ConocoPhillips (COP): Today's Featured Energy Winner

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.

ConocoPhillips ( COP) pushed the Energy industry higher today making it today's featured energy winner. The industry as a whole closed the day up 0.4%. By the end of trading, ConocoPhillips rose 59 cents (1%) to $57.94 on average volume. Throughout the day, 5.2 million shares of ConocoPhillips exchanged hands as compared to its average daily volume of 6.1 million shares. The stock ranged in a price between $57.40-$57.94 after having opened the day at $57.47 as compared to the previous trading day's close of $57.35. Other companies within the Energy industry that increased today were: Recovery Energy ( RECV), up 21.3%, Ivanhoe Energy ( IVAN), up 18.1%, Dejour Energy ( DEJ), up 17.3%, and SandRidge Energy ( SD), up 7.3%.
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ConocoPhillips explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, natural gas, natural gas liquids, liquefied natural gas and bitumen on a worldwide basis. ConocoPhillips has a market cap of $69.41 billion and is part of the basic materials sector. The company has a P/E ratio of 6.2, below the S&P 500 P/E ratio of 17.7. Shares are up 1.5% year to date as of the close of trading on Thursday. Currently there are six analysts that rate ConocoPhillips a buy, four analysts rate it a sell, and five rate it a hold.

TheStreet Ratings rates ConocoPhillips as a buy. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its attractive valuation levels, expanding profit margins, growth in earnings per share, notable return on equity and largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had sub par growth in net income.

On the negative front, GeoGlobal Resources ( GGR), down 11.9%, Sonde Resources ( SOQ), down 7.8%, Nexen ( NXY), down 6.6%, and Endeavour International ( END), down 4.7%, were all laggards within the energy industry with Total ( TOT) being today's energy industry laggard.

For investors not wanting singular stock exposure, ETFs may be of interest. Investors who are bullish on the energy industry could consider Energy Select Sector SPDR ( XLE) while those bearish on the energy industry could consider Proshares Short Oil & Gas ( DDG).

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