15 Small-Cap Energy Stocks Hedge Funds Are Buying

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12. YPF Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:YPF)

Market Capitalization as of April 25: $12.58 billion

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 20

YPF Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:YPF) is an energy company. Its upstream operations include the exploration, exploitation, and production of crude oil and natural gas. The downstream operations include petrochemical production & crude oil refining, transportation & distribution of refined and petrochemical products, and the commercialization of crude oil, petrochemical products, & specialties.

On April 14, HSBC upgraded the stock from Reduce to Hold and raised its price target to $33 from $21. According to HSBC, this sentiment is attributed to an improved outlook for Argentina’s economy, energy sector, and YPF’s internal restructuring plan. Additionally, YPF recently signed an MOU with the Italian energy group Eni for its participation in an LNG project in the Vaca Muerta gas field in Argentina.

The company’s Upstream segment is focused on shale oil production in Vaca Muerta. In 2024, YPF achieved a shale oil production of 122,000 barrels per day, which was up 26% year-over-year. YPF Sociedad Anonima (NYSE:YPF) also tripled its oil export revenues in 2024, reaching ~$1 billion. YPF is developing the VMOS (Vaca Muerta Oil Sur) pipeline project to further increase export capacity. It aims for 180,000 barrels per day by H2 2026 and potentially exceed 500,000 barrels per day by H2 2027.

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