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 Tuesday, September 24, 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.

APA Corp (US)’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

APA Corporation is an independent energy company. The Company owns subsidiaries that explore for and produce oil and natural gas in the United States, Egypt, and the United Kingdom, and that explore for oil and natural gas offshore Suriname. The Company’s upstream business has oil and gas operations in three geographic areas: the United States, Egypt and offshore the United Kingdom in the North Sea (North Sea). It also has active exploration and appraisal operations ongoing in Suriname, as well as interests in Uruguay and other international locations. It maintains a diversified asset portfolio, including conventional and unconventional, onshore and offshore, oil and natural gas exploration and production interests. In the United States, operations are primarily focused on the Permian Basin of West Texas and Eastern New Mexico, with additional operations located in the Eagle Ford shale and Austin Chalk areas of Southeast Texas, offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, and along the Gulf Coast.

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.

APA Corp (US) has a Value Score of 82, which is considered to be undervalued.

When you look at APA Corp (US)’s price-to-sales ratio at 1.05 compared to the industry median at 2.15, this company has a lower price relative to revenue compared to its peers. This could make APA Corp (US)’s stock more attractive for value investors.

APA Corp (US)’s price-earnings ratio is 2.79 compared to the industry median at 11.15. This means it has a lower share price relative to earnings compared to its peers. This could make APA Corp (US) more attractive for value investors.

Now, let’s assess APA Corp (US)’s EV/EBITDA ratio, also known as enterprise multiple. At 3.6, when compared to the industry median of 5.2, 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. APA Corp (US)’s shareholder yield is lower than its industry median ratio of 0.63%. 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. APA Corp (US)’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its industry median ratio of 1.38. This could make APA Corp (US) less attractive to investors looking for a new addition to their portfolio.

Lastly, let’s take a look at APA Corp (US)’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio (P/FCF), which can indicate a company’s market value relative to its operating cash flow. APA Corp (US)’s price-to-free-cash-flow ratio is lower than its industry median ratio of 6.94. This could make APA Corp (US) more attractive because the lower P/FCF ratio indicates that APA Corp (US) 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.

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 86, which is considered to be undervalued.

Barnwell Industries Inc’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make Barnwell Industries Inc more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.

You can read more about Barnwell Industries 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.

ConocoPhillips’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

ConocoPhillips is an exploration and production company. The Company operates through six segments. The Alaska segment primarily explores for, produces, transports and markets crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The Lower 48 segment consists of operations located in the 48 contiguous United States and the Gulf of Mexico. Its Canada segments consist of the Surmont oil sands developments in Alberta and British Columbia. The Europe, Middle East and North Africa segment consists of operations principally located in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea, the Norwegian Sea, Qatar, Libya, and commercial and terminal operations in the United Kingdom. The Asia Pacific segment has exploration and production operations in China, Malaysia, Australia and commercial operations in China, Singapore, and Japan. The Other International segment includes interests in Colombia as well as contingencies associated with prior operations in other countries.

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.

ConocoPhillips has a Value Score of 62, which is considered to be undervalued.

ConocoPhillips’s price-earnings ratio is 12.2 compared to the industry median at 11.2. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes ConocoPhillips less attractive for value investors.

ConocoPhillips’s price-to-book ratio is lower than its peers. This could make ConocoPhillips more attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.

You can read more about ConocoPhillips’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 90, which is considered to be undervalued.

Devon Energy Corp’s price-earnings ratio is 7.5 compared to the industry median at 11.2. 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 1.38.

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.

Reserve Petroleum Co’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

The Reserve Petroleum Company is an independent oil and gas company. The Company is engaged in oil and natural gas exploration, development, and minerals management with areas of concentration in Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming. The Company’s principal properties are oil and natural gas properties. It has interests in approximately 879 producing properties with 76% of them being working interest properties and the remaining 24% being royalty interest properties. It owns non-producing mineral interests of 88,214 net acres out of 256,534 gross acres. These mineral interests are in twelve different states in the north and south-central United States. A total of 81,080 (92%) net acres are in the states of Arkansas, Kansas, Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming, the areas of concentration for the Company in its exploration and development programs. Its subsidiaries include Grand Woods Development, LLC and Trinity Water Services, LLC.

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.

Reserve Petroleum Co has a Value Score of 77, which is considered to be undervalued.

Reserve Petroleum Co’s price-earnings ratio is 32.2 compared to the industry median at 11.2. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Reserve Petroleum Co less attractive for value investors.

Reserve Petroleum Co’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Reserve Petroleum Co less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.

You can read more about Reserve Petroleum 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.

Veren Inc’s Value Grade

Value Grade:

Veren Inc. is a Canada-based oil producer with assets in central Alberta and southeast and southwest Saskatchewan. The principal activities of the Company are acquiring, developing and holding interests in petroleum and natural gas properties and assets related thereto through a general partnership and wholly owned subsidiaries. Its core operational areas include Kaybob Duvernay and Alberta Montney, Shaunavon and Viewfield Bakken. Its Kaybob Duvernay is situated in the heart of the condensate rich fairway, Central Alberta, which provides low risk drilling inventory. Its Alberta Montney assets sit adjacent to its Kaybob Duvernay lands, possessing similar resource characteristics including pay thickness and permeability in the volatile oil fairway of the reservoir. Its Shaunavon resource play is located in southwest Saskatchewan. The Viewfield Bakken light oil pool is located in Saskatchewan.

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.

Veren Inc has a Value Score of 86, which is considered to be undervalued.

Veren Inc’s price-earnings ratio is 11.4 compared to the industry median at 11.2. This means that it has a higher price relative to its earnings compared to its peers. This makes Veren Inc less attractive for value investors.

Veren Inc’s price-to-book ratio is higher than its peers. This could make Veren Inc less attractive for value investors when compared to the industry median at 1.38.

You can read more about Veren 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.

• APA Corp (US) stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Barnwell Industries Inc stock has a Value Grade of A.
• ConocoPhillips stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Devon Energy Corp stock has a Value Grade of A.
• Reserve Petroleum Co stock has a Value Grade of B.
• Veren Inc 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 Tuesday, September 24
• 3 Undervalued Oil & Gas - Exploration and Production Stocks for Monday, September 23
• Why Antero Resources Corp’s (AR) Stock Is Up 5.25%
• Why LandBridge Co LLC’s (LB) Stock Is Up 6.34%

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.