Murphy Oil Upgraded to Overweight by Piper Sandler
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Mar 12 2026
0mins
Should l Buy MUR?
Source: seekingalpha
Murphy Oil Corp (MUR) has seen a price increase of 3.02% as it reaches a 52-week high.
The stock's rise follows an upgrade from Piper Sandler, which raised its rating from Neutral to Overweight and set a new price target of $41. Analyst Mark Lear expressed optimism about future oil prices and highlighted the potential of the Hai Su Vang project in Vietnam as a catalyst for performance in H1 2026, despite recent disappointing results. This upgrade reflects a positive outlook for Murphy Oil amidst a challenging market environment.
The upgrade may enhance investor confidence in Murphy Oil's long-term resource potential, especially as the company demonstrates strong operating leverage compared to its peers. This could lead to further appreciation in stock value as the market adjusts to the new expectations.
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Analyst Views on MUR
Wall Street analysts forecast MUR stock price to fall
11 Analyst Rating
0 Buy
9 Hold
2 Sell
Hold
Current: 41.800
Low
22.00
Averages
28.40
High
34.00
Current: 41.800
Low
22.00
Averages
28.40
High
34.00
About MUR
Murphy Oil Corporation is a global oil and natural gas exploration and production company, with both onshore and offshore operations and properties. The Company produces crude oil and condensate (collectively, crude oil), natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGLs) primarily in the United States and Canada and explores for crude oil, natural gas and NGLs in targeted areas worldwide. In the United States, it produces crude oil, natural gas and NGLs primarily from fields in the Gulf of America and in the Eagle Ford Shale area of South Texas. In Canada, the Company holds working interests in Tupper Montney (100% working interest), Kaybob Duvernay and two non-operated offshore assets - the Hibernia and Terra Nova fields, located offshore Newfoundland and Labrador in the Jeanne d’Arc Basin. In Vietnam, the Company holds an interest in approximately 7.3 million gross acres, consisting of 65% working interest in Blocks 144 & 145, and a 40% interest in Block 15-1/05 and Block 15-2/17.
About the author
Emily J. Thompson
Emily J. Thompson, a Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) with 12 years in investment research, graduated with honors from the Wharton School. Specializing in industrial and technology stocks, she provides in-depth analysis for Intellectia’s earnings and market brief reports.
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Murphy Oil Upgraded to Overweight by Piper Sandler with $41 Price Target
- Rating Upgrade: Piper Sandler upgraded Murphy Oil (MUR) from Neutral to Overweight with a price target increase from $33 to $41, reflecting optimism about future oil prices and expected tight crude balances that could drive stock price appreciation.
- Market Outlook: Analyst Mark Lear noted that despite disappointing Q3 2025 results, further appraisal work at the Hai Su Vang project in Vietnam could serve as a catalyst for stock performance in H1 2026, highlighting the company's long-term resource potential.
- Industry Comparison: Murphy Oil exhibits some of the best operating leverage among the stocks covered, and while FY 2026 guidance fell short of expectations, the company's proactive market education efforts may enhance investor recognition of its long-term resource potential.
- Peer Analysis: In addition to Murphy, Piper Sandler raised price targets for several other oil and gas companies, including Chord Energy and Devon Energy, indicating a positive trend across the industry that could further bolster Murphy's market performance.
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- Executive Participation: Each session will feature prepared remarks from Murphy's senior leadership team, ensuring participants receive detailed information about the company's offshore capabilities and international portfolio, thereby enhancing investor confidence in the company's future growth.
- Interactive Q&A Sessions: A live question and answer session will follow each webinar, allowing participants to engage directly with management through a toll-free dial-in, fostering interaction and strengthening investor relations.
- Recordings Available: For those unable to attend live, recordings will be made available on Murphy's Investor Relations page after each session, ensuring all stakeholders can access critical information and enhancing transparency.
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- Oil and Gas Companies' Strategy: Companies in the oil and gas sector are increasingly looking for new opportunities beyond the U.S. market.
- Impact of Global Events: The ongoing war in Iran is expected to further accelerate the search for resources in distant regions.
See More
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Stock Sale Announcement: Clade Randrew intends to sell 10,584 shares of Murphy Oil's common stock.
Market Value: The total market value of the shares being sold is approximately $4.88 million.
See More
Murphy Oil Upgraded to Overweight by Piper Sandler with $41 Price Target
- Rating Upgrade: Piper Sandler upgraded Murphy Oil (MUR) from Neutral to Overweight with a price target increase from $33 to $41, reflecting optimism about future oil prices and expected tight crude balances that could drive stock price appreciation.
- Market Outlook: Analyst Mark Lear noted that despite disappointing Q3 2025 results, further appraisal work at the Hai Su Vang project in Vietnam could serve as a catalyst for stock performance in H1 2026, highlighting the company's long-term resource potential.
- Industry Comparison: Murphy Oil exhibits some of the best operating leverage among the stocks covered, and while FY 2026 guidance fell short of expectations, the company's proactive market education efforts may enhance investor recognition of its long-term resource potential.
- Peer Analysis: In addition to Murphy, Piper Sandler raised price targets for several other oil and gas companies, including Chord Energy and Devon Energy, indicating a positive trend across the industry that could further bolster Murphy's market performance.
See More
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- Morgan Stanley Bullish on Alibaba: Morgan Stanley upgrades Alibaba to a top pick, emphasizing that owning in-house chips significantly enhances its chances of becoming an AI leader, despite facing near-term earnings pressure, the long-term outlook remains positive.
- Wells Fargo Double Upgrades Occidental: Wells Fargo upgrades Occidental from underweight to overweight with a $69 target price, citing its peer-leading capital efficiency trends in the Permian as a significant opportunity, albeit with associated risks.
- Citi Maintains Buy on Delta Air: Citigroup reaffirms its buy rating on Delta Air and issues a positive 30-day catalyst watch, believing that recent macro shocks and fuel price volatility have been largely priced into airline stocks with minimal fuel exposure.
- UBS Upgrades Aptiv to Buy: UBS raises Aptiv's rating from hold to buy, anticipating that the upcoming Versigent spin-off will unlock substantial value, setting a target price of $97.
See More
Oil Prices Surge Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions
- Oil Price Surge: Brent crude prices soared approximately 8% to about $78.70 per barrel on Monday, driven by heightened concerns over potential supply disruptions due to U.S.-Iran hostilities.
- Market Reaction: Following the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Khamenei in joint U.S.-Israeli strikes, traders rushed to gain energy exposure, resulting in significant pre-market gains for related ETFs, highlighting the market's sensitivity to energy price fluctuations.
- Strait of Hormuz Risks: The potential closure of the Strait of Hormuz, responsible for over 27% of global crude oil shipments, has raised alarm among retail traders, further exacerbating market uncertainty amid escalating tensions.
- Military Action Outlook: President Trump indicated that the current military operations against Iran could last four to five weeks, intensifying market expectations for future oil price volatility and prompting investors to reassess their energy asset allocations.
See More
Murphy Oil Corporation Hosts Webinar Series on Offshore Strategy
- Webinar Schedule: Murphy Oil Corporation is set to host a three-part webinar series on March 3, 10, and 24, 2026, focusing on strategic development, its Vietnam operations, and the basics of production sharing contracts, aimed at providing investors with in-depth business insights.
- Executive Participation: Each session will feature prepared remarks from Murphy's senior leadership team, ensuring participants receive detailed information about the company's offshore capabilities and international portfolio, thereby enhancing investor confidence in the company's future growth.
- Interactive Q&A Sessions: A live question and answer session will follow each webinar, allowing participants to engage directly with management through a toll-free dial-in, fostering interaction and strengthening investor relations.
- Recordings Available: For those unable to attend live, recordings will be made available on Murphy's Investor Relations page after each session, ensuring all stakeholders can access critical information and enhancing transparency.
See More
