Based on key financial metrics such as the price-to-sales ratio, shareholder yield and the price-earnings ratio, the following 6 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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6 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 6 undervalued stocks in the Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production industry for Tuesday, March 26, 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.

Chord Energy Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Chord Energy Corporation is an independent exploration and production company, which is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas liquids (NGL) and natural gas. The Company’s operations were focused on the North Dakota and Montana areas of the Williston Basin targeting the Middle Bakken and Three Forks formations which are present across a substantial portion of its acreage. The Company has approximately 1,029,263 net leasehold acres in the Williston Basin, of which approximately 99% is held by production. It has approximately 3,760 gross (2,876.0 net) operating producing wells. Its working interest for producing wells averaged 76% in total and 51% in the wells it operates. The Company has an average daily production of 173,425 net barrels of oil equivalent per day (Boepd). It sells its crude oil, NGL and natural gas production to refiners, marketers and other purchasers that have access to nearby pipeline and rail facilities.

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.

Chord Energy Corp has a Value Score of 91, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Chord Energy Corp’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.81 compared to the industry median at 2.08, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Chord Energy Corp’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Chord Energy Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 7.33 compared to the industry median at 8.66. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make Chord Energy Corp more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Chord Energy Corp’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 3.7, when compared to the industry median of 4.5, 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. Chord Energy Corp’s shareholder yield is higher than its industry median ratio of 2.09%. 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. Chord Energy Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 1.40. This could make Chord Energy Corp more attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Chord Energy Corp’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Chord Energy Corp’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 8.65. This could make Chord Energy Corp more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that Chord Energy Corp 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.

VAALCO Energy, Inc.’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

VAALCO Energy, Inc. is an independent energy company principally engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids. The Company’s segments include segments Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. It holds 58.8% participating interest in the Etame Marin block, located offshore Gabon in West Africa. The Etame Marin block covers an area of approximately 46,200 gross acres located 20 miles offshore in water depths of approximately 250 feet. The operations of all segments include exploration for and production of hydrocarbons where commercial reserves have been found and developed. The Company owns an interest in an undeveloped block offshore Equatorial Guinea, West Africa. The Company conducts its operating activities in Egypt, Canada, and offshore Gabon. In Egypt, its interests are spread across two regions: the Eastern Desert, which contains the West Gharib, West Bakr and Northwest Gharib merged concessions, and the Western Desert.

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.

VAALCO Energy, Inc. has a Value Score of 80, which is considered to be undervalued.

VAALCO Energy, Inc.’s price-earnings ratio is 12.3 compared to the industry median at 8.7. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes VAALCO Energy, Inc. less attractive for value investors.

VAALCO Energy, Inc.’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make VAALCO Energy, Inc. more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.40.

You can read more about VAALCO 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.

Evolution Petroleum Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Evolution Petroleum Corporation is an independent energy company. The Company is focused on ownership of and investment in onshore oil and natural gas properties in the United States. Its oil and natural gas properties consist of non-operated interests in the non-operated interests in the Jonah Field in Sublette County, Wyoming, a natural gas producing field; non-operated interests in the Williston Basin in North Dakota, a producing oil and natural gas property; non-operated interests in the Barnett Shale located in North Texas, a natural gas producing property; non-operated interests in the Hamilton Dome Field located in Hot Springs County, Wyoming, a secondary recovery field utilizing water injection wells to pressurize the reservoir; non-operated interests in the Delhi Holt-Bryant Unit in the Delhi Field in Northeast Louisiana, a CO2 enhanced oil recovery (EOR) project; and small overriding royalty interests in four onshore central Texas wells.

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.

Evolution Petroleum Corp has a Value Score of 72, which is considered to be undervalued.

Evolution Petroleum Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 11.9 compared to the industry median at 8.7. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Evolution Petroleum Corp less attractive for value investors.

Evolution Petroleum Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Evolution Petroleum Corp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.40.

You can read more about Evolution Petroleum 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.

Diamondback Energy Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Diamondback Energy, Inc. is an independent oil and natural gas company focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves primarily in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The Company's activities are primarily focused on horizontal development of the Spraberry and Wolfcamp formations of the Midland Basin and the Wolfcamp and Bone Spring formations of the Delaware Basin, both of which are part of the larger Permian Basin in West Texas and New Mexico. Its total acreage position in the Permian Basin includes approximately 607,877 gross (493,769 net) acres, which consists primarily of 428,324 gross (349,707 net) acres in the Midland Basin and 174,828 gross (143,742 net) acres in the Delaware Basin. The Company is also engaged in midstream gathering, compression, water handling, disposal and treatment operations. Its subsidiary Viper Energy, Inc., also owns mineral interests in 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.

Diamondback Energy Inc has a Value Score of 68, which is considered to be undervalued.

Diamondback Energy Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 11.3 compared to the industry median at 8.7. 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 1.40.

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.

Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust (the Royalty Trust) is a statutory trust. The Company holds overriding royalty interest in future production from each of McMoRan's Inboard Lower Tertiary/Cretaceous exploration prospects located in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and onshore in South Louisiana. The Royalty Trust's reserve fund short-term investments include United States treasury securities. The Company's subject interests consist of approximately 20 specified Inboard Lower Tertiary/Cretaceous. The offshore subject interests consisted of exploration prospects, including Barataria, Barbosa, Blackbeard East, Blackbeard West, Blackbeard West, Bonnet, Calico Jack, Captain Blood, Davy Jones, Davy Jones West, Drake, England, Hook, Hurricane, Lafitte, Morgan, and Queen Anne's Revenge. The Company?s onshore subject interests consisted of Highlander, Lineham Creek, and Tortuga.

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.

Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust has a Value Score of 70, which is considered to be undervalued.

Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust’s price-earnings ratio is 3.7 compared to the industry median at 8.7. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust more attractive for value investors.

Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.40.

You can read more about Gulf Coast Ultra Deep 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.

Highpeak Energy Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

HighPeak Energy, Inc. is an independent crude oil and natural gas company. The Company is focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional crude oil and natural gas reserves in the Midland Basin in West Texas. It focuses on brownfield the Midland Basin and specifically the Howard and Borden Counties area of the Midland Basin. Its assets include certain rights, title and interests in crude oil and natural gas assets located primarily in Howard and Borden Counties, Texas, and to a lesser extent, Scurry and Mitchell Counties, Texas. Its assets are located in the northeastern part of the Midland Basin. The Midland Basin is part of the Permian Basin of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico. The Permian Basin covers an area of about 96,000 square miles and is comprised of five sub-regions including the Midland Basin, the Central Basin Platform, the Delaware Basin, the Northwest Shelf and the Eastern Shelf.

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.

Highpeak Energy Inc has a Value Score of 72, which is considered to be undervalued.

Highpeak Energy Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 10.5 compared to the industry median at 8.7. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Highpeak Energy Inc less attractive for value investors.

Highpeak Energy Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Highpeak Energy Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.40.

You can read more about Highpeak 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.

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 6 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.

• Chord Energy Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• VAALCO Energy, Inc. stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Evolution Petroleum Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Diamondback Energy Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Gulf Coast Ultra Deep Royalty Trust stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Highpeak Energy Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.

Now that you have a bit more background about each of the 6 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.

• 6 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Tuesday, March 26
• 3 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Monday, March 25
• Why Permian Basin Royalty Trust’s (PBT) Stock Is Down 4.04%
• Why VAALCO Energy, Inc.’s (EGY) Stock Is Up 12.64%

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