expects Halliburton's fourth-quarter 2025 results to show stronger-than-usual seasonal performance in North America, with fourth-quarter earnings per share projected at $0.56 and EBITDA at approximately $1.02 billion [1] - For full-year 2026, BMO projected EBITDA of $4.01 billion and earnings of $2.21 per share, with EBITDA margins expected to decline about 30 basis points year over year to 18.5% [2] Group 2 - BMO slightly raised its first-quarter 2026 EBITDA estimate to $952 million from $938 million, anticipating year-over-year growth in the second half of the year [2] - The analyst highlighted Halliburton's 20% ownership stake in VoltaGrid and its international partnerships as key areas to monitor, estimating that $2.50 to $3.00 per share of value related to these assets is already reflected in the stock price [3]

Core Insights - The article emphasizes the importance of identifying underpriced equities with strong upside potential and overappreciated companies with inflated valuations in investment strategies [1] - It highlights the significance of analyzing Free Cash Flow and Return on Capital for deeper investment insights beyond basic profit and sales analysis [1] - The author acknowledges that while some growth stocks may deserve premium valuations, it is crucial for investors to investigate whether the market's current opinions are accurate [1] Industry Focus - The research primarily concentrates on the energy sector, including oil & gas supermajors, mid-cap, and small-cap exploration & production companies, as well as oilfield services firms [1] - The analysis also extends to various other industries such as mining, chemicals, and luxury goods [1]