We recently compiled a list of the 10 Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy at 52-Week Lows. In this article, we are going to take a look at where Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) stands against the other Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy.

Despite the stock market indices hitting record highs this year, some stocks edged lower and are currently languishing near their 52-week lows. While it’s common practice to stay clear of stocks under pressure, it could sometimes be a costly error. When the shares of solid companies become unpopular due to macroeconomic factors and concerns, it presents a buying chance that value investors seize.

Deteriorating macroeconomics was the catalyst behind some blue chip stocks imploding in a year when the overall market traded higher. As the high interest rate environment helped push inflation close to the recommended 2%, some companies felt the blunt even as the S&P 500 rallied up to 17%.

READ ALSO: 8 Best Warren Buffett Stocks to Buy According to Analysts and 8 Best Value Stocks to Invest In According To Warren Buffett.

Companies whose core business depend on consumer purchasing power were the hardest hit as consumers became cautious amid the high inflation and liquidity pressures. Likewise, as the U.S. economy came under pressure amid the high interest rates depicted by a struggling U.S. labor market and manufacturing sector, investors shunned stocks in the consumer cyclical and energy sectors susceptible to deteriorating economic conditions.

Fast forward, the Fed swinging into action and initiating a 50 basis points interest rate cut to try and prevent the U.S. economy from plunging into recession has presented a new lease of life in the markets. According to market bull and head of research at Fundstrat Global Advisors Tom Lee, the Federal Reserve cutting cycle has the potential to set up the market for a strong rally heading into year-end.

Large-cap stocks, hard-hit by high interest, increasingly present undiscovered investment opportunities in a volatile market. Even though a stock that is at or close to a recent low may seem like a risky investment, large-cap stocks frequently reflect market sentiment rather than underlying problems.

With the overall market remaining bullish as interest rates around the globe drop, professional investors are increasingly taking note of the best blue-chip stocks to buy at 52-week lows. Astute investors know these large-cap stocks’ current valuations might not accurately represent their long-term potential, as most appear to be trading at a discount.

According to Canaccord Genuity analyst Michael Welch, the fourth quarter presents one of the best opportunities to buy undervalued stocks, as it is usually the strongest quarter for stocks. The fact that the quarter often ends positively in three of every four years underscores why investors should be bullish about blue-chip stocks that have pulled back significantly and are showing signs of bouncing back.

According to Welch, now is not the time to fight the Fed or the tape as the market shows signs of edging higher. The analyst believes now is the time to position one’s portfolio for a potential fourth-quarter rally. Investors have a unique opportunity to secure higher dividend yields and long-term capital gains when the market recovers and high-quality stocks bottom out after the recent slump.

Nevertheless, Lee of Fundstrat Global Advisors believes investors should be cautious as the uncertainty around the U.S. presidential election could turn out to be a significant headwind. The uncertainty around former president Donald Trump and Kamala Harris’s economic platforms should make the markets weary and curtail significant gains.

Our Methodology

To make our list of blue chip stocks at 52-week lows, we ranked large-cap firms trading on the NYSE and NASDAQ whose shares are trading at new 52-week lows or are at most 0-10% higher. The blue-chip stocks at 52-week lows with the highest market capitalization were selected, and their share prices are also mentioned. Finally, we ranked the stocks in descending order based on market cap.

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).

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY)

52 Week Range:  $49.75 – $71.19

Current Share Price: $51.79

Number of Hedge Fund Holders: 62

Market Capitalization as of September 30: $47.44 Billion

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) is an energy juggernaut that engages in acquiring, exploring, and developing oil and gas properties. It stands out as one of the best blue chip stocks to buy at 52-week lows as it leverages A.I. tools to analyze geological data and, more precisely, identify possible oil and gas reserves.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) is a cyclical stock whose performance is affected by the economic outlook influencing oil and gas demand. The company’s earnings and share prices are always susceptible to factors influencing oil prices, such as a recession or declining demand.

While oil prices have tumbled significantly, the company’s outlook remains solid, especially with the Federal Reserve cutting interest rates expected to bolster economic growth. Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY)’s balance sheet is robust and continues to strengthen as it concentrates on lowering its debt load.

In its earnings call for the second quarter of 2024, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) demonstrated strong performance, generating $1.3 billion in free cash flow and exhibiting its highest quarterly production in four years.  Earnings totaled $1.03 a share, beating analyst estimates by 33.8%, as revenues totaled $6.88 billion.

Furthermore, the business reported making noteworthy progress toward its $4.5 billion debt reduction goal, cutting $3 billion from its principal debt in the third quarter of 2024.

Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) management projects that its annualized cash flow could rise by as much as $260 million for every $1 increase in crude oil prices per barrel. This implies that an increase in oil prices of $4 per barrel could generate over $1 billion in additional cash flow, which is an amazing accomplishment given that its free cash flow over the previous 12 months was only $6 billion.

While trading at a price-to-earnings multiple of 11, Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) is one of the blue-chip stocks to buy at 52-week lows for generating passive income on the side owing to its 1.72% dividend yield.

By the end of the second quarter of 2024, the number of hedge funds holding stakes in Occidental Petroleum Corporation (NYSE:OXY) rose to 62, up from 61 in the previous quarter. This increase, though modest, reflects a growing interest in Occidental Petroleum among institutional investors. The collective value of these stakes is substantial, exceeding $18.50 billion.

Overall OXY ranks 4th on our list of 10 Blue-Chip Stocks to Buy at 52-Week Lows. While we acknowledge the potential of OXY 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 OXY, check out our report about the cheapest AI stock.

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