-- ConocoPhillips (COP) will add drilling rigs to sustain operational efficiencies, given the duration of Permian inventory, which should ramp production starting in 2027, RBC Capital Markets said in a note Sunday.
The company likely has two decades of inventory that can grow Permian production at a low-to-mid single digit rate, the brokerage said. Performance in Q1 was better than expected while impacts to offline production in Qatar were largely offset by higher commodity prices, analysts wrote.
The company now expects oil demand to remain flat in 2026, compared with prior outlook of growth. RBC said it expects 2026 and 2027 free cash flow of $14.06 billion and $13.78 billion, respectively.
The brokerage has an outperform rating on the stock and price target of $152 per share.
Shares of ConocoPhillips were up more than 1% in Monday trading.
Price: $124.74, Change: $+1.55, Percent Change: +1.26%