We recently published a list of 8 Best Fuel Stocks To Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) stands against other best fuel stocks to buy now.

Fuel stocks, often referred to as energy stocks, represent shares of companies involved in the exploration and development of oil and gas reserves, as well as those specializing in drilling for these resources. Additionally, companies that refine crude oil into usable products, such as gasoline and diesel, also fall under this category.

The Global Energy Landscape

In an interview with Bloomberg on December 5, Amrita Sen, Founder and Director of Research at Energy Aspects, discussed the current state of the oil market and the upcoming OPEC+ meeting. Sen noted that OPEC+ members are unlikely to increase production, given the traditional maintenance season in Q1 and Q2, which typically leads to crude stock builds. Instead, she expects the group to delay the planned output to effectively get rid of the seasonal builds and reassess the market in the second half of the year.

Sen highlighted that the current state of global inventories is incredibly low and that in the US, inventories are expected to end the year below 420 million barrels, which is at their lowest since 2007. Despite this, oil prices have been stuck at a low price, as analysts and industries are expecting a bearish 2025 and are discounting their current inventories

When asked about the risk of a serious breakdown in OPEC+ members, Sen said that it is unlikely to happen as the members are committed to maintain a stable price, rather than engaging in a price war. She recalled the price war in April 2020, which led to a decline in prices, and said that OPEC ministers want to avoid a repeat of that scenario. While they do want prices to be higher, they also realize that if there is a breakdown and the market is not managed properly, prices can also go lower.

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Sen agreed that the recent commencement of Canadian oil shipments to international markets via the Trans Mountain pipeline represents a significant development in the industry and has enabled Canadian producers to benefit from increased access to global markets. Sen notes that China has a strong preference for Canadian heavy oil, primarily due to its consistent quality, which is well-suited to the requirements of modern Chinese refineries. Sen also said that all the new refineries coming online in China, India, and other South Asian countries are primarily designed to process medium or heavy sour crude oil, and its demand is projected to reach a net 800,000 barrels per day.

Sen pointed out that the refining capacity in regions such as Europe, North America, and other OECD countries is expected to decline, with a projected loss of 1 million barrels per day during the next year, comprising 400,000 barrels in Europe and an additional 400,000 in the United States, due to environmental concerns. Looking ahead to 2025, Sen expects the average oil price to average around $80 for Brent, but there are risks skewed to the upside due to the possible tightening of sanctions on Iran, Venezuela, and Russia under the Trump administration.

Energy plays a crucial role in the global economy, as it provides the essential resources needed to power industries, transportation, and homes. The oil and gas industry continues to play a pivotal role in meeting the world’s energy needs, even as the push for cleaner alternatives gains momentum. With that in context, let’s take a look at the 8 best fuel stocks to buy now.

Our Methodology

To compile our list of the 8 best fuel stocks to buy now, we used Finviz and Yahoo stock screeners to find the 25 largest companies in the oil and gas sectors. We then used Insider Monkey’s Hedge Fund database to rank 8 stocks according to the largest number of hedge fund holders, as of Q3 2024. The list is sorted in ascending order of hedge fund sentiment.

Why do we care about what hedge funds do? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) 

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 66

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is an independent exploration and production company that sells natural gas, crude oil, bitumen, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The company specializes in unconventional oil production from U.S. shale formations and traditional reservoirs globally. ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) serves refineries, industrial clients, and global markets with its crude oil supply.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is driving growth through a combination of strategic acquisitions and operational expansion. On November 22, the company completed its acquisition of Marathon Oil Corporation and expects to achieve synergies exceeding $1 billion on a run-rate basis within the next 12 months. The deal valued at $22.5 billion, has added 2 billion barrels of resources to its portfolio and is expected to significantly boost production in the Permian Basin.

This acquisition has also enabled the company to increase its production outlook for FY 2024. In addition to the Marathon Oil acquisition, ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) is also focusing on growing its operational footprint in other key shale plays, such as the Bakken. The company is investing in new projects and technologies to enhance its drilling and production capabilities, which is expected to drive further growth in its production volumes.

Overall, COP ranks 3rd on our list of best fuel stocks to buy now. While we acknowledge the potential of COP to grow, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than COP but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.