Based on the aggregated intelligence of 170,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Italian oil and gas giant Eni (NYSE: E) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Eni's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Eni facts

Headquarters (Founded)

Rome, Italy (1953)

Market Cap

$81.3 billion

Industry

Integrated oil and gas

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$124.5 billion

Management

CEO Paolo Scaroni

CFO Alessandro Bernini

Return on Equity (Average, Past 3 Years)

17.2%

Cash/Debt

$2.8 billion / $35.0 billion

Dividend Yield

6.3%

Competitors

Total (NYSE: TOT)

ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM)

BP (NYSE: BP)

Chevron (NYSE: CVX)

Sources: Capital IQ (a division of Standard & Poor's) and Motley Fool CAPS.

On CAPS, 96% of the 589 members who have rated Eni believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. These bulls include valunvesthere and All-Star Staka, who is ranked in the top 2% of our community.

Earlier this year, CAPS member valunvesthere tapped Eni as a great way to play a turnaround in the global economy: "Demand for energy and resources will first feel the effect than manufacturing and construction. Fueling the global economy in exploration, production, and marketing of refined crude oil and converted natural gas petroleum products."

Eni's relatively high exposure to emerging markets makes it one of the more exciting ways to get into big oil. While it certainly carries more political risk, Eni's strong diplomatic relationships have given it a huge operational edge in areas like the Middle East, Africa, and Russia -- regions that are typically difficult for U.S.-or U.K.-based firms like Exxon and BP, respectively, to access. Additionally, with its shares trading at a price-to-cash flow of just 4.6 -- a discount to other oil giants like Chevron (5.8), Total (5.2), and ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) (6.1) -- Eni seems like a relatively cheap opportunity, as well.

CAPS All-Star Staka weighs Eni's pluses and minuses:

Good dividend
Low P/E
Big, more defensive
Still on a (slow) growth path with a number of new fields coming online
Contrarian PIIGS play
Chart close to support

- Depends on oil price, might hurt if we slip back into recession
- Last quarter was below expectations due to cost overruns
- Risky projects in Iraq, Venezuela and Kazakhstan

What do you think about Eni, or any other stock for that matter? If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future, and on Motley Fool CAPS, thousands of investors are working every day to find them. CAPS is 100% free, so get started!