4 Stocks Pushing The Energy Industry Higher

Editor's Note: TheStreet ratings do not represent the views of TheStreet's staff or its contributors. Ratings are established by computer based on metrics for performance (which includes growth, stock performance, efficiency and valuation) and risk (volatility and solvency). Companies with poor cash flow or high debt levels tend to earn lower ratings in our model

All three major indices are trading up today with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI) trading up 17 points (0.1%) at 13,052 as of Thursday, Dec. 6, 2012, 11:50 AM ET. The NYSE advances/declines ratio sits at 1,459 issues advancing vs. 1,413 declining with 145 unchanged.

The Energy industry currently sits up 0.1% versus the S&P 500, which is up 0.2%. A company within the industry that increased today was Cabot Oil & Gas Corporation (COG), up 2.5%. On the negative front, top decliners within the industry include Eni SpA (E), down 2.0%, Apache Corporation (APA), down 1.9%, Hess (HES), down 1.8%, Continental Resources (CLR), down 1.5% and Total (TOT), down 0.8%.

TheStreet Ratings group would like to highlight 4 stocks pushing the industry higher today:

4. Ecopetrol S.A (EC) is one of the companies pushing the Energy industry higher today. As of noon trading, Ecopetrol S.A is up $0.41 (0.7%) to $57.83 on light volume Thus far, 78,944 shares of Ecopetrol S.A exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 490,100 shares. The stock has ranged in price between $57.38-$57.95 after having opened the day at $57.38 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $57.42.

Ecopetrol S.A., an integrated oil company, engages in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas. As of December 31, 2011, its proved reserves of crude oil and natural gas totaled 1,856.7 million barrels of oil equivalent. Ecopetrol S.A has a market cap of $117.8 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 9.6, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 28.7% year to date as of the close of trading on Wednesday. Currently there is 1 analyst that rates Ecopetrol S.A a buy, no analysts rate it a sell, and 2 rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates Ecopetrol S.A as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its robust revenue growth, solid stock price performance, expanding profit margins, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures and notable return on equity. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company shows weak operating cash flow. Get the full Ecopetrol S.A Ratings Report now.

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