We recently published a list of What Happened to LNG Stocks and 10 Best LNG Stocks to Buy Now. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) stands against the other LNG stocks.

Liquefied natural gas is one of the fastest-growing sectors in the energy industry. The global LNG market is changing quickly to meet the rising demand for gas in new markets. This growth is fueled by more companies getting involved and faster advancements in technology, but faces uncertainties due to supply constraints.

The 2024 World LNG Report reveals that the global LNG market now connects 20 exporting with 51 importing markets, with supply being the main constraint on growth. After two turbulent years, the market has reached a fragile equilibrium due to limited spare supply.

Geopolitical tensions have significantly shifted demand and supply dynamics, fueling price volatility and causing natural gas prices to rise across all key markets in the second quarter of 2024. These factors continue to pose challenges for the industry in 2024.

However as the industrial coal-to-gas transition gathers steam fueled by solid demand in China and Southeast Asia, demand for LNG is expected to grow by 40% by 2040.

The worldwide market for liquefied natural gas is expected to experience steady expansion until 2030 as production increases, resulting in reduced costs and a broader market reach in nations where coal is more affordable.

The total LNG supply globally is anticipated to rise by an average of 31 million metric tons annually until 2030. Production capacity is expected to grow by 30% or more from 2026 to 2028 due to the launch of new liquefaction facilities. LNG Capacity should exceed 600 million by 2030.

The increased supply comes as companies invest billions of dollars in building LNG facilities in the hope of cashing in on the exponential growth in demand. Amid the rise in LNG demand, investment opportunities are increasingly cropping up for investors looking to diversify their energy sector portfolios.

Over the last 50 years,  LNG trade has grown at an average rate of 11% annually, starting from 2.6 million metric tons in 1971 and reaching 372.3 million metric tons in 2021. Given that the expansion has been consistently positive, it underscores the tremendous opportunity for grabs amid the transition from coal.

According to Julia Khandoshko, CEO of international broker Mind Money, the main trend in the LNG market is the transition to natural gas as LNG infrastructure expands, making it a preferred energy source.

The growing investments in the sector in the US and Europe affirm the sector’s long-term prospects. While  US LNG exports have increased significantly since Russia invaded Ukraine, affecting key supply lines, there is still room for growth.

Japan dominates the $250 billion global LNG trade, giving it its primary role in the supply chain stage. Additionally,  Japanese companies netted at least $14 billion in profit from gas-related business, affirming the booming business. Nevertheless, some of the best LNG stocks are in the U.S.

The shale oil and gas production surge has allowed the U.S. to secure the top spot in global natural gas output, contributing to stable prices at home. However, the country doesn’t require all this gas for its own use, making producers keen to sell it abroad to regions like Europe and Asia, where it fetches a premium. The U.S. Energy Information Administration anticipates a 2% increase in U.S. LNG exports this year and a further 18% rise next year as new export plants are established.

While energy stocks can be highly volatile, LNG stocks have proven more resilient than crude oil and other entry commodities. As natural gas moves to replace coal as the primary energy source amid the push to combat emissions, some of the best LNG  stocks to buy now are poised to offer some of the best investment opportunities. Such stocks are of companies capable of delving low, modest LNG production growth at the lowest breakeven levels.

Companies investing billions into exploring more natural gas resources to meet the growing demand are some of the best investment plays in the sector. Additionally, companies are building LNG export and import infrastructure to benefit from the supply chain business.

Investments in building LNG infrastructure are expected to generate significant free cash flow going to the strong demand, consequently allowing the companies to pay big dividends.

Our Methodology

For our list of the best LNG stocks to buy now, we sifted through ETFs and online rankings to compile an initial list of 20 stocks. We then selected the 10 stocks that are the most popular among elite hedge funds. We have sorted the list in ascending order of the number of hedge funds that have stakes in them, as of Q2 2024.

At Insider Monkey, we are obsessed with the stocks that hedge funds pile into. The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 275% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 150 percentage points (see more details here).

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 92

Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is one of the 4 most diversified energy companies that explores and produces crude oil and natural gas. Its upstream segment explores for and produces crude oil and natural gas, while the Energy Products segment offers fuels, aromatics, catalysts, and licensing services.

ExxonMobil is a global leader in LNG, with interests in projects worldwide, producing 23 million tons annually. Key investments include Gorgon LNG, PNG in Papua New Guinea, and LNG trains in Qatar. The company aims to increase its capacity to 27 MTPA by 2027, with significant projects like the $10 billion Golden Pass LNG in the U.S. and the North Field expansion in Qatar, targeting 40 million tons per year by 2030.

Given its status as a critical player in the oil and gas business, the company presents as a potentially attractive option for investors seeking stability in their portfolio. Its financial strength, backed by a low Price-to-Earnings (P/E) ratio of 12, demonstrates investors’ trust in the firm’s ability to generate profits. Moreover, the firm’s stable price movements underscore its strong market standing, providing investors with a dependable investment choice in the frequently volatile energy industry.

Exxon disclosed Q2 earnings that exceeded expectations and sales figures that surpassed initial projections. Adjusted earnings climbed by 10% compared to the previous year, reaching $2.14 per share, following a sequence of four quarters marked by a decline in earnings growth. Sales surged by 12% to $93.1 billion, following a period of five consecutive quarters characterized by decreasing sales. The energy major had maintained its status as one of the most lucrative companies in the United States.

With more than forty years of steady dividend increases, Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) is a top choice for dividend aristocrat stocks for investment today. Its dividend yield has averaged 2.20% annually in the last five years. The company has committed to investing $20 billion and $25 billion yearly in capital expenditures until 2027. The company’s dividend yield is 3.29%, affirming a consistent shareholder return.

The number of hedge funds investing in Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) increased from 81 in the first quarter of 2024 to 92 in the second quarter of 2024.

Madison Dividend Income Fund stated the following regarding Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) in its first quarter 2024 investor letter:

“This quarter we are highlighting Exxon Mobil Corporation (NYSE:XOM) as a relative yield example in the Energy sector. XOM is a leading integrated oil and natural gas company. It has upstream assets that develop and produce oil and natural gas, along with downstream refining and chemical manufacturing assets. We believe it has attractive low-cost acreage in the Permian basin and has a sizeable growth opportunity in Guyana. Further, we think XOM has a sustainable competitive advantage due to size and scale, and its ability to integrate refining and chemical assets provides a low-cost advantage versus competitors.

Our thesis on XOM is that it will grow production volumes of oil and gas moderately over the next few years, while limiting excessive capital investment that plagued the industry from 2014-2020. Production growth will come from its 2023 acquisition of Pioneer Natural Resources, which is the largest producer in the Permian basin. XOM plans to double its Permian output by 2027, to 2 million barrels per day. Capital spending will be limited to $20-25 billion per year through 2027, which should allow for significant amounts of cash to be returned to shareholders including a $35 billion share repurchase program and continued dividend increases. Higher oil prices would provide a tailwind to our thesis but are not necessary. We think XOM can grow earnings and cash flow if oil prices remain above $60 per barrel…”

Overall XOM ranks 1st on our list of the best LNG stocks to buy. While we acknowledge the potential of XOM as an investment, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns, and doing so within a shorter timeframe. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than XOM but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.