ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) Receives Average Recommendation of "Moderate Buy" from Analysts

Key Points

• Analysts rate ConocoPhillips a “Moderate Buy”: Of 27 analysts, 17 recommend buying, seven advise holding and two rate it a sell. The average 12-month price target is $140.29.
• ConocoPhillips exceeded quarterly expectations, reporting $3.24 in EPS versus the $2.90 consensus and revenue of $19.52 billion, up 32.4% year over year.
• The company recently paid a quarterly dividend of $0.84, equivalent to an annualized $3.36 and a 2.5% yield; institutional investors own 82.36% of outstanding shares.

Shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP - Get Free Report) have been assigned a consensus rating of "Moderate Buy" from the twenty-seven analysts that are presently covering the firm, Marketbeat Ratings reports. Two investment analysts have rated the stock with a sell rating, seven have issued a hold rating, seventeen have given a buy rating and one has assigned a strong buy rating to the company. The average 12-month price target among brokers that have issued a report on the stock in the last year is $140.2917.

A number of equities research analysts have issued reports on COP shares. Jefferies Financial Group raised their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $160.00 to $161.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Monday, May 18th. BMO Capital Markets lowered their price objective on shares of ConocoPhillips from $140.00 to $135.00 and set an "outperform" rating for the company in a research note on Wednesday, May 13th. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of ConocoPhillips from $115.00 to $130.00 and gave the stock a "hold" rating in a report on Monday, August 10th. UBS Group increased their target price on shares of ConocoPhillips from $143.00 to $153.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a report on Wednesday, August 12th. Finally, Zacks Research cut ConocoPhillips from a "strong-buy" rating to a "hold" rating in a research note on Wednesday, May 27th.

Insider Buying and Selling at ConocoPhillips

In other news, SVP Andrew Lundquist sold 9,487 shares of the business's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, August 21st. The stock was sold at an average price of $135.15, for a total transaction of $1,282,168.05. Following the transaction, the senior vice president directly owned 9,593 shares of the company's stock, valued at approximately $1,296,493.95. The trade was a 49.72% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is accessible through this hyperlink. Corporate insiders own 0.09% of the company's stock.

Institutional Trading of ConocoPhillips

A number of institutional investors and hedge funds have recently added to or reduced their stakes in the business. Gunpowder Capital Management LLC dba Oliver Wealth Management purchased a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 4th quarter worth about $25,000. Strive Asset Management LLC bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the third quarter worth about $28,000. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC lifted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 151.0% in the first quarter. Frazier Financial Advisors LLC now owns 241 shares of the energy producer's stock worth $32,000 after buying an additional 145 shares during the period. Allied Private Wealth LLC purchased a new stake in ConocoPhillips in the second quarter worth about $32,000. Finally, BNP Paribas bought a new stake in ConocoPhillips during the 2nd quarter valued at approximately $33,000. Hedge funds and other institutional investors own 82.36% of the company's stock.

ConocoPhillips Stock Performance

Shares of COP stock opened at $134.23 on Tuesday. The company has a market capitalization of $161.26 billion, a P/E ratio of 17.76, a PEG ratio of 1.41 and a beta of 0.13. ConocoPhillips has a fifty-two week low of $85.57 and a fifty-two week high of $137.42. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.39 and a current ratio of 1.54. The stock has a 50 day moving average price of $120.75 and a two-hundred day moving average price of $119.67.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP - Get Free Report) last issued its earnings results on Thursday, August 6th. The energy producer reported $3.24 earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, topping the consensus estimate of $2.90 by $0.34. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 14.22% and a return on equity of 14.72%. The firm had revenue of $19.52 billion for the quarter, compared to analysts' expectations of $18.79 billion. During the same quarter last year, the business earned $1.42 earnings per share. The business's revenue was up 32.4% on a year-over-year basis. Analysts expect that ConocoPhillips will post 10.54 earnings per share for the current year.

ConocoPhillips Dividend Announcement

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Tuesday, September 1st. Shareholders of record on Monday, August 17th were issued a $0.84 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Monday, August 17th. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.5%. ConocoPhillips's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is 44.44%.

ConocoPhillips Company Profile

ConocoPhillips NYSE: COP is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets.

The company's activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world.

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