Chevron (CVX +1.45%) and Occidental Petroleum (OXY +1.10%) have both enjoyed strong stock market runs recently, but which should you pick if you're going to invest in just one? In this episode of "The High Energy Show" on Motley Fool Live, recorded on May 10, Motley Fool contributor Tyler Crowe breaks down which of these two energy companies is the better bet at the moment and why.
Tyler Crowe: So, Occidental, Chevron. If I had to choose between the two personally, I would go toward Chevron for the simple fact that with integrated, you get a little bit more earnings stability, with downstream assets, petrochemical manufacturing assets. They tend to have better balance sheets. I think that right now, Chevron has actually technically the best balance sheet on a debt-to-capital basis in the integrated oil space right now. Looking to just buy back billions upon billions of stock at right now. The total returns on that. Occidental Petroleum as a pure player is going to be much more levered to oil prices, so you could see a little bit more of a short-term gain in a higher oil price environment, but just note there's more downside risks associated with it because you are basically, anything that's an independent oil and gas producer is a levered bet on the long-term oil prices.
