Analyst: 'Unloved' Oil & Gas E&P is 'Premier Permian Growth Story'

Source: Streetwise Reports   10/24/2018

A Raymond James report made the case for revising its rating on this energy company.

In an Oct. 22 research note, analyst Pavel Molchanov reported that Raymond James upgraded its rating on Occidental Petroleum Corp. (OXY:NYSE) to Strong Buy from Outperform to reflect the oil and gas company’s “unwarranted” stock underperformance against the backdrop of higher oil price forecasts.

Year to date, “unloved” Occidental is down 2%, whereas the oil and gas exploration and development sector overall is up 8%. “This underperformance has widened the dividend yield to 4.3% while erasing the stock’s traditional valuation premium,” Molchanov highlighted.

The analyst pointed out the market most recently reacted negatively to Occidental’s opting to leave the Qatar ISND concession when it expires in October 2019, but that was an overreaction. “If the company had decided to re-up, this would have involved a long lead time field redevelopment with increased upfront capital spending that would have wiped out much of ISND’s current free cash flow,” he explained. “Thus, by exiting instead of re-upping, the company is following a capital disciplined approach.”

Also at play in the Occidental story are oil prices, and Raymond James expects them to be higher next year, Molchanov relayed. For 2019, the financial services firm increased its projected West Texas Intermediate (WTI) and Brent oil prices to $77.50 and $90, respectively. Raymond James estimates a peak price in 2020 of $92.50 WTI and $100 Brent and a long-term average price of $75 WTI and $80 Brent.

These higher prices would affect Occidental’s 2019 peak cash flow yield by 8%, as opposed to 6%, noted Molchanov. The company would have about $2 billion available for share buyback, which Raymond James sees as upside.

Also worth noting, Molchanov wrote, is strong production growth in the Permian Basin. “We forecast Permian liquids growth of 17% in 2019, driving all-in companywide growth of 8%.” Further, the current midstream bottlenecks in the Permian do not impact Occidental, because “ironclad access guarantees are in place for its Permian barrels well into the next decade.”

Raymond James has a $90 per share target price on Occidental, whose stock is currently trading at about $68.23 per share.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Disclosure:
1) Doresa Banning compiled this article for Streetwise Reports LLC and provides services to Streetwise reports as an independent contractor. She or members of her household own securities of the following companies mentioned in the article: None. She or members of her household are paid by the following companies mentioned in this article: None.
2) The following company mentioned in this article is a billboard sponsor of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees.
3) Comments and opinions expressed are those of the specific experts and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security.
4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports’ terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports.
5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article, until one week after the publication of the interview or article.

Disclosures from Raymond James, Occidental Petroleum Corp., October 22, 2018

ANALYST INFORMATION

Analyst Compensation: Equity analysts and their staffs at Raymond James are compensated based on a salary and bonus system. Several factors enter into the bonus determination including quality and performance of research product, the analyst’s success in rating stocks versus an industry index, and support effectiveness to trading and the retail and institutional sales forces. Other factors may include but are not limited to: overall ratings from internal (other than investment banking) or external parties and the general productivity and revenue generated in covered stocks.

The views expressed in this report accurately reflect the personal views of the analyst(s) covering the subject securities. No part of said person’s compensation was, is, or will be directly or indirectly related to the specific recommendations or views contained in this research report. In addition, said analyst has not received compensation from any subject company in the last 12 months.

RAYMOND JAMES RELATIONSHIP DISCLOSURES
Raymond James Ltd. or its affiliates expects to receive or intends to seek compensation for investment banking services from all companies under research coverage within the next three months.

Raymond James & Associates makes a market in shares of OXY.

( Companies Mentioned: OXY:NYSE, )