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.

Click the button below to learn more about A+ Investor and subscribe today.

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 Thursday, May 30, 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.

Barnwell Industries Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Barnwell Industries, Inc. is engaged in three businesses: acquiring, developing, producing and selling oil and natural gas in Canada and Oklahoma; investing in land interests in Hawaii; and drilling wells and installing and repairing water pumping systems in Hawaii. The Company operates through three segments: Oil and Natural Gas, Land Investment, and Contract Drilling. Oil and Natural Gas Segment is engaged in oil and natural gas development, production, acquisitions and sales in Canada and Oklahoma. It invests in oil and natural gas properties, which are located in Alberta, Canada and Oklahoma. Land Investment segment is entitled to receive contingent residual payments from the entities that previously purchased the Company?s land investment interests under contracts entered into in prior years. Contract Drilling segment provides well drilling services and water pumping system installation and repairs in Hawaii.

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.

Barnwell Industries Inc has a Value Score of 69, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at Barnwell Industries Inc’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.22 compared to the industry median at 2.44, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make Barnwell Industries Inc’s stock more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess Barnwell Industries Inc’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 7.4, when compared to the industry median of 5.3, 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. Barnwell Industries Inc’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of 2.06%. 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. Barnwell Industries Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.48. This could make Barnwell Industries Inc less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at Barnwell Industries Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. Barnwell Industries Inc’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 8.66. This could make Barnwell Industries Inc less attractive because the higher P/FCF ratio indicates that Barnwell Industries 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.

California Resources Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

California Resources Corporation is an independent energy and carbon management company committed to energy transition. It produces the lowest carbon intensity oil in the United States. It is in the early stages of developing several carbon capture and storage projects in California. Its carbon management business, Carbon TerraVault, is focused on building, installing, operating, and maintaining carbon dioxide (CO2) capture equipment, transportation assets and storage facilities in California. It has operations in oil and gas basins, including San Joaquin Basin, Los Angeles Basin, Sacramento Basin, and other. It holds substantially all the working, surface and mineral interests in the Elk Hills field, which is its largest producing asset in the San Joaquin basin, and has a large ownership interest in several other oil fields located in the San Joaquin basin, including Buena Vista and Coles Levee. The Los Angeles Basin is a northwest-trending plain about 50 miles long and 20 miles wide.

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.

California Resources Corp has a Value Score of 70, which is considered to be undervalued.

California Resources Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 13.3 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes California Resources Corp less attractive for value investors.

California Resources Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make California Resources Corp fairly attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.48.

You can read more about California Resources 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.

Devon Energy Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Devon Energy Corporation is an oil and gas producer in the United States with a multi-basin portfolio. The Company is primarily engaged in the exploration, development and production of oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs). Its oil and gas properties include Delaware Basin, Eagle Ford, Anadarko Basin, Williston Basin and Powder River Basin. The Delaware Basin operates in southeast New Mexico and across the state line into west Texas. It offers exploration and development opportunities from many geologic reservoirs and play types, including the oil-rich Wolfcamp, Bone Spring, Avalon and Delaware formations. The Eagle Ford operations are located in Texas' DeWitt and Karnes counties. The Anadarko Basin has around four-operated rig program associated with a joint venture. Its position in the Williston is located entirely on the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota. The Powder River Basin is focused on emerging oil opportunities in Wyoming's Powder River 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.

Devon Energy Corp has a Value Score of 77, which is considered to be undervalued.

Devon Energy Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 8.9 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Devon Energy Corp more attractive for value investors.

Devon Energy Corp’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Devon Energy Corp more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.48.

You can read more about Devon Energy 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.

Gulfport Energy Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Gulfport Energy Corporation is an independent natural gas-weighted exploration and production company. It is focused on the exploration, acquisition and production of natural gas, crude oil, and natural gas liquid (NGL) in the United States with primary focus on the Appalachia and Anadarko basins. Its principal properties are located in eastern Ohio targeting the Utica and Marcellus formations and in central Oklahoma targeting the SCOOP Woodford and SCOOP Springer formations. The Utica covers hydrocarbon-bearing rock formations located in the Appalachian Basin of the United States and Canada. It has about 193,000 net reservoir acres located primarily in Belmont, Harrison, Jefferson and Monroe Counties in eastern Ohio where the Utica ranges in thickness from 600 to over 750 feet. The SCOOP play mainly targets the Devonian to Mississippian aged Woodford, Sycamore and Springer formations. It has about 73,000 net reservoir acres, located primarily in Garvin, Grady and Stephens Counties.

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.

Gulfport Energy Corp has a Value Score of 85, which is considered to be undervalued.

Gulfport Energy Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 3.5 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Gulfport Energy Corp more attractive for value investors.

Gulfport Energy Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Gulfport Energy Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.48.

You can read more about Gulfport Energy 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.

PermRock Royalty Trust’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

PermRock Royalty Trust (the Trust) is a statutory trust. The Trust owns a net profits interest representing the right to receive 80% of the net profits from the sale of oil and natural gas production from certain properties owned by Boaz Energy II, LLC (Boaz Energy) in the Permian Basin of West Texas. The underlying properties consist of about 31,354 gross (22,394 net) acres in the Permian Basin. The Permian Basin extends over 75,000 square miles in West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico. The underlying properties consist of four operating areas. Permian Clearfork area consists of about 2,434 net acres on the Central Basin Platform of the Permian Basin in Hockley and Terry Counties, Texas. Permian Abo area consists of about 1,667 net acres on the Central Basin Platform of the Permian Basin in Terry and Cochran Counties, Texas. Permian Shelf area consists of about 14,390 net acres on the Eastern Shelf of the Permian Basin. Permian Platform area consists of about 3,903 net acres.

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.

PermRock Royalty Trust has a Value Score of 75, which is considered to be undervalued.

PermRock Royalty Trust’s price-earnings ratio is 9.1 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes PermRock Royalty Trust more attractive for value investors.

PermRock Royalty Trust’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make PermRock Royalty Trust less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.48.

You can read more about PermRock 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.

Unit Corp’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Unit Corporation is a natural gas contract drilling company. The Company is primarily engaged in the development, acquisition, and production of oil and natural gas properties, the land contract drilling of natural gas and oil wells, and the buying, selling, gathering, processing, and treating of natural gas. The Company operates through three segments: Oil and Natural Gas, Contract Drilling, and Mid-Stream. The Oil and Natural Gas segment explores, develops, acquires, and produces oil and natural gas properties for its own account. The Contract Drilling segment contracts to drill onshore oil and natural gas wells for others and for its own account. The Mid-Stream segment buys, sells, gathers, processes, and treats natural gas for third parties and for its own account. The Company’s producing oil and natural gas properties, unproved properties, and related assets are primarily located in Oklahoma and Texas, in addition to Arkansas, Kansas, and North Dakota to a lesser extent.

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.

Unit Corp has a Value Score of 98, which is considered to be undervalued.

Unit Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 1.5 compared to the industry median at 11.6. This means that it has a lower price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Unit Corp more attractive for value investors.

Unit Corp’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Unit Corp less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.48.

You can read more about Unit 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.

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.

• Barnwell Industries Inc stock has a Value Grade of B.
• California Resources Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Devon Energy Corp stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Gulfport Energy Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• PermRock Royalty Trust stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Unit Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.

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 Thursday, May 30
• 7 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Wednesday, May 29
• Why Marathon Oil Corp’s (MRO) Stock Is Up 8.43%
• Why Permian Basin Royalty Trust’s (PBT) Stock Is Down 4.04%

AAII Disclaimer

We make no representations or warranties that any investor will, or is likely to, achieve profits similar to those shown, because past, hypothetical or simulated performance is not necessarily indicative of future results. Before making an investment decision, you should consider your circumstances and whether the information on our content is applicable to your situation. This information was prepared in good faith and we accept no liability for any errors or omissions. The full disclaimer can be read here.