We recently published a list of 10 Cheap Canadian Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN) stands against other cheap Canadian stocks to buy according to analysts.

Canadian Market Outlook 2025

In January, RBC Global Asset Management released its Market Outlook for Canada. Scott Lysakowski, the Managing Director & Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of Canadian Equities reflected on the Canadian market’s performance in 2024. He noted that the Canadian equity market, particularly the S&P/TSX Composite Index, experienced a notable year. The TSX achieved a total return of approximately 21%, which Lysakowski thinks is commendable, especially considering the broader economic context. However, this performance was somewhat overshadowed by the US market, where mega-cap stocks led the charge. The TSX’s gains, while substantial, were not as robust as those in the US, which Lysakowski attributed to the dominance of large-cap stocks in the latter part of the year.

Lysakowski noted that one interesting observation from 2024 was the brief increase in market breadth following significant events, such as elections. During these periods, mid-cap and small-cap stocks temporarily outperformed, suggesting a potential shift towards broader market participation. However, this trend was short-lived, and the year concluded with mega-cap stocks once again driving the majority of returns. The top ten stocks in the market contributed significantly to the overall performance, highlighting the persistent dominance of these large players.

Moreover, in analyzing the composition of returns for the TSX, Lysakowski suggests that it’s clear that the 21% total return consisted of a 3% dividend yield, with the remaining 18% split between earnings growth and valuation changes. Specifically, earnings growth accounted for about 9%, and multiple expansions contributed around 7%. In contrast, the US market, particularly mega-cap stocks, saw more pronounced earnings growth and multiple expansions, which explains their superior performance.

Looking ahead to 2025, Lysakowski noted that the outlook remains uncertain, partly due to macroeconomic factors such as the weakness in the Canadian dollar. This currency volatility is a significant concern for Canadian equities, as it impacts both investor sentiment and the macroeconomic outlook. Furthermore, the divergence in earnings growth between mega-cap and small-cap stocks suggests that until smaller companies demonstrate stronger earnings growth, the dominance of large-cap stocks will likely continue. This dynamic will be crucial to monitor in the coming year, as broader market participation could have a positive impact on Canadian equities.

Our Methodology

For this article, we used the Finviz stock screener, Yahoo Finance, Seeking Alpha, and CNN as our sources. Using the screener we aggregated a list of Canadian stocks that are trading below a Forward P/E of 15, with earnings growth expectations this year, and an upside potential of more than 10%. Next, we cross-checked the FWD P/E for each stock from Seeking Alpha and earnings growth from Yahoo Finance. Lastly, we ranked the stocks in ascending order of the average upside potential. Please note that the data was recorded on March 3rd, 2025.

Why are we interested in 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 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).

Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN)

Forward P/E Ratio: 5.33

Earnings Growth This Year: 8.03%

Analyst Upside Potential: 39.90%

Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN) is another Canadian company that primarily focuses on producing oil. The company is involved in finding, developing, and managing oil and natural gas properties. It does so through partnerships and by owning subsidiaries.

On February 28, Jeremy Mccrea, an analyst from BMO Capital, maintained the Buy rating on Veren with a price target of C$11. The analyst noted that the company has achieved impressive results with its SPE completion design in the Karr area of Alberta Montney. Moreover, the well rates have significantly exceeded expectations, indicating a promising future for production and financial performance. In addition, activities in the Kaybob Duvernay region have surpassed expectations as well and Multi-well pads have delivered production rates above the area’s typical performance, contributing to a positive outlook for cash flow and production. Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN) has maintained its 2025 guidance, but the company has shown its ability to achieve higher-than-expected cash flow and production rates.

During the fiscal fourth quarter of 2024, Veren Inc. (NYSE:VRN) achieved an average daily production of 191,000 barrels of oil equivalent. The fourth quarter saw a production level of 189,000 BOE per day, with the Montney and Duvernay assets in Alberta accounting for nearly 80% of Q4 production. It is one of the cheap Canadian stocks to buy according to analysts.

Overall, VRN ranks 4th on our list of cheap Canadian stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of VRN 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 time frame. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than VRN but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

READ NEXT: 20 Best AI Stocks To Buy Now and Complete List of 59 AI Companies Under $2 Billion in Market Cap

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