Cidel Asset Management Inc. Has $13.96 Million Position in ConocoPhillips $COP

Key Points

• Cidel Asset Management trimmed its stake in ConocoPhillips by 5.3% in Q4, selling 8,326 shares and ending the period with 149,129 shares valued at about $13.96 million.
• Analyst sentiment is broadly positive with an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target of $124.36, as several firms (e.g., Citigroup to $150, Jefferies to $129) have recently raised price targets.
• Insider selling has been heavy—insiders sold ~734,891 shares (~$93.3M) in the past 90 days including the CEO’s ~113,221‑share sale—while COP missed quarterly EPS and revenue estimates and pays a $0.84 quarterly dividend (≈2.6% yield).

Cidel Asset Management Inc. decreased its position in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP - Free Report) by 5.3% in the 4th quarter, according to its most recent Form 13F filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission. The firm owned 149,129 shares of the energy producer's stock after selling 8,326 shares during the quarter. Cidel Asset Management Inc.'s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $13,960,000 at the end of the most recent reporting period.

Other large investors have also recently bought and sold shares of the company. Howard Hughes Medical Institute bought a new position in ConocoPhillips in the 2nd quarter valued at about $25,000. Cloud Capital Management LLC bought a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $26,000. Strive Asset Management LLC acquired a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 3rd quarter worth approximately $28,000. Board of the Pension Protection Fund acquired a new stake in shares of ConocoPhillips during the 4th quarter worth approximately $28,000. Finally, Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC increased its stake in ConocoPhillips by 58.0% in the third quarter. Cedar Mountain Advisors LLC now owns 316 shares of the energy producer's stock valued at $30,000 after acquiring an additional 116 shares during the last quarter. 82.36% of the stock is currently owned by institutional investors and hedge funds.

Wall Street Analyst Weigh In

Several equities research analysts have weighed in on COP shares. Jefferies Financial Group upped their target price on ConocoPhillips from $120.00 to $129.00 and gave the stock a "buy" rating in a research note on Monday, February 23rd. JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted their price target on ConocoPhillips from $98.00 to $103.00 and gave the stock a "neutral" rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. Capital One Financial upped their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $116.00 to $156.00 and gave the stock an "equal weight" rating in a research report on Thursday, March 26th. Citigroup lifted their target price on ConocoPhillips from $135.00 to $150.00 and gave the company a "buy" rating in a research report on Thursday. Finally, Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on ConocoPhillips from $132.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an "overweight" rating in a research note on Friday, February 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have assigned a Buy rating, nine have issued a Hold rating and one has assigned a Sell rating to the company. Based on data from MarketBeat, ConocoPhillips presently has an average rating of "Moderate Buy" and an average target price of $124.36.

ConocoPhillips News Summary

Here are the key news stories impacting ConocoPhillips this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Citigroup raised its price target on COP to $150 and kept a Buy rating, backing a meaningful upside case versus recent levels and providing institutional support. Citigroup Raises Target
• Positive Sentiment: Some brokerages/upgrades (Zacks/others) and a positive forecast note have improved headline analyst sentiment, which can support flows and valuation expectations. Analyst Forecast
• Neutral Sentiment: Macro and sector coverage pieces (e.g., takeaways that oil stocks may be “tapped out”) are driving headlines and trading volatility but do not change COP’s fundamentals immediately. Barron's Sector Note
• Negative Sentiment: CEO Ryan Lance sold 113,221 shares (~$15M) at ~ $132.71 on Mar 31, a sizable insider sale that can be perceived negatively by investors watching insider signals even if done for personal reasons. CEO Sale
• Negative Sentiment: Analyst rotation toward Diamondback Energy and its recognition on “top oil picks” lists highlights investor preference for shale growth/production discipline, which can divert investor dollars away from larger diversified producers like COP. Diamondback vs COP
• Negative Sentiment: Short‑term oil-market moves (recent unwind of a geopolitical premium) trimmed the sector and pressured oil-weighted names, a macro headwind for COP until crude stabilizes. Market Effects

ConocoPhillips Stock Down 0.1%

Shares of NYSE:COP opened at $130.37 on Monday. ConocoPhillips has a 52-week low of $79.88 and a 52-week high of $135.87. The company has a market capitalization of $158.90 billion, a PE ratio of 20.56, a price-to-earnings-growth ratio of 2.53 and a beta of 0.19. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35, a quick ratio of 1.14 and a current ratio of 1.30. The company has a fifty day moving average of $115.93 and a 200-day moving average of $100.48.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP - Get Free Report) last released its quarterly earnings data on Thursday, February 5th. The energy producer reported $1.02 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.23 by ($0.21). The firm had revenue of $13.86 billion for the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.35 billion. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 12.98% and a return on equity of 11.90%. The company's revenue was down 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period last year, the business earned $1.98 EPS. On average, equities analysts predict that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ConocoPhillips Dividend Announcement

The company also recently announced a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Shareholders of record on Wednesday, February 18th were given a $0.84 dividend. The ex-dividend date was Wednesday, February 18th. This represents a $3.36 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.6%. ConocoPhillips's dividend payout ratio (DPR) is currently 53.00%.

Insider Activity

In related news, SVP Heather G. Hrap sold 2,654 shares of the firm's stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 13th. The shares were sold at an average price of $119.68, for a total value of $317,630.72. Following the completion of the transaction, the senior vice president owned 5,663 shares in the company, valued at $677,747.84. This trade represents a 31.91% decrease in their position. The sale was disclosed in a filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which is available through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Andrew D. Lundquist sold 34,500 shares of ConocoPhillips stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 13th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.68, for a total transaction of $4,128,960.00. Following the sale, the senior vice president owned 17,469 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,090,689.92. This represents a 66.39% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. In the last ninety days, insiders sold 734,891 shares of company stock valued at $93,345,692. 0.24% of the stock is currently owned by company insiders.

ConocoPhillips 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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