Jim Cramer’s Latest Game Plan: 20 Stocks to Watch

15. Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX)

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 64

Cramer mentioned Chevron Corporation’s (NYSE:CVX) dividends, buybacks, and the stock’s lagging performance.

“Finally, we hear from two biggest, biggest oil companies, Chevron and Exxon… We just got back from a Chevron platform in the Gulf of Mexico. I got to be impressed by the way. Chevron’s been able to return a huge amount of capital in dividends and buybacks. Yet, you know what? It’s still a laggard. It’s the worst performer in the group… I think people should switch their allegiance and like Chevron, there’s Mike Wirth who knows what he’s doing.”

Chevron (NYSE:CVX) is a prominent player in the energy sector, primarily engaged in the exploration, production, and transportation of crude oil and natural gas. In the second quarter, the company returned $6 billion to shareholders, which included $3 billion in dividends and $3 billion in share repurchases. It marked the ninth consecutive quarter in which the company has distributed over $5 billion in cash to shareholders.

Over the past two years, the company has returned more than $50 billion in cash to its shareholders, showing a consistent approach to capital management. On September 30, Chevron (NYSE:CVX) announced that the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) had completed its antitrust review concerning the merger with Hess Corporation. As part of the agreement to finalize this merger, it was decided that Hess CEO John Hess would not join the Chevron Board of Directors.