Wunderlich upgrades Cimarex; downgrades CHK, HK, OAS, WLL, SD
- A lower outlook for oil and natural gas prices prompts a round of reductions in energy company estimates, ratings and price targets at Wunderlich, which downgrades Chesapeake Energy (NYSE:CHK), Halcon Resources (NYSE:HK), Oasis Petroleum (NYSE:OAS) and Whiting Petroleum (NYSE:WLL) to Hold from Buy and SandRidge Energy (NYSE:SD) to Sell from Hold.
- Wunderlich also upgrades Cimarex (NYSE:XEC) to Buy from Hold with a $122 price target price, as the stock has weakened and the firm gives more credit to the company for its Cana-Woodford assets.
- The firm says nearly all of its covered companies that predominantly operate in the Bakken Shale are now rated Hold or Sell, but that it mostly reflects the tougher economics of the region rather than the quality of the companies.