Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 7 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.

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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7 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 7 undervalued stocks in the Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production industry for Tuesday, February 20, 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.

Advantage Energy Ltd’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Advantage Energy Ltd. is a Canada-based energy producer. The Company is focused on development and delineation of its world class Montney natural gas and liquids resource at Glacier, Wembley/Pipestone, Valhalla and Progress, Alberta. The Company’s Montney assets are located from approximately 4-80 kilometers (km) northwest of the city of Grande Prairie, Alberta. Its land holdings consist of 228 net sections (145,920 net acres) of liquids-rich Montney lands at Glacier, Valhalla, Progress and Pipestone/Wembley.

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.

Advantage Energy Ltd has a Value Score of 94, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Advantage Energy Ltd’s price-to-sales ratio at 2.05 compared to the industry median at 1.91, this company has a higher price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Advantage Energy Ltd’s stock less attractive for value investors.

Advantage Energy Ltd’s price-earnings ratio is 7.25 compared to the industry median at 7.34. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Advantage Energy Ltd more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Advantage Energy Ltd’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 3.7, when compared to the industry median of 4.6, the company may be considered undervalued 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. Advantage Energy Ltd’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.37%. 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. Advantage Energy Ltd’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.26. This could make Advantage Energy Ltd more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Callon Petroleum Company’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Callon Petroleum Company is an independent oil and natural gas company. The Company is focused on the acquisition, exploration and sustainable development of assets in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The Company's operations are focused on the oil-weighted Delaware and Midland Basins in West Texas. The Company utilizes horizontal drilling and its life of field co-development model to develop its acreage. The Company has predominantly focused on the horizontal development of several prospective intervals including multiple levels of the Wolfcamp and Bone Springs in the Delaware Basin. In the Midland Basin, the Company’s primary intervals include the Wolfcamp and Spraberry shales. The Company has an acreage position of approximately 145,000 net acres in the core of the Permian Basin.

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.

Callon Petroleum Company has a Value Score of 76, which is considered to be undervalued.

Callon Petroleum Company’s price-earnings ratio is 4.1 compared to the industry median at 7.3. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Callon Petroleum Company more attractive for value investors.

Callon Petroleum Company’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Callon Petroleum Company less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.26.

You can read more about Callon Petroleum Company’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.

Eca Marcellus Trust I’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

ECA Marcellus Trust I (the Trust) is a statutory trust. The Trust does not conduct any operations or activities. The Trust owns royalty interests in approximately 14 Producing Wells and royalty interests in over 52 horizontal natural gas development wells to be drilled to the Marcellus Shale formation (the PUD Wells) within the area of mutual interest (AMI), in which ECA holds approximately 9,300 acres, of which it owned all of the working interests, in Greene County, Pennsylvania. The Trust also holds royalty interests in over 40 development wells that are in production. The Trust subsidiaries include Greylock Production, LLC (Greylock Production), which serves as operator of the subject wells, and Greylock Midstream, LLC (Greylock Midstream), whose subsidiaries market and gather certain of the gas. The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A. serves as Trustee.

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.

Eca Marcellus Trust I has a Value Score of 97, which is considered to be undervalued.

Eca Marcellus Trust I’s price-earnings ratio is 2.9 compared to the industry median at 7.3. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Eca Marcellus Trust I more attractive for value investors.

Eca Marcellus Trust I’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Eca Marcellus Trust I less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.26.

You can read more about Eca Marcellus Trust I’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.

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 69, which is considered to be undervalued.

Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 10.2 compared to the industry median at 7.3. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Diamondback Energy Inc less attractive for value investors.

Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Diamondback Energy Inc more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.26.

You can read more about Diamondback Energy 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.

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 67, which is considered to be undervalued.

Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 10.4 compared to the industry median at 7.3. 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 1.26.

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.

North European Oil Royalty Trust’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

North European Oil Royalty Trust (the Trust) is a grantor trust which, on behalf of the owners of units of beneficial interest in the Trust (the unit owners), holds overriding royalty rights covering gas and oil production in certain concessions or leases in the Federal Republic of Germany. The rights are held under contracts with local German exploration and development subsidiaries of ExxonMobil Corp. (ExxonMobil) and the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies (Royal Dutch/Shell Group). Under these contracts, the Trust receives various percentage royalties on the proceeds of the sales of certain products from the areas involved. Its royalties are received for sales of gas well gas, oil well gas, crude oil, condensate and sulfur. The Trust conducts no active business operations and is restricted to collection of income from royalty rights and distribution to unit owners of the net income after payment of administrative and related expenses.

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.

North European Oil Royalty Trust has a Value Score of 69, which is considered to be undervalued.

North European Oil Royalty Trust’s price-earnings ratio is 2.6 compared to the industry median at 7.3. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes North European Oil Royalty Trust more attractive for value investors.

North European Oil Royalty Trust’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make North European Oil Royalty Trust more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.26.

You can read more about North European Oil Royalty Trust’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.

SM Energy Co’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

SM Energy Company is an independent energy company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil, gas, and natural gas liquid (NGL) in the state of Texas. The Company?s asset portfolio is comprised of assets in the Midland Basin of West Texas and in the Maverick Basin of South Texas. The Company?s Midland Basin assets are located in the Permian Basin in West Texas is comprised of approximately 80,000 net acres, and include its RockStar assets in Howard and Martin Counties, Texas and its Sweetie Peck assets in Upton and Midland Counties, Texas (Midland Basin). Its South Texas assets are comprised of approximately 155,000 net acres located in Dimmit and Webb Counties, Texas (South Texas). The Company?s operations in South Texas are focused on production from the Eagle Ford shale formation and Austin Chalk formation, and further development of the Austin Chalk formation.

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.

SM Energy Co has a Value Score of 90, which is considered to be undervalued.

SM Energy Co’s price-earnings ratio is 5.8 compared to the industry median at 7.3. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes SM Energy Co more attractive for value investors.

SM Energy Co’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make SM Energy Co more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.26.

You can read more about SM 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 7 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.

• Advantage Energy Ltd stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Callon Petroleum Company stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Eca Marcellus Trust I stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Diamondback Energy Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Magnolia Oil & Gas Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• North European Oil Royalty Trust stock has a Value Grade of B.
• SM Energy Co stock has a Value Grade of A.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 7 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.

• 7 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Tuesday, February 20
• 7 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Monday, February 19
• Which Is a Better Investment, APA Corp (US) or Highpeak Energy Inc Stock?
• 4 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Friday, February 16

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