Hamlin Capital Management LLC Lowers Stock Position in ConocoPhillips $COP

Hamlin Capital Management LLC decreased its holdings in shares of ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) by 0.4% during the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 1,519,640 shares of the energy producer’s stock after selling 5,837 shares during the period. ConocoPhillips makes up about 3.3% of Hamlin Capital Management LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 22nd biggest position. Hamlin Capital Management LLC’s holdings in ConocoPhillips were worth $143,743,000 as of its most recent SEC filing.

A number of other large investors have also modified their holdings of the business. Tema Etfs LLC purchased a new position in shares of ConocoPhillips in the 3rd quarter valued at about $1,804,000. Victory Capital Management Inc. boosted its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 14.7% during the third quarter. Victory Capital Management Inc. now owns 2,331,176 shares of the energy producer’s stock worth $220,506,000 after buying an additional 298,245 shares in the last quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 8.7% during the third quarter. Natixis Advisors LLC now owns 1,996,426 shares of the energy producer’s stock worth $188,842,000 after buying an additional 160,410 shares during the period. D.A. Davidson & CO. grew its position in ConocoPhillips by 12.1% during the third quarter. D.A. Davidson & CO. now owns 140,829 shares of the energy producer’s stock worth $13,321,000 after buying an additional 15,202 shares during the period. Finally, Chilton Capital Management LLC increased its holdings in ConocoPhillips by 3.2% in the third quarter. Chilton Capital Management LLC now owns 389,995 shares of the energy producer’s stock valued at $36,890,000 after buying an additional 11,958 shares in the last quarter. 82.36% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Wall Street Analysts Forecast Growth

A number of equities research analysts have recently issued reports on COP shares. Capital One Financial lifted their price target on shares of ConocoPhillips from $111.00 to $116.00 and gave the company an “equal weight” rating in a research report on Tuesday, January 20th. Piper Sandler raised their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $111.00 to $154.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Thursday. Citigroup lifted their price objective on ConocoPhillips from $125.00 to $135.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a report on Monday, March 2nd. Wells Fargo & Company boosted their target price on ConocoPhillips from $132.00 to $133.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Friday, February 6th. Finally, Susquehanna upped their target price on ConocoPhillips from $115.00 to $121.00 and gave the company a “positive” rating in a report on Friday, February 6th. One investment analyst has rated the stock with a Strong Buy rating, sixteen have issued a Buy rating, seven have issued a Hold rating and two have issued a Sell rating to the stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, ConocoPhillips presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $119.33.

ConocoPhillips News Roundup

Here are the key news stories impacting ConocoPhillips this week:

• Positive Sentiment: Higher crude and geopolitical risk are drawing investor attention to major producers, lifting the sector and COP in particular. Oil Price Back to the Glory Days
• Positive Sentiment: Piper Sandler raised its price target on COP to $154 and set an “overweight” rating, implying significant upside from current levels — a formal analyst endorsement that can support buyer interest. Piper Sandler PT Raise
• Positive Sentiment: TheStreet highlights that while oil-price swings move the stock, the bigger long-term catalyst may be ConocoPhillips’ internal execution — cash returns, portfolio optimization and disciplined capex — which investors view as durable value drivers. Oil’s whiplash is powering ConocoPhillips
• Neutral Sentiment: Broader commentary notes a sector rotation into energy as crude recovers; this macro interest helps COP but increases reliance on commodity moves rather than idiosyncratic stock drivers. Energy is no longer dead money
• Negative Sentiment: An insider sale — a ConocoPhillips director sold roughly $4.75M of stock — is being reported and can be viewed as a near-term caution for some investors. Insider Selling
• Negative Sentiment: Recent quarterly results missed estimates (EPS and revenue), reminding investors that higher oil prices need to translate into consistent operational and earnings improvement to sustain multiple expansion.

Insider Activity at ConocoPhillips

In related news, Director Timothy A. Leach sold 40,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction that occurred on Friday, March 6th. The shares were sold at an average price of $118.79, for a total transaction of $4,751,600.00. Following the sale, the director owned 411,211 shares in the company, valued at approximately $48,847,754.69. This trade represents a 8.87% decrease in their ownership of the stock. The sale was disclosed in a legal filing with the Securities & Exchange Commission, which can be accessed through this hyperlink. Also, SVP Kelly Brunetti Rose sold 8,500 shares of ConocoPhillips stock in a transaction that occurred on Monday, March 9th. The stock was sold at an average price of $118.04, for a total transaction of $1,003,340.00. Following the completion of the sale, the senior vice president directly owned 32,984 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $3,893,431.36. The trade was a 20.49% decrease in their ownership of the stock. Additional details regarding this sale are available in the official SEC disclosure. Over the last 90 days, insiders have sold 549,208 shares of company stock valued at $52,070,430. Company insiders own 0.24% of the company’s stock.

ConocoPhillips Stock Up 1.5%

COP opened at $122.00 on Monday. The firm has a market cap of $150.76 billion, a P/E ratio of 19.24, a PEG ratio of 2.89 and a beta of 0.27. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $106.62 and its 200 day simple moving average is $96.93. ConocoPhillips has a 52 week low of $79.88 and a 52 week high of $122.50. The company has a quick ratio of 1.14, a current ratio of 1.30 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.35.

ConocoPhillips (NYSE:COP) last announced its earnings results on Thursday, February 5th. The energy producer reported $1.02 earnings per share for the quarter, missing the consensus estimate of $1.23 by ($0.21). The firm had revenue of $13.86 billion during the quarter, compared to analyst estimates of $14.35 billion. ConocoPhillips had a net margin of 12.98% and a return on equity of 11.90%. The company’s revenue for the quarter was down 3.7% compared to the same quarter last year. During the same period in the previous year, the firm posted $1.98 EPS. As a group, equities research analysts anticipate that ConocoPhillips will post 8.16 EPS for the current fiscal year.

ConocoPhillips Announces Dividend

The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which was paid on Monday, March 2nd. Stockholders of record on Wednesday, February 18th were given a $0.84 dividend. This represents a $3.36 dividend on an annualized basis and a dividend yield of 2.8%. The ex-dividend date of this dividend was Wednesday, February 18th. ConocoPhillips’s payout ratio is currently 53.00%.

About ConocoPhillips

ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is a Houston-based international energy company focused on exploration and production of oil and natural gas. Formed in 2002 through the merger of Conoco Inc and Phillips Petroleum Company, the firm operates as an independent upstream company that explores for, develops and produces crude oil, natural gas and natural gas liquids across a portfolio of global assets.

The company’s activities span conventional and unconventional resources and include onshore and offshore operations in multiple regions around the world.