Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.
What: The price of crude oil is surging today, which is taking energy stocks up with it. Magnum Hunter Resources Corp (NYSE: MHR) is just one of the many energy stocks surging today as its stock was up 18% by mid-afternoon as crude oil rallied 8%.
So What: What's really odd about Magnum Hunter Resources' rallying stock prices is the fact that it's really a natural gas company. Around 90% of the company's production is natural gas, leaving it with little exposure to oil. However, investors do see some upside to oil prices as the company does have assets in the Bakken shale that it has been planning to sell. Rallying oil prices could help the company get a bit more value for that asset should it move forward with that sale.
Another reason why surging oil prices are likely causing Magnum Hunter's stock to soar is possible short covering from traders bailing on positions in beaten-down energy stocks. This would make sense as Magnum Hunter Resources had 28% of its outstanding shares sold short as of a few weeks ago. So, when short-sellers run to cover it, this causes a stock's price to surge as there's more buyers than sellers.
Now What: For the all intents and purposes, however, today's rally in the price of oil is basically meaningless to Magnum Hunter Resources. Oil is simply such a small portion of its production that it alone doesn't justify the rally.
