Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014

Sometimes I wish I had been born into a simpler time when foods that were good and bad were pretty much laid out in black and white. You were supposed to drink your milk, eat your vegetables, and avoid eating excessive amounts of chocolate if you wanted to grow up to be healthy. Nowadays, even the foods that have long since been touted as healthy for you are no longer construed as such.

If you don't believe me, just look at how many times that researchers have flip-flopped their view on the risks versus benefits of eggs. As comedian Lewis Black put it in 2000, "They said they're good, they're bad, they're good, the whites are good, the yolks are bad.... Make up your mind! It's breakfast; I've gotta eat!"

For those of you men who adhere to strictly healthier foods, or use various dietary supplements to improve your health, you may have had your bubble burst yet again in a study published online Wednesday by The Journal of the National Cancer Institute with regard to the effects of fish oil on the body over the long term.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Exxon Mobil Corporation(XOM)

Exxon Mobil Corporation engages in the exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas, and manufacture of petroleum products, as well as transportation and sale of crude oil, natural gas, and petroleum products. The company manufactures and markets commodity petrochemicals, including olefins, aromatics, polyethylene and polypropylene plastics, and other specialty products. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 35,691 gross and 30,494 net operated wells. The company has operations in the United States, Canada/South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia/Oceania. Exxon Mobil Corporation was founded in 1870 and is based in Irving, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Dicker]

  Of the biggest four or five multinational integrated oil companies, my favorite remains Exxon Mobil(XOM).

  The company's dominance will pay off if natural gas finally finds a floor and Exxon's stock buybacks and steady dividend make it the oil stock for pure buy-and-holders.

• [By Stephen Faulkner]

  What keeps running around the headlines? What do you see when you fill up your tank 1, 2, 3 times a week? That would be rising fuel prices. As fuel prices go up, typically the companies which are in the business of selling that fuel, go up. Exxon Mobil is huge, running a $406.9 billion market cap. Solid earnings and low debt relative to income add to the attractive qualities of this stock. The days of "cheap gas" are behind us, and Exxon Mobil stands to appreciate as demand outstrips supply.

  Exxon Mobil has been trading around $85 for most of 2012 and currently sits at $86.33. As gas prices increase I expect share price to appreciate and head towards $100 per share, representing a 16% upside. Dividend payment is currently $0.47 per share, paid quarterly.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA (HRTPY)

HRT Participacoes em Petroleo SA, formerly BN 16 Participacoes Ltda, is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the oil and gas industry. The Company is primarily involved in the exploration and production (E&P) of oil and natural gas in Brazil and Namibia. Through its subsidiaries, it is active in the geophysical and geological research, exploration, development, production, import, export and sale of oil and natural gas, as well as in the provision of air logistics services in transporting people and equipment related to oil and gas activities in the exploratory campaign in the Solimoes Basin. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had seven subsidiaries, including Integrated Petroleum Expertise Company Servicos em Petroleo Ltda (IPEX), HRT O&G Exploracao e Producao de Petroleo Ltda, HRT Netherlands BV, HRT America Inc, HRT Africa, HRT Canada Inc and Air Amazonia Servicos Aereos Ltda.

Hot Canadian Companies To Buy For 2014: Energy XXI(Bermuda)

Energy XXI (Bermuda) Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the acquisition, exploration, development, production, and operation of oil and natural gas properties onshore in Louisiana and Texas, and offshore in the Gulf of Mexico. The company operates or has interest in 419 gross producing wells in 41 producing fields on 254,891 net developed acres. As of June 30, 2011, its net proved reserves were 116.6 million barrels of oil equivalent. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Hamilton, Bermuda.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: ConocoPhillips(COP)

ConocoPhillips operates as an integrated energy company worldwide. The company?s Exploration and Production (E&P) segment explores for, produces, transports, and markets crude oil, bitumen, natural gas, liquefied natural gas, and natural gas liquids. Its Midstream segment gathers, processes, and markets natural gas; and fractionates and markets natural gas liquids in the United States and Trinidad. The company?s Refining and Marketing (R&M) segment purchases, refines, markets, and transports crude oil and petroleum products, such as gasolines, distillates, and aviation fuels. Its Chemicals segment manufactures and markets petrochemicals and plastics. This segment offers olefins and polyolefins, including ethylene, propylene, and other olefin products; aromatics products, such as benzene, styrene, paraxylene, and cyclohexane, as well as polystyrene and styrene-butadiene copolymers; and various specialty chemical products comprising organosulfur chemicals, solvents, catalyst s, drilling chemicals, mining chemicals, and engineering plastics and compounds. The company?s Emerging Businesses segment develops new technologies and businesses. It focuses on power generation; and technologies related to conventional and nonconventional hydrocarbon recovery, refining, alternative energy, biofuels, and the environment. This segment also offers E-Gas, a gasification technology producing high-value synthetic gas. ConocoPhillips was founded in 1917 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dave Friedman]

  Institutional investors bought 49,282,090 shares and sold 75,744,640 shares, for a net of -26,462,550 shares. This net represents 1.79% of common shares outstanding. The number of shares outstanding is 1,479,330,000. The shares recently traded at $65.51 and the company’s market capitalization is $89,946,840,000.00. About the company: ConocoPhillips is an international, integrated energy company which operates in several business segments. The Company explores for and produces petroleum, and refines, markets, supplies, and transports petroleum. ConocoPhillips also gathers and processes natural gas, and produces and distributes chemicals and plastics.

Top 5 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Carnival Corporation(CCL)

Carnival Corporation operates as a cruise and vacation company. It provides cruises to various vacation destinations with a portfolio of cruise brands comprising Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, and Seabourn in North America; and AIDA Cruises, Costa Cruises, Cunard, Ibero Cruises, and P&O Cruises in Europe, Australia, and Asia. The company also involves in operation of hotels, as well as offers tour and transportation services. It operates approximately 98 ships, as well as owns and operates 15 hotels or lodges that include 3,420 guest rooms; 395 motorcoaches; and 20 domed rail cars. The company sells its cruises through travel agents, including wholesalers and tour operators. Carnival Corporation was founded in 1974 and is headquartered in Miami, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Hawkinvest]

  Carnival Corporation (CCL) is a leading cruise line company, operating under various brands which include: Carnival Cruise Lines, Seabourn, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard, AIDA, Ibero Cruises, P&O Cruises and Costa Cruises. Carnival is currently facing a number of issues which include the recent capsizing of the Costa Concordia cruise liner off the coast of Italy. That cruise line disaster has resulted in extra expenses, and the company recently warned that it saw reduced bookings. It also said it could not estimate the full impact of the loss at this time.

  Carnival has significant exposure to the economy in Europe, and that could be a further drag on results. European consumers might cut back on vacation spending over economic concerns and high prices at the pump. In addition, fuel is a major expense for this company, and rising oil prices could hurt financial results for Carnival in the coming months. The stock might drop further as these headwinds continue over the coming months.

  Here are some key points for CCL:

  Current share price: $30.74

  The 52 week range is $28.52 to $44.11

  Earnings estimates for 2012: $2.18 per share

  Earnings estimates for 2013: $2.62 per share

  Annual dividend: $1 per share which yields about 3.2%