Bernstein Downgrades Chevron to Market Perform, Lowers Price Target to $167
Written by Emily J. Thompson, Senior Investment Analyst
Updated: Jul 17 2024
0mins
Should l Buy CVX?
Source: Benzinga
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Analyst Views on CVX
Wall Street analysts forecast CVX stock price to fall
19 Analyst Rating
15 Buy
4 Hold
0 Sell
Strong Buy
Current: 188.150
Low
158.00
Averages
176.95
High
206.00
Current: 188.150
Low
158.00
Averages
176.95
High
206.00
About CVX
Chevron Corporation is an integrated energy company. The Company produces crude oil and natural gas; manufactures transportation fuels, lubricants, petrochemicals and additives; and develops technologies that enhance its business and industry. The Company’s segments include Upstream and Downstream. Upstream operations consist primarily of exploring for, developing, producing and transporting crude oil and natural gas; liquefaction, transportation and regasification associated with LNG; transporting crude oil by major international oil export pipelines; processing, transporting, storage and marketing of natural gas; carbon capture and storage; and a gas-to-liquids plant. Downstream operations consist primarily of the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing crude oil, refined products, and lubricants; manufacturing and marketing of renewable fuels, and transporting of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment and rail car.
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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- Consumer Goods Diversification: Coca-Cola (KO) and Altria (MO) face declining consumption pressures but have diversified their product lines and implemented continuous price increases, achieving 64 and 56 years of dividend growth respectively, demonstrating strong resilience against market headwinds.
- Safe Haven Stocks: These four stocks provide stable cash flow and dividend yields in uncertain market conditions, making them suitable for long-term investors, particularly in times of economic volatility, effectively reducing downside risk in investment portfolios.
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- High Volume Contracts: Particularly, the $26 strike call option for Invesco has seen a notable trading volume of 12,521 contracts today, representing around 1.3 million underlying shares, suggesting heightened investor expectations for future price increases.
- Chevron Options Volume: Chevron Corporation experienced options trading volume of 67,418 contracts, translating to approximately 6.7 million shares, which is about 47.8% of its average daily trading volume of 14.1 million shares over the past month, reflecting active trading sentiment in the market.
- Put Option Focus: For Chevron, the $180 strike put option has recorded a trading volume of 3,949 contracts, equivalent to approximately 394,900 shares, indicating investor concerns regarding potential downside risks in its stock price.
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- Chevron's Ongoing Investments: Chevron (CVX) maintains a low net debt ratio of 15.6%, well below its target range, and is projected to generate $12.5 billion in additional free cash flow this year, positioning it for 10% compound annual free cash flow growth through 2030, ensuring its ability to increase dividends for 39 consecutive years.
- EOG Resources' Efficient Production: EOG Resources (EOG) can achieve over 100% direct after-tax returns on new wells at $55 oil, with expectations to generate $18 billion in cumulative free cash flow through 2028, showcasing its strong cash generation capabilities in a low-price environment.
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- Market Surge: The S&P 500 rose by 1.28% and the Nasdaq 100 reached an all-time high, reflecting investor optimism driven by peace talks between the US and Iran, which may enhance risk appetite and bolster overall market confidence.
- Oil Price Plunge: WTI crude oil prices fell over 13% to a five-week low after the Strait of Hormuz reopened, easing inflation concerns and causing the 10-year Treasury yield to drop by 8 basis points, further supporting the bond market.
- Earnings Growth Expectations: Q1 earnings for the S&P 500 are projected to increase by 12% year-over-year, although excluding the tech sector, growth is only 3%, indicating resilience in corporate performance amid economic recovery and providing market support.
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- Import Potential Assessment: Ambassador John Giordano highlighted that the US is evaluating the prospect of increasing uranium imports from Namibia, suggesting that demand may rise alongside the buildout of AI-related hyperscale data centers.
- Context of Policy Shift: This interest is part of a broader shift in US energy policy, where rising electricity consumption from data centers is reshaping government perspectives on power generation, with the Trump administration emphasizing coal, natural gas, and nuclear as solutions to meet growing demand.
- Investment and Collaboration Opportunities: US engagement with Namibia extends beyond uranium imports to building a more integrated energy and minerals corridor across southern Africa, involving financing discussions from US institutions, reflecting a focus on future mining projects.
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- ExxonMobil's Financial Strength: ExxonMobil boasts the industry's lowest net leverage ratio at 11% and a cash balance of $10.7 billion, supporting its AA- credit rating, which allows continued investment during low oil price periods to enhance profitability.
- Chevron's Resilient Operations: With a net debt ratio of 15.6%, well below its 20%-25% target range, Chevron can maintain its dividend and capital programs at oil prices below $50 per barrel, expecting to generate $12.5 billion in additional free cash flow this year.
- EOG Resources' Efficient Production: EOG Resources achieves over 100% direct after-tax return on newly drilled wells at $55 oil, projecting $18 billion in cumulative free cash flow through 2028, showcasing its strong cash generation capabilities in lower price environments.
- Leading Dividend Growth: ExxonMobil, Chevron, and EOG Resources have consistently increased dividends for 43, 39, and 28 years respectively, reflecting their robust financial resilience and stable cash flows, making them ideal long-term holds amid oil market volatility.
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