Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 4 stocks made the list for top value stocks in the Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production industry. Those looking for value stocks to add to their portfolio may want to use this list as a starting point for further investment research.

Latest Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stock News

Before choosing which top Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production stock to buy, be sure to conduct proper due diligence: analyze various financial metrics and look at historical data, public statements and news coverage.

The outlook for the oil and gas exploration and production sub-industry is mostly favorable for the foreseeable future. As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, a major oil shock occurred in 2020. Since then, crude oil prices have begun to recover, currently priced at around $60 per barrel as a result of persistent supply cuts by the OPEC-Plus Consortium. While the demand perspective remains uncertain, from a supply perspective, both OPEC and non-OPEC participants have a conservative production outlook in 2021. The most significant unknown factor is the potential lifting of Iran sanctions by the Biden administration and its impact. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), oil demand is expected to increase by about 5.4 mmb/d, to 96.4 mmb/d in 2021. While this appears to be a strong year-over-year increase, it is well in line with the 2019 demand of around 100 mmb/d, signifying only a 60% recovery from the pandemic. In May 2021, the EIA forecasted WTI crude oil prices as $59 dollars per barrel in 2021 and $57 per barrel in 2022. At these price points, exploration and production operations are expected to generate significant free cashflow.

Why Focus on Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks?

Value investors seek to buy stocks at a discount to their intrinsic value. Long-term returns show that such strategies are advantageous. Value stocks, as a group, tend to outperform growth stocks over extended periods of time. Typically, value investors perform financial analysis of numerous metrics, don’t follow the herd and are long-term investors.

AAII’s A+ Investor Value Grade is derived from a stock’s Value Score. The Value Score is the percentile rank of the average of the percentile ranks of the price-to-sales ratio, price-earnings ratio, enterprise-value-to-EBITDA (EV/EBITDA) ratio, shareholder yield, price-to-book-value ratio and price-to-free-cash-flow ratio. The score is variable, meaning it can consider all six ratios or, should any of the six ratios not be valid, the remaining ratios that are valid. To be assigned a Value Score, stocks must have a valid (non-null) ratio and corresponding ranking for at least two of the six valuation ratios.

What Goes Into AAII’s Value Grade?

Stock evaluation requires access to huge amounts of data as well as the knowledge and time to sift through it all, make sense of financial ratios, read income statements and analyze recent stock movement. AAII created A+ Investor, a robust data suite that condenses data research in an actionable and customizable way suitable for investors of all knowledge levels, to help investors with that task.

AAII’s proprietary stock grades come with A+ Investor. These offer intuitive A–F grades for more than just value. It is possible for a stock to appear cheap based on one valuation metric but appear expensive on another. It is also possible for one valuation ratio to be associated with outperforming stocks during certain periods of time but not others. Some stocks may even have null values for certain metrics like the price-earnings ratio or the price-to-book ratio but not others. An example of this would be a company with losses instead of profits or a negative book value because of heavy borrowing. Negative earnings or book value result in non-meaningful ratios that are left blank or null.

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4 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks

Of course, there are countless value stocks that are worth mentioning, but this is a concise list of the top 4 undervalued stocks in the Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production industry for Wednesday, February 07, 2024. Let’s take a closer look at their individual scores to see how they measure up against each other and the Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production industry median.

The Value Grade is assigned based on how each stock’s composite valuation compares to all other stocks.

The process for assigning grades starts with each variable for a given stock. The percentile rankings for all valid ratios that a stock has are calculated. So, for instance, a stock could have a price-to-book ranking in the 43rd percentile, a price-earnings ranking in the 67th percentile, a price-to-sales ranking in the 23rd percentile, etc. Then, those rankings are averaged for each stock. (A minimum of two valid variables are required, though all six will be used if available.)

Once the average of the individual variables is calculated, that average is ranked against all stocks. Put another way, each stock’s composite valuation is compared to all other stocks. These ranks are then sorted into quintiles from the cheapest 20% (a grade of A) to the most expensive 20% (a grade of F).

As always, we recommend that you conduct proper due diligence and research before investing in any security. We also suggest that investors utilize numerous grades, not just value, when it comes to deciding whether a company is a good fit for their allocation needs.

Diamondback Energy Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Diamondback Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and gas company, which is focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The Company operates through upstream segment, which is engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves primarily in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The midstream operations are focused on owning, operating, developing and acquiring midstream infrastructure assets in the Midland and Delaware Basins of the Permian Basin. Its total acreage position in the Permian Basin is approximately 508,767 net acres, which consisted primarily of approximately 325,540 acres in the Midland Basin and approximately 150,719 acres in the Delaware Basin. The Company?s subsidiaries include Diamondback E&P; LLC, Viper Energy Partners GP LLC, Rattler Midstream GP LLC, and QEP Resources, Inc.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Diamondback Energy Inc has a Value Score of 76, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 3.31 compared to the industry median at 1.71, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Diamondback Energy Inc’s stock less attractive for value investors.

Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 8.62 compared to the industry median at 6.94. This means it has a higher share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Diamondback Energy Inc less attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Diamondback Energy Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 5.4, when compared to the industry median of 4.5, the company may be considered overvalued in relation to its peers. Value investors could use the enterprise multiple to identify stocks that are considered overvalued or undervalued relative to their industry.

Shareholder yield is the sum of a stock’s dividend yield (paid over previous 12 months minus special dividends) and the percentage of net share buybacks over the previous 12 months. Diamondback Energy Inc’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.41%. Value investors may look for an attractive shareholder yield because it can be a powerful tool for identifying if the company has a good management team.

As one of the most common value metrics, the price-to-book ratio evaluates a company’s current market price relative to its book value. Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.20. This could make Diamondback Energy Inc less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 7.21. This could make Diamondback Energy Inc more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Diamondback Energy Inc is undervalued. The P/FCF ratio metric can also be viewed over a long-term time frame to see if the company's cash flow to share price value is generally improving or worsening.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corporation is an independent oil and natural gas company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquid (NGL) reserves. Its oil and natural gas properties are located primarily in Karnes County and the Giddings area in South Texas, where the Company targets the Eagle Ford Shale and Austin Chalk formations. Its assets consist of a total leasehold position of 688,033 gross (482,015 net) acres, including 43,022 gross (23,259 net) acres in the Karnes area and 645,011 gross (458,756 net) acres in the Giddings area. The Karnes County Assets are located in Karnes, Gonzales, DeWitt, and Atascosa Counties, Texas, in the core of the Eagle Ford Shale. The acreage comprising the Karnes County Assets also includes the Austin Chalk formation overlying the Eagle Ford Shale. The Giddings Assets are located in Austin, Brazos, Burleson, Fayette, Lee, Grimes, Montgomery, and Washington Counties, Texas.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp has a Value Score of 65, which is considered to be undervalued.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 7.4 compared to the industry median at 6.9. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp less attractive for value investors.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.20.

You can read more about Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Opal Fuels Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

OPAL Fuels Inc. is a renewable energy company. It specializes in the capture and conversion of biogas for the production of renewable natural gas (RNG) for use as a vehicle fuel for heavy and medium-duty trucking fleets, generation of renewable power for sale to utilities. Its segments include RNG Fuel, Fuel Station Services, Renewable Power Portfolio and Corporate. The RNG Fuel segment relates to all RNG supply and dispensing activities directly related to the generation and sale of brown gas and environmental credits. Through its Fuel Station Services segment, the Company provides construction and maintenance services to third-party owners of vehicle Fueling Stations. The Renewable Power portfolio segment generates renewable power through methane-rich landfills and digester gas collection systems which is then sold to public utilities throughout the United States. It also designs, develops, constructs, operates and services Fueling Stations for trucking fleets across the country.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Opal Fuels Inc has a Value Score of 73, which is considered to be undervalued.

Opal Fuels Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 6.4 compared to the industry median at 6.9. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Opal Fuels Inc more attractive for value investors.

You can read more about Opal Fuels Inc’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Southwestern Energy Co’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Southwestern Energy Company is an independent energy company. The Company operates through two segments: Exploration and Production (E&P;) and Marketing. It is engaged in the business of exploration and production of natural gas as well as associated natural gas liquids (NGLs) and oil in its core positions in the Appalachia and Haynesville natural gas basins in the United States. It is focused on the development of unconventional natural gas reservoirs located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Louisiana. Its operations in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio (Appalachia) are primarily focused on the Marcellus Shale, the Utica and the Upper Devonian unconventional natural gas and liquids reservoirs. Its operations in Louisiana (Haynesville) are focused on the Haynesville and Bossier natural gas reservoirs. It operates a fleet of drilling rigs and has leased two pressure pumping spreads with a total capacity of 69,000 horsepower along with additional supporting pump down equipment.

Stocks with a Value Score from 81 to 100 are considered deep value, those with a score between 61 and 80 are value and so on.

Southwestern Energy Co has a Value Score of 92, which is considered to be undervalued.

Southwestern Energy Co’s price-earnings ratio is 1.4 compared to the industry median at 6.9. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Southwestern Energy Co more attractive for value investors.

Southwestern Energy Co’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Southwestern Energy Co less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.20.

You can read more about Southwestern Energy Co’s key financial metrics like shareholder yield, price-to-free-cash-flow and EV/EBITDA ratio, or learn more about its Momentum and Growth Grades, by subscribing to A+ Investor.

Other Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stock Grades

Value is just one of the five Stock Grades included in our A+ Investor service. AAII members can see the top-graded stocks—those with grades of A or B for value, growth, momentum, earnings estimate revisions and quality—on the A+ Stock Grades Screener.

Also, if you want full access to all of AAII’s premium services, you can subscribe to one convenient bundled plan called AAII Platinum where you can try out A+ Investor, AAII Dividend Investing, the Stock Superstars Report, Growth Investing and VMQ Stocks. With the other premium services, you can dive deep into additional metrics, portfolios, commentary and information about Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production stocks as well as other industrys.

Choosing Which of the 4 Best Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks Is Right for You

Choosing which value stocks to invest in will ultimately depend on your individual goals and allocation; however, comparing similar value stocks in the same industry can help you analyze which might be better investments for you in the long run. So, let’s take a look at the Value Grade for all of our stocks.

• Diamondback Energy Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Opal Fuels Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Southwestern Energy Co stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 4 undervalued stocks in the Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production industry as well as their overall grades, it’s time for you to conduct additional research to see if these could fit your portfolio needs based on your goals and risk tolerance. AAII can help you figure out both and identify which investments align with what works best for you.

We do so through a program of education that teaches you to invest for yourself and become an effective manager of your own wealth—no more relying on others for your financial independence. You can rely on AAII for timeless articles on financial planning and stock-picking, unbiased research and actionable analysis that makes you a better investor.

A+ Investor adds to that qualitative teaching by giving you a powerful data suite that helps you whittle down investment decisions to find stocks, exchange-traded funds (ETFs) or mutual funds that meet your needs.

Additional Resources About Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks

Want to learn more about Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production stocks to see if they could be the right investment for you? Check out some additional resources and articles to help you on your financial journey.

• 4 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Wednesday, February 07
• 6 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Tuesday, February 06
• Why Highpeak Energy Inc’s (HPK) Stock Is Up 5.22%
• 5 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Monday, February 05

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