September 30, 2016: Markets opened higher again Friday after Deutsche Bank CEO John Cryan assured employees that the bank’s capital position was better and more liquid than it had been in 2007. Eight of 11 sectors traded in the green Friday, led by financials and energy. After recovering from sharp drop in the early hours, WTI crude oil for November delivery settled at $48.24 a barrel, up 0.9% for the day. WTI futures gained 7.9% for the month of September, but lost 0.2% for the third quarter. December gold closed down 0.7% on the day to settle at $1,317.10. The yellow metal finished the month up about 0.4% but lost nearly 0.3% over the course of the third quarter. Equities were headed for a higher close shortly before the bell as the DJIA traded up by 1.14% for the day, the S&P 500 traded up 1.04%, and the Nasdaq Composite traded up 0.99%.

The DJIA stock posting the largest daily percentage gain ahead of the close Friday was Wal-Mart Stores Inc. (NYSE: WMT) which traded up 2.22% at $72.30. The stock’s 52-week range is $56.30 to $75.19. Volume was about 20% below the daily average of around 8.2 million shares. The company was raised to Overweight at KeyBanc Capital Markets this morning.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA) is raised to Buy from Hold at Argus with a $56 price target. That competes with the Wall Street consensus target of $46.19. The 52-week trading range for the company is $33.60 to $51.21. The stock closed Friday at $42.24.

• [By John Bromels]

  When most people think about oil and gas drillers, they think about integrated majors like ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) or maybe a producer whose name they’ve seen on a gas station, like Hess (NYSE:HES). One most don’t think about is Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA). 

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Kinder Morgan is already building a multibillion-dollar gas pipeline out of the Permian Basin after starting work on the Gulf Coast Express (GCX) in the first quarter. The company is developing that $1.75 billion pipeline in a partnership with Targa Resources and DCP Midstream. GCX will transport up to 1.98 Bcf/d of natural gas from shippers such as Apache (NYSE:APA), which not only signed a transportation agreement, but holds an option to buy a 15% stake in the pipeline from Kinder Morgan.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Halcyon (HAL) is a PoW/PoS coin that uses the
  X15 hashing algorithm. Its genesis date was July 16th, 2014. Halcyon’s total supply is 6,668,787 coins. Halcyon’s official website is halcyon.top. Halcyon’s official Twitter account is @halcyondev.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  SemGroup (NYSE: SEMG) and Halliburton (NYSE:HAL) are both oils/energy companies, but which is the superior investment? We will compare the two businesses based on the strength of their dividends, analyst recommendations, earnings, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability and risk.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Halcyon (CURRENCY:HAL) traded up 0.4% against the U.S. dollar during the one day period ending at 13:00 PM E.T. on September 9th. Over the last seven days, Halcyon has traded 40.7% lower against the U.S. dollar. Halcyon has a market capitalization of $171,200.00 and $23.00 worth of Halcyon was traded on exchanges in the last day. One Halcyon coin can currently be bought for approximately $0.0272 or 0.00000426 BTC on cryptocurrency exchanges.

• [By Jason Hall, Tyler Crowe, and Matthew DiLallo]

  Not only are these pipeline issues impacting producers, but they’re also starting to pinch the profits of oil-field service companies. Halliburton (NYSE:HAL), for example, recently said that while “we thought there would be a downturn in activity [in the Permian] due to budget constraints and takeaway issues… it’s more than we expected.” Because of those issues and some others, Halliburton’s third-quarter results will come in $0.08 to $0.10 per share below expectations. Meanwhile, its outlook for 2019 is dimming due to the slowdown. 

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Halliburton (HAL)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Todd Shriber, ETF Professor]

  IEZ is also a top-heavy fund. Just two stocks — Schlumberger NV (NYSE: SLB) and Halliburton Inc. (NYSE: HAL) — combine for almost 26 percent of the fund's weight. Underscoring the correlation to oil prices, IEZ has a three-year standard deviation of 30 percent, indicating this ETF is far more volatile than standard diversified energy funds.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: ConocoPhillips(COP)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Intersect Capital LLC lowered its stake in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 13.1% during the second quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The institutional investor owned 8,221 shares of the energy producer’s stock after selling 1,237 shares during the period. Intersect Capital LLC’s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $572,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) was started with an Outperform rating at BMO Capital Markets with a $74 price target. The Wall Street consensus target for the oil giant is set at $74.35. The shares ended trading Friday at $69.43.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec raised its position in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 285.9% in the 1st quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 652,900 shares of the energy producer’s stock after purchasing an additional 483,700 shares during the quarter. Caisse DE Depot ET Placement DU Quebec owned 0.06% of ConocoPhillips worth $38,710,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is starting to become an income growth machine once again. While the U.S. oil giant has a blemished dividend history after slashing its payout by two-thirds in 2016 — wiping out more than a decade of growth — the company restarted its dividend growth engine last year. It has now boosted its payout three times in less than two years and appears as if it has plenty of fuel to continue expanding the payout, making it an appealing dividend growth stock for investors to consider.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on ConocoPhillips (COP)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Marathon Oil Corporation(MRO)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Thursday was a volatile day on Wall Street, as major stock indexes lost a lot of ground early in the day but then rebounded to finished mixed. Gains for the Nasdaq Composite came even as Dow Jones Industrial Average fell modestly, and although investors spent much of the session trying to parse through the implications of the latest economic report on retail sales, earnings played a key role in moving many well-known stocks. Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), AstraZeneca (NYSE:AZN), and Bloomin’ Brands (NASDAQ:BLMN) were among the top performers. Here’s why they did so well.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO), likewise, said it would stick with its $2.3 billion drilling budget, which is enough money to grow oil and gas production in the U.S. by 25% to 30% versus last year. Because of that capital discipline, Marathon is on pace to produce more than $500 million in excess cash this year, and that’s assuming crude averages $60 a barrel.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Melrose Industries (LON:MRO) had its price target upped by Numis Securities from GBX 250 ($3.39) to GBX 280 ($3.80) in a research report report published on Monday morning. They currently have a buy rating on the stock.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) put the wraps on a strong year by delivering solid fourth-quarter results, which came in slightly ahead of expectations. With that, the company exceeded its initial growth projection for the year while sticking to its budget, and was thus able to generate and return lots of cash to shareholders. The company expects more of the same in 2019 as its drilling machine aims to continue printing money.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Whiting Petroleum Corporation(WLL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp. (NYSE: WLL) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight with a $71 target price (versus a $50.48 close) at Morgan Stanley.

  Tuesday’s top analyst upgrades and downgrades included DocuSign, Embraer, Goodyear, Macy’s, Micron Technologies, Raytheon, Smartsheet and more.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) – Stock analysts at Jefferies Financial Group increased their Q2 2019 earnings estimates for Whiting Petroleum in a research note issued on Wednesday, February 13th. Jefferies Financial Group analyst M. Lear now forecasts that the oil and gas exploration company will earn $0.30 per share for the quarter, up from their previous estimate of $0.28. Jefferies Financial Group also issued estimates for Whiting Petroleum’s Q3 2019 earnings at $0.22 EPS.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL)’s share price gapped down before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $46.75, but opened at $48.93. Whiting Petroleum shares last traded at $50.12, with a volume of 80658 shares trading hands.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Sheaff Brock Investment Advisors LLC purchased a new position in Whiting Petroleum Co. (NYSE:WLL) in the first quarter, according to the company in its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm purchased 14,439 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $489,000.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Encana Corporation(ECA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Sentinel Trust Co. LBA lessened its stake in shares of Encana Corp (NYSE:ECA) (TSE:ECA) by 37.4% in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The firm owned 328,255 shares of the oil and gas company’s stock after selling 195,760 shares during the quarter. Encana accounts for about 1.0% of Sentinel Trust Co. LBA’s investment portfolio, making the stock its 26th largest position. Sentinel Trust Co. LBA’s holdings in Encana were worth $4,283,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  COPYRIGHT VIOLATION NOTICE: “FDx Advisors Inc. Takes Position in Encana Corp (ECA)” was first posted by Ticker Report and is owned by of Ticker Report. If you are viewing this article on another website, it was copied illegally and reposted in violation of United States and international copyright laws. The correct version of this article can be accessed at www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4202858/fdx-advisors-inc-takes-position-in-encana-corp-eca.html.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Encana (NYSE:ECA) (TSE:ECA) had its target price raised by Morgan Stanley from $16.00 to $20.00 in a research report report published on Wednesday morning. Morgan Stanley currently has a buy rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.(MMP)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Oil and gas investors have been through the wringer over the past few years. Even the most stable investments in this industry — pipelines, processing, and logistics — haven’t been spared. Case in point: Shares of Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) have declined 18% over the past three years despite the company posting consistent revenue and cash flow growth. To top it off, there has been a slew of regulatory and tax changes in recent months that will have a significant impact on this particular industry.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  The best dividend growth stocks are those that give their investors a raise year in and year out. However, some companies aim even higher by providing their investors with increases every quarter. Two of these dividend dynamos are Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP) and MPLX (NYSE:MPLX), which both should have plenty of fuel to continue increasing their payouts each quarter for at least the next few years. 

• [By ]

  Crude prices recovered sharply from the profit-taking that we saw ahead of yesterday’s news events, and it is in the Saudis’ best interest to maintain higher market prices as long as the Saudi Aramco deal remains in the future. That said, the U.S. dollar continues to strengthen versus the greenback’s peers, and that could act as a weight upon all commodity prices if that condition were to persist.

  Trade Idea: Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP)

  You’ve heard all about the bottlenecks in domestic distribution. Now, you’ve heard Secretary Mnuchin talk about production. Still, we have to get this stuff to market. When it comes to energy, I have focused on oil services, hence my well-known long positions in both Action Alerts PLUS holding Schlumberger (SLB) , and Halliburton (HAL) .

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  TRADEMARK VIOLATION NOTICE: “Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (MMP) Shares Sold by Tdam USA Inc.” was first reported by Ticker Report and is the sole property of of Ticker Report. If you are accessing this news story on another site, it was illegally stolen and reposted in violation of US and international trademark and copyright laws. The original version of this news story can be viewed at www.tickerreport.com/banking-finance/4134187/magellan-midstream-partners-l-p-mmp-shares-sold-by-tdam-usa-inc.html.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Transocean Inc.(RIG)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Transocean (NYSE:RIG) was upgraded by analysts at Royal Bank of Canada from a “sector perform” rating to an “outperform” rating in a research note issued to investors on Thursday, Marketbeat reports.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Shares of RigNet are up more than 18% since the announcement. However, the company’s stock price had been in rally mode well before that news, rocketing 75% since the end of July. While some notable improvements in its second-quarter results likely helped ignite this rally, the company is also benefiting from the belief that the long-awaited offshore drilling recovery is beginning to unfold. The most recent comments supporting that view came from Transocean’s (NYSE:RIG) CEO Jeremy Thigpen. He stated last week that he expects lease rates on rigs to improve, and that contracting activity should pick up in late 2019. Based on that outlook, he said that “we are far more bullish than we have been historically,” which is one reason Transocean recently made another major acquisition.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) gapped down prior to trading on Thursday . The stock had previously closed at $13.41, but opened at $13.13. Transocean shares last traded at $12.81, with a volume of 16922465 shares trading hands.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Quantitative Systematic Strategies LLC bought a new stake in Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) during the 1st quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The institutional investor bought 13,609 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock, valued at approximately $135,000.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Transocean Ltd  (NYSE:RIG)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 19, 2019, 9:00 a.m. ET

  Contents:
  Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
  Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Range Resources Corporation(RRC)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe, Matthew DiLallo, and Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  So we asked three of our investing contributors to each highlight a company they think has a compelling investment case right now in the oil and gas industry. Here’s why they selected Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN), Range Resources (NYSE:RRC), and ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM).

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Seaport Global Securities raised their Q4 2018 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Range Resources in a note issued to investors on Wednesday, May 23rd. Seaport Global Securities analyst M. Kelly now anticipates that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings per share of $0.12 for the quarter, up from their previous forecast of $0.11. Seaport Global Securities has a “Neutral” rating on the stock. Seaport Global Securities also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q1 2019 earnings at $0.36 EPS, Q3 2019 earnings at $0.18 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.26 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $0.98 EPS.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies issued their Q3 2018 earnings per share estimates for shares of Range Resources in a report issued on Sunday, October 7th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst K. Harrison expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.17 per share for the quarter. Piper Jaffray Companies currently has a “Buy” rating and a $27.00 target price on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q4 2018 earnings at $0.16 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $0.88 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $0.38 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $0.33 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.47 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $1.58 EPS, Q1 2020 earnings at $0.63 EPS, Q2 2020 earnings at $0.42 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $0.45 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $2.02 EPS.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Williams Pipeline Partners LP (NYSE:WPZ) – US Capital Advisors decreased their Q3 2018 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for shares of Williams Pipeline Partners in a research note issued to investors on Monday, May 14th. US Capital Advisors analyst B. Followill now forecasts that the pipeline company will post earnings per share of $0.39 for the quarter, down from their previous forecast of $0.41. US Capital Advisors also issued estimates for Williams Pipeline Partners’ Q4 2018 earnings at $0.45 EPS and FY2019 earnings at $1.87 EPS.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  The stock market stayed in a pretty narrow range on Thursday, climbing early in the session but then slowly drifting lower through the afternoon hours. In the absence of major news, investors largely looked forward to key events like trade negotiations among the world’s largest economies. Other financial markets saw mixed moves as well, with 10-year Treasury yields climbing above 3.1% while oil prices stayed comfortably above $70 per barrel. Despite the quiet day, some companies had good news that pushed their shares sharply higher. World Wrestling Entertainment (NYSE:WWE), Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK), and Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) were among the best performers on the day. Below, we’ll look more closely at these stocks to tell you why they did so well.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Barclays set a $46.00 price target on Williams Pipeline Partners (NYSE:WPZ) in a research note published on Saturday. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the pipeline company’s stock.

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  There’s an interesting dichotomy here, however. Crestwood was looking to stay financially disciplined, but it also needed to invest to grow. Doing both at the same time is difficult, which is why it partnered up with Con Ed in the Marcellus region, Shell Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:SHLX) and First Reserve in the Delaware Basin, and Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) in the Powder River basin. These agreements allow Crestwood to keep expanding its business without having to foot the entire bill for the investments.

• [By Lisa Levin] Gainers
  Carver Bancorp, Inc. (NASDAQ: CARV) shares jumped 92.1 percent to $7.01.
  iPic Entertainment Inc. (NASDAQ: IPIC) gained 21.6 percent to $9.73.
  Baozun Inc. (NASDAQ: BZUN) shares jumped 18.7 percent to $53.49 after reporting Q1 results.
  World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (NYSE: WWE) shares jumped 15.9 percent to $50.50. The company's "Smackdown Live" may not be renewed at NBCUniversal network and the company's "Monday Night Raw" program could be worth three times its current value elsewhere, according to a report for The Hollywood Reporter.
  Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NASDAQ: SPPI) gained 14.7 percent to $ 20.46 after the company issued further details on Phase 3 ADVANCE study of ROLONTIS.
  Motus GI Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: MOTS) climbed 13.4 percent to $5.5009.
  Endocyte, Inc. (NASDAQ: ECYT) rose 13.3 percent to $ 14.23 after the company announced presentation of Phase 2 data from prostate cancer trial of 177Lu-PSMA-617 at the 2018 ASCO Annual Meeting.
  Diana Containerships Inc. (NASDAQ: DCIX) gained 12.9 percent to $1.7499 after the company announced the sale of Post-Panamax Container Vessel for $21 million.
  Essendant Inc. (NASDAQ: ESND) gained 12.7 percent to $12.43. Essendant confirmed receipt of unsolicited proposal from Staples of $11.50 per share in cash.
  Blink Charging Co (NASDAQ: BLNK) rose 11.8 percent to $8.04 after surging 31.68 percent on Wednesday.
  OptimumBank Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: OPHC) gained 11.5 percent to $5.15.
  Flotek Industries, Inc. (NYSE: FTK) shares climbed 10.7 percent to $3.74.
  Farmer Bros. Co. (NASDAQ: FARM) rose 7.9 percent to $25.95 after climbing 7.90 percent on Wednesday.
  Minerva Neurosciences Inc (NASDAQ: NERV) rose 6.5 percent to $6.93 after Journal of Clinical Psychiatry published positive results of cognitive performance from Phase 2B trial of roluperidone in schizophrenia patients.
  Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) rose 5.6 percent to $40

Strategic Wealth Advisors Group LLC raised its holdings in shares of BP (NYSE:BP) by 121.0% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 100,266 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock after acquiring an additional 54,900 shares during the period. Strategic Wealth Advisors Group LLC’s holdings in BP were worth $4,064,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Other hedge funds and other institutional investors have also made changes to their positions in the company. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. increased its holdings in shares of BP by 121.3% during the 4th quarter. Itau Unibanco Holding S.A. now owns 2,740 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $115,000 after purchasing an additional 1,502 shares in the last quarter. Pinnacle Wealth Planning Services Inc. purchased a new position in shares of BP during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $129,000. Truewealth LLC purchased a new position in shares of BP during the 4th quarter valued at approximately $138,000. Smart Portfolios LLC purchased a new position in shares of BP during the 1st quarter valued at approximately $142,000. Finally, Baystate Wealth Management LLC increased its holdings in shares of BP by 832.8% during the 4th quarter. Baystate Wealth Management LLC now owns 3,302 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock valued at $143,000 after purchasing an additional 2,948 shares in the last quarter. Institutional investors and hedge funds own 10.25% of the company’s stock.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Garrett Baldwin]

  Earnings season is now in full swing, with today’s key reports from Alphabet Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOGL) and Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL). Thanks to tax cuts, expectations are high. Analysts expect profit growth to top 18%, which would be the biggest jump in seven years. But there are a few bearish trends that are still lurking in the market. And if you’re serious about making money, you need to know how to harness them and target individual stocks for life-changing gains. Money Morning Quantitative Specialist Chris Johnson explains.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Halliburton (NYSE:HAL)’s share price gapped up prior to trading on Friday . The stock had previously closed at $42.90, but opened at $44.92. Halliburton shares last traded at $46.22, with a volume of 15095300 shares traded.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) reported first-quarter 2018 results before markets opened Monday. The oil and gas services company posted adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.41 on revenues of $5.74 billion. In the same period a year ago, the company reported EPS of $0.04 on revenues of $4.28 billion. First-quarter results also compare to consensus estimates for EPS of $0.41 per share and $5.75 billion in revenues.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Halliburton (HAL)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Encana Corporation(ECA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Today, however, many drillers are setting a high bar for new wells. EOG Resources (NYSE:EOG) has been one of the leaders in disrupting the former way of thinking by establishing a high return hurdle rate for new wells of 30% after-tax at $40 oil. Others followed with similar return-focused approaches, including Encana (NYSE:ECA), which needs locations to achieve a 35% after-tax return at $50 oil to meet its premium hurdle rate. 

• [By Keith Noonan, Travis Hoium, and Matthew DiLallo]

  We asked three Motley Fool investors to profile some of the best under-the-radar growth stocks on the market today. Read on to see why they selected Encana (NYSE:ECA), Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), and Baozun (NASDAQ:BZUN) as top growth stocks for in-the-know investors.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded 8% higher against the U.S. dollar during the 1-day period ending at 22:00 PM ET on June 20th. In the last week, Electra has traded 12.6% higher against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market capitalization of $34.87 million and $128,874.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can now be purchased for $0.0014 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including Fatbtc, Novaexchange, CoinFalcon and CryptoBridge.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Morgan Stanley set a $19.00 price objective on Encana (NYSE:ECA) (TSE:ECA) in a report published on Friday morning. The brokerage currently has a buy rating on the oil and gas company’s stock.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  Electra (CURRENCY:ECA) traded down 5.1% against the U.S. dollar during the 24-hour period ending at 15:00 PM E.T. on June 12th. Over the last seven days, Electra has traded down 25.7% against the U.S. dollar. Electra has a market cap of $34.53 million and approximately $134,011.00 worth of Electra was traded on exchanges in the last 24 hours. One Electra coin can currently be bought for $0.0013 or 0.00000020 BTC on exchanges including CryptoBridge, Fatbtc, CoinFalcon and Coinhouse.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Canada’s Montney Shale doesn’t currently capture investors’ attention like the Permian Basin. However, that doesn’t mean it’s a second-tier play. Quite the contrary since, like the Permian, it’s a resource-rich region with as many as six drillable formations that produce highly economic liquids-rich natural gas. Because of those features, it has become an important growth driver for companies like Encana (NYSE:ECA).

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Apache Corporation (NYSE: APA) is raised to Buy from Hold at Argus with a $56 price target. That competes with the Wall Street consensus target of $46.19. The 52-week trading range for the company is $33.60 to $51.21. The stock closed Friday at $42.24.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Ramsay Stattman Vela & Price Inc. purchased a new stake in shares of Apache Co. (NYSE:APA) in the 2nd quarter, HoldingsChannel reports. The fund purchased 4,704 shares of the energy company’s stock, valued at approximately $220,000.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA) stunned the oil and gas world in late 2016 by announcing the discovery of the Alpine High play in a long-overlooked spot of the Permian Basin. The company believed that it had uncovered more than 3 billion barrels of oil and even more natural gas, which would drive growth for years to come. However, that growth wouldn’t materialize overnight because Apache first had to build out the infrastructure needed to develop the field from scratch. 

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: ConocoPhillips(COP)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Max Byerly]

  Berenberg Bank set a €49.00 ($55.68) price objective on Compugroup Medical (ETR:COP) in a report issued on Monday. The firm currently has a neutral rating on the stock.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  As oil prices rose through the first nine months of last year, it caused several of Marathon’s peers to boost their capital spending plans. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), for example, increased its budget twice, going from an initial level of $5.5 billion up to $6.1 billion by year-end. Meanwhile, Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC) set its budget range between $4.2 billion and $4.6 billion but ended up spending $4.8 billion. Marathon, on the other hand, had resisted the temptation to boost spending, keeping a tight lid on its budget at $2.3 billion.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on ConocoPhillips (COP)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is one of these leaders. The U.S. oil giant announced a multi-billion-dollar buyback in late 2016, which has helped catapult its stock 55% higher since then, vastly outperforming the nearly 23% gain from the iShares U.S. Oil & Gas Exploration & Production ETF (NYSEMKT:IEO), which holds more than 60 U.S.-focused oil and gas stocks. Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE:APC), meanwhile, has rallied almost 60% since unveiling a multi-billion-dollar buyback last fall, doubling the return of the iShares E&P ETF.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  While higher oil prices would be bad for oil consumers, it would benefit oil producers, especially those that can capture Brent-based prices, which are currently $10 a barrel more than the U.S. oil benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI). Multinational oil companies like ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and Chevron (NYSE:CVX) would be among those that benefit the most. In ConocoPhillips’ case, every $1-per-barrel change in the price of Brent would boost its cash flow by $105 million to $125 million during the course of a year, whereas that same increase would only improve its WTI-based cash flows by $45 million to $55 million. Meanwhile, Chevron produces an average of 575,000 BPD of oil and other liquids in the U.S. that fetch WTI-based prices while getting nearly 1.2 million BPD from places that capture Brent pricing. Because of their higher weighting toward Brent, Chevron and ConocoPhillips would earn more money per barrel if global oil prices rise in the wake of supply problems in Venezuela and Iran.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  A third factor to focus on is how an E&P company allocates its oil-fueled cash flows. Some oil companies take the “drill, baby, drill” mentality and spend everything that comes in, and then some, on new wells. That approach, however, can lead them to pile on debt, which can be their undoing during the next downturn. That’s why investors should look for oil companies that keep spending to within cash flow. Though the best ones spend much less than what comes in, which gives them excess cash that they can return to shareholders via dividends and buybacks. That more conservative approach helps ensure they don’t drill their own grave. An excellent example of an adept capital allocator is ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP). The U.S. oil giant aims to return 20% to 30% of its cash flow to investors via dividends and share buybacks each year while reinvesting the rest on oil projects that are profitable under $50 a barrel. Because of that more conservative approach, ConocoPhillips will avoid drilling itself into trouble by outspending cash flow on new wells to chase production growth. Many oil stocks provide detailed cash flow analysis on the most recent investor presentation posted to their website.  

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Natural gas pipeline giant Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) and its MLP Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) reported mixed second-quarter results after the close Wednesday. Earnings declined fractionally due to asset sales and some higher costs. Cash flow, on the other hand, moved slightly higher thanks in part to lower interest expenses as a result of  debt reduction. However, while both numbers underwhelmed in Q2, they should head much higher in the coming year because Williams has several expansion projects under way that should boost its bottom line.

• [By Lisa Levin]

  Analysts at Stifel Nicolaus downgraded Williams Partners L.P. (NYSE: WPZ) from Buy to Hold..

  Williams Partners shares fell 0.63 percent to close at $41.23 on Friday.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Simpler organizational structures could yield significant benefits for individual investors. In addition to being easier to follow and understand, it will make it easier than ever to own some of the most important pieces of energy infrastructure in the United States. The proposed merger between Williams Companies (NYSE:WMB) and Williams Partners LP (NYSE:WPZ) is a great example, as it owns some of the best natural gas infrastructure in the United States. Here’s why investors should be bullish on the multi-billion dollar merger.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Whiting Petroleum Corporation(WLL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp  (NYSE:WLL)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 27, 2019, 11:00 a.m. ET

  Contents:
  Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
  Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Whiting Petroleum (WLL)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) gapped up before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $53.25, but opened at $51.53. Whiting Petroleum shares last traded at $52.01, with a volume of 68181 shares.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.(MMP)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer, Travis Hoium, and Chuck Saletta]

  Often a high yield is an indication of a stock that’s facing some sort of trouble — but not always. If you take the time, you can find high-yield stocks worth buying if you look in the right places. For example, decidedly low-tech Lamar Advertising Company (NASDAQ:LAMR), beaten-up midstream player Magellan Midstream Partners, LP (NYSE:MMP), and renewable power-focused TerraForm Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:TERP) come from vastly different industries. However, each of these high-yield stocks has a solid business and good growth prospects.

• [By Danny Vena, Timothy Green, and Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  With that in mind, we asked three Motley Fool investors to choose companies they believed would help baby boomers reach their goals. They offered convincing arguments for Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P. (NYSE:MMP), General Motors Company (NYSE:GM), and Amazon.com, Inc. (NASDAQ:AMZN).

• [By John Bromels]

  Three companies that the market has walloped are Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), and General Motors (NYSE:GM). Here’s why these stocks look like bargains, and why today might be a good time to scoop up some shares. 

• [By Max Byerly]

  Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE: MMP) and Noble Midstream Partners (NYSE:NBLX) are both oils/energy companies, but which is the better investment? We will contrast the two companies based on the strength of their risk, dividends, profitability, valuation, institutional ownership, analyst recommendations and earnings.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Marathon Oil Corporation(MRO)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Marathon Oil Co. (NYSE:MRO) VP Thomas Mitchell Little sold 117,333 shares of the company’s stock in a transaction on Friday, September 14th. The shares were sold at an average price of $20.69, for a total value of $2,427,619.77. Following the completion of the sale, the vice president now owns 394,569 shares of the company’s stock, valued at approximately $8,163,632.61. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through the SEC website.

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  Back in 2011, Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) elected to spin off Marathon Petroleum. At the time, much of the reasoning for the split was that both entities would garner higher valuations than as an integrated company. Also, by separating them, both could best allocate capital to grow shareholder value. 

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Melrose Industries (LON:MRO) issued its earnings results on Thursday. The company reported GBX 5.80 ($0.07) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the Zacks’ consensus estimate of GBX 4.40 ($0.06) by GBX 1.40 ($0.02), Digital Look Earnings reports. Melrose Industries had a negative return on equity of 4.75% and a negative net margin of 4.58%.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) put the wraps on a strong year by delivering solid fourth-quarter results, which came in slightly ahead of expectations. With that, the company exceeded its initial growth projection for the year while sticking to its budget, and was thus able to generate and return lots of cash to shareholders. The company expects more of the same in 2019 as its drilling machine aims to continue printing money.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Transocean Inc.(RIG)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Jason Hall]

  So what’s an investor to do? Owning the companies best-positioned to profit is a great place to start. Consider two of Big Oil’s finest in Royal Dutch Shell plc (ADR) (NYSE:RDS-A)(NYSE:RDS-B) and Total SA (ADR) (NYSE:TOT), offshore driller Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) and natural gas for transportation specialist Clean Energy Fuels Corp (NASDAQ:CLNE).

• [By Max Byerly]

  Ocean Rig UDW (NYSE: RIG) and Transocean (NYSE:RIG) are both mid-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the superior business? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their profitability, earnings, valuation, risk, dividends, analyst recommendations and institutional ownership.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Shares of RigNet are up more than 18% since the announcement. However, the company’s stock price had been in rally mode well before that news, rocketing 75% since the end of July. While some notable improvements in its second-quarter results likely helped ignite this rally, the company is also benefiting from the belief that the long-awaited offshore drilling recovery is beginning to unfold. The most recent comments supporting that view came from Transocean’s (NYSE:RIG) CEO Jeremy Thigpen. He stated last week that he expects lease rates on rigs to improve, and that contracting activity should pick up in late 2019. Based on that outlook, he said that “we are far more bullish than we have been historically,” which is one reason Transocean recently made another major acquisition.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) shares traded down 5.4% on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $8.03 and last traded at $8.35. 14,556,095 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 5% from the average session volume of 13,824,703 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.83.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Watch For 2019: Range Resources Corporation(RRC)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Equities research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies issued their Q3 2018 earnings per share estimates for shares of Range Resources in a report issued on Sunday, October 7th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst K. Harrison expects that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.17 per share for the quarter. Piper Jaffray Companies currently has a “Buy” rating and a $27.00 target price on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q4 2018 earnings at $0.16 EPS, FY2018 earnings at $0.88 EPS, Q1 2019 earnings at $0.38 EPS, Q2 2019 earnings at $0.33 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.47 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $1.58 EPS, Q1 2020 earnings at $0.63 EPS, Q2 2020 earnings at $0.42 EPS, Q3 2020 earnings at $0.45 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $2.02 EPS.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) fell about 4.4% Tuesday to post a new 52-week low of $14.43 after closing at $15.09 on Monday. The 52-week high is $34.93. Volume of about 15 million was nearly double the daily average of around 7.7 million shares traded. The company had no specific news.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The stock posting the largest daily percentage gain in the S&P 500 ahead of the close Monday was Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) which rose about 6% to $16.05. The stock’s 52-week range is $11.93 to $25.96. Volume was 8.6 million compared to the daily average volume of 7.4 million.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Range Resources (RRC)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Media headlines about Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) have been trending somewhat positive on Saturday, Accern Sentiment Analysis reports. The research group identifies positive and negative press coverage by monitoring more than twenty million news and blog sources in real-time. Accern ranks coverage of public companies on a scale of -1 to 1, with scores nearest to one being the most favorable. Range Resources earned a daily sentiment score of 0.07 on Accern’s scale. Accern also gave media headlines about the oil and gas exploration company an impact score of 46.3371462950661 out of 100, indicating that recent press coverage is somewhat unlikely to have an effect on the stock’s share price in the near future.

Pre-open movers

U.S. stock futures traded higher in early pre-market trade. The Chicago Fed National Activity Index for April is schedule for release at 8:30 a.m. ET. Atlanta Fed President Raphael Bostic is set to speak at 12:15 p.m. ET, while Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank President Patrick Harker will speak at 2:15 p.m. ET. Minneapolis Federal Reserve President Neel Kashkariis set to speak at 5:30 p.m. ET.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 224 points to 24,945.00, while the Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures rose 15.50 points to 2,728.50. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index gained 44.25 points to 6,918.25.

Oil prices traded higher as Brent crude futures rose 0.37 percent to trade at $79.59 per barrel, while US WTI crude futures gained 0.06 percent to trade at $71.53 a barrel. The Baker Hughes North American rig count report for the latest week will be released at 1:00 p.m. ET.

A Peek Into Global Markets

European markets were higher today, with the Spanish Ibex Index falling 0.32 percent, STOXX Europe 600 Index declining 0.16 percent and German DAX 30 index dropping 0.04 percent. The UK's FTSE index was trading lower by 0.13 percent, while French CAC 40 Index rose 0.02 percent.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Williams Partners L.P.(WPZ)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  There’s an interesting dichotomy here, however. Crestwood was looking to stay financially disciplined, but it also needed to invest to grow. Doing both at the same time is difficult, which is why it partnered up with Con Ed in the Marcellus region, Shell Midstream Partners LP (NYSE:SHLX) and First Reserve in the Delaware Basin, and Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) in the Powder River basin. These agreements allow Crestwood to keep expanding its business without having to foot the entire bill for the investments.

• [By Shane Hupp]

  SG Americas Securities LLC lowered its holdings in Williams Pipeline Partners LP (NYSE:WPZ) by 27.7% in the 1st quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 37,682 shares of the pipeline company’s stock after selling 14,458 shares during the quarter. SG Americas Securities LLC’s holdings in Williams Pipeline Partners were worth $1,297,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Barclays set a $46.00 price target on Williams Pipeline Partners (NYSE:WPZ) in a research note published on Saturday. The brokerage currently has a hold rating on the pipeline company’s stock.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Overall, earnings at both Williams and its MLP Williams Partners (NYSE:WPZ) were down slightly versus the year-ago period due to asset sales, while cash flow modestly increased thanks to lower interest expenses.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Whiting Petroleum Corporation(WLL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Here are some of the media stories that may have impacted Accern Sentiment Analysis’s rankings:

  Get Whiting Petroleum alerts:

  Whiting Petroleum Corp (WLL) Expected to Post Earnings of $0.62 Per Share (americanbankingnews.com) Oil Edges Higher On Iran Fears – OIR 220818 (proshareng.com) Whiting Petroleum (WLL) Presents At EnerCom’s 23rd Annual Oil & Gas Conference – Slideshow (seekingalpha.com) Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL) – Day One Breakout Notes (oilandgas360.com)

  Several analysts have issued reports on WLL shares. Bank of America raised shares of Whiting Petroleum from a “neutral” rating to a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, May 10th. Robert W. Baird increased their price objective on shares of Whiting Petroleum from $50.00 to $61.00 and gave the company an “outperform” rating in a research report on Sunday, July 29th. Imperial Capital increased their price objective on shares of Whiting Petroleum from $40.00 to $45.00 and gave the company a “line” rating in a research report on Wednesday, May 2nd. Piper Jaffray Companies reaffirmed a “hold” rating and issued a $75.00 price objective on shares of Whiting Petroleum in a research report on Friday, July 20th. Finally, SunTrust Banks increased their price objective on shares of Whiting Petroleum to $70.00 and gave the company a “buy” rating in a research report on Thursday, July 5th. Fourteen research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, fifteen have issued a buy rating and one has issued a strong buy rating to the stock. Whiting Petroleum currently has a consensus rating of “Buy” and a consensus price target of $48.54.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Whiting Petroleum (WLL)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  ClariVest Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) during the 2nd quarter, according to the company in its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The institutional investor acquired 53,424 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock, valued at approximately $2,816,000.

• [By Motley Fool Transcribers]

  Whiting Petroleum Corp  (NYSE:WLL)Q4 2018 Earnings Conference CallFeb. 27, 2019, 11:00 a.m. ET

  Contents:
  Prepared Remarks Questions and Answers Call Participants
  Prepared Remarks:

  Operator

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Shares of Whiting Petroleum Corp (NYSE:WLL) have been given an average rating of “Buy” by the thirty-two ratings firms that are presently covering the stock, MarketBeat reports. One analyst has rated the stock with a sell recommendation, thirteen have given a hold recommendation, fifteen have given a buy recommendation and one has assigned a strong buy recommendation to the company. The average 1 year price target among brokerages that have issued ratings on the stock in the last year is $46.58.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: ConocoPhillips(COP)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  10 15 Associates Inc. lowered its holdings in ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 1.3% in the first quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 207,906 shares of the energy producer’s stock after selling 2,741 shares during the period. ConocoPhillips makes up 2.9% of 10 15 Associates Inc.’s holdings, making the stock its 8th biggest holding. 10 15 Associates Inc.’s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $12,327,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The number of ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) shares short rose to 24.44 million from the previous level of 23.91 million. Shares were trading at $64.80, within a 52-week range of $42.27 to $67.30.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The number of ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) shares short decreased to 23.15 million from the previous level of 24.60 million. Shares were trading at $52.55, within a 52-week range of $42.27 to $61.32.

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  Oil prices have risen off of the lows reached following the mid-2014 oil downturn. That’s been great news for most oil-related companies, since it means revenues are heading higher. The biggest beneficiaries are the companies most reliant on oil prices, like ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP), which is up 85% since mid-January 2016, when oil prices started rising again. However, the downturn was an ugly reminder that what goes up can just as quickly go down. If you are considering an oil investment, forget ConocoPhillips and take a look at this pair of diversified energy giants instead.

• [By Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) and ExxonMobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) are both large, international oil and natural gas producers. While they share many attributes, there are a couple of key differences. And those differences are what makes one appropriate for conservative investors and the other for more aggressive investors. Here’s what you need to know about these two energy stocks to decide which one is right for you.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Marathon Oil Corporation(MRO)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  That ability to organically discover new shale plays has saved it a ton of money. The company was able to quietly gobble up 50,000 acres in Oklahoma over a four-year period for just $750 an acre. Contrast that with rivals Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN) and Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO). Devon spent $1.9 billion to buy Felix Energy in late 2015 for the company’s 80,000 acres in Oklahoma, paying a whopping $23,750 an acre. Meanwhile, Marathon paid $888 million for PayRock Energy and its 61,000 acres in the state, which amounted to roughly $14,500 an acre. EOG’s deep knowledge of shale helps it know where to look so it can lock up land for next to nothing before rivals even know what’s there.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Marathon Oil (NYSE:MRO) also has cashed in on the improvement in oil prices. Shares of the U.S. oil company are up more than 80% over the past year — making it one of the best-performing oil stocks of 2018 — due to the impact higher oil prices are having on its cash flow. Like EOG, Marathon Oil set its budget to run on $50 oil, which has it on pace to produce $500 million in free cash at $60 a barrel and even more at current prices.

• [By Logan Wallace]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Marathon Oil (MRO)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Transocean Inc.(RIG)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) shares traded down 5.4% on Thursday . The stock traded as low as $8.03 and last traded at $8.35. 14,556,095 shares traded hands during mid-day trading, an increase of 5% from the average session volume of 13,824,703 shares. The stock had previously closed at $8.83.

• [By Tyler Crowe, Matthew DiLallo, and Reuben Gregg Brewer]

  We asked three Motley Fool contributors to discuss one stock in the oil and gas space they think is a great buy right now. Here’s a rundown on their three picks: Diamondback Energy (NASDAQ:FANG), ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM), and Transocean (NYSE:RIG).

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Transocean (RIG)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Matthew DiLallo, Jason Hall, and Tyler Crowe]

  The good news is spending is starting to bounce back in some segments, including offshore. Transocean (NYSE:RIG) recently pointed out that offshore investments in the first half of 2018 actually exceeded total 2016 offshore spending, and full-year 2018 spending is expected to be about 50% higher than last year. But unlike shale development, which can lead to new production in weeks, it’s going to take years for new offshore spending to bear results. 

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) have earned an average rating of “Hold” from the twenty-two analysts that are covering the stock, MarketBeat Ratings reports. Three research analysts have rated the stock with a sell recommendation, seven have given a hold recommendation and eleven have given a buy recommendation to the company. The average 12 month target price among brokers that have covered the stock in the last year is $12.80.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Northern Trust Corp reduced its stake in shares of Transocean LTD (NYSE:RIG) by 1.2% in the second quarter, according to its most recent filing with the SEC. The institutional investor owned 3,527,006 shares of the offshore drilling services provider’s stock after selling 44,063 shares during the period. Northern Trust Corp owned about 0.76% of Transocean worth $47,402,000 as of its most recent filing with the SEC.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Encana Corporation(ECA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Keith Noonan, Travis Hoium, and Matthew DiLallo]

  We asked three Motley Fool investors to profile some of the best under-the-radar growth stocks on the market today. Read on to see why they selected Encana (NYSE:ECA), Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI), and Baozun (NASDAQ:BZUN) as top growth stocks for in-the-know investors.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) has seen its shares rise 19% so far in 2019, outperforming its peers by about 500 basis points. That said, Encana shares have underperformed peers by over 20% since the NFX deal announcement last November. Merrill Lynch has a Buy rating and $11 price objective on Encana, almost 60% higher than the prior $6.89 close. The firm noted that Encana’s cube style completions have been an important driver of outperformance in the Permian. In the STACK, the firm expects Encana to be deliberate initially using “skinny cubes” to determine optimal vertical/horizontal spacing while targeting select zones using multi-well pads.

• [By Max Byerly]

  Shares of Encana Corp (NYSE:ECA) (TSE:ECA) gapped up before the market opened on Tuesday . The stock had previously closed at $5.95, but opened at $6.10. Encana shares last traded at $6.11, with a volume of 65113676 shares changing hands.

• [By ]

  Already, shale companies such as Encana (ECA) , Occidental Petroleum (OXY) and Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD) , among others, are reporting higher cash flows and earnings on higher oil prices. As a result, they are paying down debt, increasing dividends and engaging in buybacks. This is a dramatic improvement in shareholder yield for the group.

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  These are some of the media stories that may have effected Accern’s scoring:

  Get Encana alerts:

  Should You Listen to This Stock? Encana Corporation (ECA) moves 51.44% away from One Year Low (nasdaqchronicle.com) Hot Mover of the Day – Encana Corporation (NYSE:ECA) (thestockgem.com) Enrapturing Stocks: Encana Corporation, (NYSE: ECA), AmTrust Financial Services, Inc., (NASDAQ: AFSI) (globalexportlines.com) Analysts, Options Traders Love This Lesser-Known Energy Stock (schaeffersresearch.com) Encana Corp (ECA) Expected to Announce Quarterly Sales of $1.12 Billion (americanbankingnews.com)

  ECA traded up $0.27 on Thursday, hitting $12.47. 9,071,326 shares of the stock were exchanged, compared to its average volume of 9,380,907. Encana has a 12 month low of $8.01 and a 12 month high of $14.31. The company has a quick ratio of 1.16, a current ratio of 1.16 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.62. The stock has a market capitalization of $11.70 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 29.00, a P/E/G ratio of 1.98 and a beta of 2.00.

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Cenovus Energy (NYSE:CVE) and Encana (NYSE:ECA) are both large-cap oils/energy companies, but which is the superior stock? We will compare the two companies based on the strength of their risk, institutional ownership, valuation, profitability, dividends, earnings and analyst recommendations.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Range Resources Corporation(RRC)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Stephan Byrd]

  Get a free copy of the Zacks research report on Range Resources (RRC)

  For more information about research offerings from Zacks Investment Research, visit Zacks.com

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Shares of Range Resources (NYSE:RRC) rose more than 10% by 2:30 p.m. EST on Monday after the top-10 natural gas producer reported strong reserve numbers for 2018.

• [By Tyler Crowe, Jason Hall, and Matthew DiLallo]

  So we asked three of our energy contributors to each highlight a stock they see in the oil and gas industry that would make a great buy today. Here’s why they picked Diamond Offshore Drilling (NYSE:DO), Range Resources (NYSE:RRC), and Devon Energy (NYSE:DVN). 

• [By Joseph Griffin]

  Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) – Research analysts at Piper Jaffray Companies upped their Q1 2019 earnings per share (EPS) estimates for Range Resources in a report issued on Monday, August 27th. Piper Jaffray Companies analyst D. Kistler now anticipates that the oil and gas exploration company will post earnings of $0.43 per share for the quarter, up from their prior forecast of $0.42. Piper Jaffray Companies has a “Buy” rating and a $27.00 price objective on the stock. Piper Jaffray Companies also issued estimates for Range Resources’ Q2 2019 earnings at $0.35 EPS, Q4 2019 earnings at $0.44 EPS, FY2019 earnings at $1.61 EPS, Q2 2020 earnings at $0.39 EPS and FY2020 earnings at $1.93 EPS.

• [By Ethan Ryder]

  OppenheimerFunds Inc. lowered its holdings in Range Resources Corp. (NYSE:RRC) by 68.2% in the first quarter, HoldingsChannel.com reports. The fund owned 30,532 shares of the oil and gas exploration company’s stock after selling 65,576 shares during the quarter. OppenheimerFunds Inc.’s holdings in Range Resources were worth $444,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

• [By Chris Lange]

  The stock posting the largest daily percentage gain in the S&P 500 ahead of the close Monday was Range Resources Corp. (NYSE: RRC) which rose about 6% to $16.05. The stock’s 52-week range is $11.93 to $25.96. Volume was 8.6 million compared to the daily average volume of 7.4 million.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Magellan Midstream Partners L.P.(MMP)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Tyler Crowe]

  If you are an investor in Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), you aren’t in it for the thrills of rapid growth and skyrocketing stock prices. Instead, you’re probably looking for a consistent, reliable business that will continue to churn out cash. If that is the case, then this past quarter’s earnings report was right up your alley. By no means was it exciting, but it was another quarter of delivering consistent results.

• [By ]

  Cramer and the AAP team are looking for opportunities to trim stocks into strength based out of discipline. That means trimming Magellan Midstream Partners (MMP) . Find out what they’re telling their investment club members and get in on the conversation with a free trial subscription to Action Alerts PLUS.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Another wave of pipelines is already underway for 2020 and beyond. A joint venture between Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE:ETP), Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), and two other companies recently approved the construction of the Permian Gulf Coast pipeline. The 600-mile line should be operational by the middle of 2020 and transport crude to Energy Transfer’s Nederland terminal as well as Magellan’s East Houston terminal. Meanwhile, Plains All American Pipeline and oil giant ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) are teaming up on a joint venture to build a new oil pipeline in the Permian. The partners are planning a more-than-1 million-BPD pipeline that would ship oil produced by Exxon and others to the coast. The project is part of Exxon’s long-range planning to ensure that nothing derails its ambitious strategy to grow its Permian output fivefold by 2025.

• [By John Bromels]

  Three companies that the market has walloped are Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE:MMP), and General Motors (NYSE:GM). Here’s why these stocks look like bargains, and why today might be a good time to scoop up some shares. 

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

  For the details of Packer & Co Ltd’s stock buys and sells, go to www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Packer+%26+Co+Ltd

  These are the top 5 holdings of Packer & Co LtdBall Corp (BLL) – 625,005 shares, 7.52% of the total portfolio. Hess Corp (HES) – 2,039,400 shares, 6.78% of the total portfolio. Anadarko Petroleum Corp (APC) – 1,432,600 shares, 6.35% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 14.37%Citigroup Inc (C) – 604,500 shares, 6.34% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 11.04%General Electric Co (GE) – 1,118,800 shares, 5.98% o

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Halliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) reported first-quarter 2018 results before markets opened Monday. The oil and gas services company posted adjusted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.41 on revenues of $5.74 billion. In the same period a year ago, the company reported EPS of $0.04 on revenues of $4.28 billion. First-quarter results also compare to consensus estimates for EPS of $0.41 per share and $5.75 billion in revenues.

• [By Chris Lange]

  Haliburton Co. (NYSE: HAL) is expected to reveal its fourth-quarter results on Monday. The consensus forecast calls for $0.46 in EPS, as well as $5.63 billion in revenue. Shares were trading at $53.01 on Friday’s close. The consensus price target is $55.09. The stock has a 52-week range of $38.18 to $58.78.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2019: Apache Corporation(APA)

Advisors’ Opinion:

• [By Jason Hall, John Bromels, and Daniel Miller]

  To help you find the best values — not just cheap stocks — three Motley Fool investors did some legwork and uncovered three stocks that have some surprisingly attractive value properties: Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ:SBUX), Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA), and Winnebago Industries Inc. (NYSE:WGO). 

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  While pipeline capacity constraints have hurt producers focused on the Permian, it has been a boon for midstream companies in the region, which have been able to quickly sign up shippers for proposed expansion projects. Private equity-backed EPIC Midstream was able to get major Permian producers Apache (NYSE:APA) and Noble Energy (NYSE:NBL) to sign up for a combined 175,000 barrels per day (BPD) on the company’s proposed EPIC Crude Oil Pipeline. EPIC currently plans to build a 440,000 BPD pipeline to ship crude out of the Permian. However, it could expand the line up to 675,00 BPD if there’s enough shipper demand. One of the reasons Noble was quick to sign on is that this line “provides long-term flow assurance for our rapidly growing Delaware Basin oil volumes,” according to the company. Apache, meanwhile, stated that this line “enhances our long-term operational flexibility and market optionality.” EPIC hopes to start construction on the pipeline later this year, which would put it in service by the second half of 2019. It’s one of the first projects by the private equity-backed start-up but likely won’t be its last given the infrastructure needs in the region.

• [By Matthew DiLallo]

  Kinder Morgan is already building a multibillion-dollar gas pipeline out of the Permian Basin after starting work on the Gulf Coast Express (GCX) in the first quarter. The company is developing that $1.75 billion pipeline in a partnership with Targa Resources and DCP Midstream. GCX will transport up to 1.98 Bcf/d of natural gas from shippers such as Apache (NYSE:APA), which not only signed a transportation agreement, but holds an option to buy a 15% stake in the pipeline from Kinder Morgan.

• [By Rich Duprey, John Bromels, and Anders Bylund]

  Micron Technology (NASDAQ:MU), Apache (NYSE:APA), and Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) are three such companies that Wall Street has given up on, but that could be a big mistake. Here are the reasons why three Motley Fool contributors think the market is wrong about these stocks.

• [By John Bromels]

  When most people think about oil and gas drillers, they think about integrated majors like ExxonMobil (NYSE:XOM) or maybe a producer whose name they’ve seen on a gas station, like Hess (NYSE:HES). One most don’t think about is Apache Corporation (NYSE:APA).