Structure of the Oil & Gas (majors) Industry
The global oil and gas industry is dominated by state-owned firms, including member nations of OPEC, which have a large influence on pricing. Public constituents are not small, however, as firms in this group make up a large portion of the energy sector’s market cap. Oil and gas prices are the key profit driver and largely reflect supply/demand dynamics, though it is not uncommon for speculative/geopolitical price premiums to occur. A firm’s estimated reserve life and cost for exploration and development should be monitored closely. We’re neutral on the structure of the majors, given their commoditized product. However, the world’s growing need for energy offers tremendous opportunities for constituents.
We’ve reallocated our resources to optimize our energy coverage. See here.