Should You Reconsider Occidental Petroleum and Buy These 2 Oil Giants Instead?

Core Viewpoint - Warren Buffett's backing of Occidental Petroleum (OXY) has led to increased interest from investors, but alternatives like ExxonMobil and Chevron may offer better long-term value and income stability [1][8]. Group 1: Occidental Petroleum (OXY) - Occidental Petroleum won the bidding war for Anadarko Petroleum in 2019 with financial support from Buffett and Berkshire Hathaway, outbidding Chevron [2]. - The acquisition left Occidental heavily in debt, and it cut its dividend during the early COVID-19 pandemic, which has not yet returned to pre-cut levels [3]. - Despite efforts to expand, such as acquiring CrownRock, Occidental's approach may not serve long-term investors focused on reliable income streams [3]. Group 2: Comparison with ExxonMobil and Chevron - ExxonMobil and Chevron are more attractive for income investors due to their consistent dividend increases, with ExxonMobil increasing dividends for 42 consecutive years and Chevron for 37 years [4]. - Occidental's debt-to-equity ratio remains significantly higher than that of ExxonMobil and Chevron, limiting its financial flexibility during downturns [5]. - ExxonMobil and Chevron's diversified operations across upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors provide stability against energy market fluctuations, with market caps of $500 billion and$290 billion respectively, compared to Occidental's $45 billion [6]. Group 3: Dividend Yields - Occidental offers a modest dividend yield of 2%, below the average energy stock yield of 3.1%, while ExxonMobil and Chevron yield 3.4% and 4.1% respectively [7]. - For income-focused and conservative investors, replacing Occidental with either ExxonMobil or Chevron is advisable for better income generation [7]. Group 4: Buffett's Portfolio - Warren Buffett also owns Chevron in Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio, suggesting that investors can still align with Buffett's support by choosing Chevron over Occidental [8].