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Canadian Natural (TSE:CNQ)
TSX:CNQ
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Canadian Natural (CNQ) AI Stock Analysis

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TSE:CNQ

Canadian Natural

(TSX:CNQ)

Rating:75Outperform
Price Target:
C$48.00
▲(12.10% Upside)
Canadian Natural's strong financial performance and attractive valuation are key strengths, supported by positive earnings call insights. While technical analysis suggests caution, the company's strategic acquisitions and robust dividend yield position it well for future growth.

Canadian Natural (CNQ) vs. iShares MSCI Canada ETF (EWC)

Canadian Natural Business Overview & Revenue Model

Company DescriptionCanadian Natural Resources Limited acquires, explores for, develops, produces, markets, and sells crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids (NGLs). The company offers synthetic crude oil (SCO), light and medium crude oil, bitumen (thermal oil), primary heavy crude oil, and Pelican Lake heavy crude oil. Its midstream and refining assets include two crude oil pipeline systems; and a 50% working interest in an 84-megawatt cogeneration plant at Primrose. As of December 31, 2020, the company had total proved crude oil, bitumen, and NGLs reserves were 10,528 million barrels (MMbbl); total proved plus probable crude oil, bitumen, and NGLs reserves were 13,271 MMbbl; proved SCO reserves were 6,998 MMbbl; total proved plus probable SCO reserves were 7,535 MMbbl; proved natural gas reserves were 12,168 billion cubic feet (Bcf); and total proved plus probable natural gas reserves were 20,249 Bcf. It operates primarily in Western Canada; the United Kingdom portion of the North Sea; and Offshore Africa. The company was formerly known as AEX Minerals Corporation and changed its name to Canadian Natural Resources Limited in December 1975. Canadian Natural Resources Limited was incorporated in 1973 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.
How the Company Makes MoneyCanadian Natural generates revenue primarily through the sale of crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas liquids. The company benefits from a diversified production portfolio, allowing it to capitalize on various market conditions and demand for energy products. Key revenue streams include the sale of synthetic crude oil from its oil sands operations, conventional crude oil production, and natural gas production. Additionally, CNQ engages in hedging strategies to manage price volatility in commodity markets, which can enhance its earnings stability. The company's partnerships with other industry players for joint ventures and infrastructure development also contribute to its revenue generation. Overall, CNQ's focus on cost efficiency, operational excellence, and strategic asset management plays a critical role in its profitability.

Canadian Natural Earnings Call Summary

Earnings Call Date:Aug 07, 2025
(Q2-2025)
|
% Change Since: |
Next Earnings Date:Oct 30, 2025
Earnings Call Sentiment Positive
The earnings call highlighted strong operational performance, effective cost management, and strategic acquisitions contributing to production growth and shareholder value. However, challenges such as acquisition delays and production declines in certain areas were noted.
Q2-2025 Updates
Positive Updates
Strong Operational Performance and Production Growth
Despite a planned turnaround at AOSP, total corporate production in Q2 2025 was up approximately 135,000 BOEs per day from Q2 2024, reflecting opportunistic acquisitions and organic growth.
Accretive Acquisitions
Closed the Palliser Block and Montney assets acquisitions, adding a combined 82,000 BOEs per day of production and significant light oil and liquids-rich inventory.
Improved Cost Efficiency
Heavy oil operating costs and light oil and NGL operations costs decreased, reflecting higher production volumes and operational efficiencies.
Financial Strength and Shareholder Returns
Adjusted fund flow was approximately $3.3 billion with adjusted net earnings of $1.5 billion. Returns to shareholders were $1.6 billion in the quarter.
Negative Updates
Delayed Palliser Block Acquisition
The Palliser Block acquisition was delayed, initially planned to close on March 1, 2025, but finalized on June 26, impacting production additions for Q2.
Pelican Lake Production Decrease
Pelican Lake production fell by 4% from the second quarter of 2024, reflecting low natural field declines.
Increased Oil Sands Mining Costs
Oil Sands Mining and Upgrading costs averaged $26.53 per barrel of SCO in Q2 2025, an increase of 2% from Q2 2024, due to the AOSP turnaround.
Company Guidance
During the Canadian Natural's 2025 Second Quarter Earnings Conference Call, the company highlighted strong operational performance and strategic acquisitions that set the stage for a robust second half of the year. The completion of a planned turnaround at AOSP five days ahead of schedule bolstered production, with July 2025 oil sands mining and upgrading production averaging approximately 602,000 barrels per day and upgrader utilization reaching 106%. Despite a planned reduction in production at AOSP by about 120,000 barrels per day, quarterly production volumes still totaled around 1.420 million BOEs per day. The company closed the Palliser Block acquisition, which was delayed from March to June, adding only 2,000 barrels per day to the second quarter production but included significant land and drilling inventory. Additionally, an acquisition of Montney assets added approximately 32,000 BOEs per day of production. The acquisitions are expected to contribute to maintaining a steady full-year capital budget while enhancing cash flow. The company achieved adjusted fund flow of approximately $3.3 billion and adjusted net earnings of $1.5 billion for the quarter, with shareholder returns amounting to $1.6 billion. The accretive acquisitions are anticipated to generate similar shareholder returns in 2025 as in 2024, despite allocating a smaller percentage of free cash flow to shareholder returns this year.

Canadian Natural Financial Statement Overview

Summary
Canadian Natural exhibits strong profitability with robust EBIT and EBITDA margins, and a stable balance sheet with a moderate debt-to-equity ratio. However, challenges in revenue growth and a decline in free cash flow growth rate slightly temper the financial outlook.
Income Statement
78
Positive
Canadian Natural's income statement shows strong profitability with a solid gross profit margin of 29.64% and a net profit margin of 18.88% for the TTM. However, there is a slight decline in revenue growth rate at -2.11%, indicating some challenges in maintaining top-line growth. The EBIT and EBITDA margins remain robust at 26.27% and 44.29%, respectively, reflecting efficient cost management and operational strength.
Balance Sheet
75
Positive
The balance sheet is stable with a moderate debt-to-equity ratio of 0.43, suggesting a balanced approach to leverage. The return on equity is healthy at 19.03%, indicating effective use of equity to generate profits. The equity ratio stands at 48.43%, showing a strong equity base relative to total assets, which enhances financial stability.
Cash Flow
70
Positive
Cash flow analysis reveals a decline in free cash flow growth rate at -13.66%, which could impact future investments or debt repayments. However, the operating cash flow to net income ratio is strong at 1.71, indicating good cash generation relative to net income. The free cash flow to net income ratio is also solid at 0.63, reflecting adequate cash flow coverage of earnings.
BreakdownTTMDec 2024Dec 2023Dec 2022Dec 2021Dec 2020
Income Statement
Total Revenue43.85B41.51B40.84B49.53B32.85B16.89B
Gross Profit11.73B10.90B11.77B16.26B10.58B-136.00M
EBITDA18.31B15.41B17.27B21.73B16.38B6.13B
Net Income8.32B6.11B8.23B10.94B7.66B-435.00M
Balance Sheet
Total Assets85.27B85.36B75.95B76.14B76.67B75.28B
Cash, Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments102.00M131.00M1.40B1.41B1.05B489.00M
Total Debt17.08B20.28B12.35B12.98B14.69B21.45B
Total Liabilities43.97B45.89B36.12B37.97B39.72B42.90B
Stockholders Equity41.30B39.47B39.83B38.17B36.95B32.38B
Cash Flow
Free Cash Flow7.99B8.00B7.44B14.29B9.99B2.16B
Operating Cash Flow13.83B13.39B12.35B19.39B14.48B4.71B
Investing Cash Flow-14.94B-14.10B-4.86B-4.99B-3.70B-2.82B
Financing Cash Flow296.00M-37.00M-7.54B-14.23B-10.21B-1.85B

Canadian Natural Technical Analysis

Technical Analysis Sentiment
Positive
Last Price42.82
Price Trends
50DMA
42.76
Positive
100DMA
42.42
Positive
200DMA
42.48
Positive
Market Momentum
MACD
0.06
Negative
RSI
51.44
Neutral
STOCH
18.18
Positive
Evaluating momentum and price trends is crucial in stock analysis to make informed investment decisions. For TSE:CNQ, the sentiment is Positive. The current price of 42.82 is above the 20-day moving average (MA) of 42.26, above the 50-day MA of 42.76, and above the 200-day MA of 42.48, indicating a bullish trend. The MACD of 0.06 indicates Negative momentum. The RSI at 51.44 is Neutral, neither overbought nor oversold. The STOCH value of 18.18 is Positive, not indicating any strong overbought or oversold conditions. Overall, these indicators collectively point to a Positive sentiment for TSE:CNQ.

Canadian Natural Peers Comparison

Overall Rating
UnderperformOutperform
Sector (65)
Financial Indicators
Name
Overall Rating
Market Cap
P/E Ratio
ROE
Dividend Yield
Revenue Growth
EPS Growth
75
Outperform
$87.85B10.6420.18%6.68%3.42%11.18%
65
Neutral
$14.98B7.444.09%5.34%4.10%-61.67%
$5.22B13.4911.70%1.41%
$9.00B6.9511.56%6.96%
$4.08B26.158.08%4.18%
73
Outperform
C$22.43B14.409.76%5.24%3.86%-5.32%
$10.78B10.1718.43%2.92%
* Energy Sector Average
Performance Comparison
Ticker
Company Name
Price
Change
% Change
TSE:CNQ
Canadian Natural
42.82
1.06
2.53%
MEGEF
MEG Energy
21.08
4.05
23.78%
WCPRF
Whitecap Resources
7.41
0.73
10.93%
PREKF
PrairieSky Royalty
17.55
-0.86
-4.67%
TSE:TOU
Tourmaline Oil
57.85
2.04
3.66%
AETUF
ARC Resources
18.13
1.94
11.98%

Canadian Natural Corporate Events

DividendsBusiness Operations and Strategy
Canadian Natural Resources Declares 25th Consecutive Year of Dividend Increases
Positive
Aug 7, 2025

Canadian Natural Resources Limited has declared a quarterly cash dividend of C$0.5875 per common share, payable on October 3, 2025. This announcement marks the 25th consecutive year of dividend increases, reflecting the company’s confidence in its sustainable business model and financial strength, with a compound annual growth rate of 21% over this period.

The most recent analyst rating on (TSE:CNQ) stock is a Hold with a C$47.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Canadian Natural stock, see the TSE:CNQ Stock Forecast page.

M&A TransactionsBusiness Operations and StrategyFinancial Disclosures
Canadian Natural Reports Strong Q2 2025 Results with Strategic Acquisitions and High Production
Positive
Aug 7, 2025

Canadian Natural Resources Limited announced strong second-quarter results for 2025, highlighting efficient operations and strategic acquisitions that have bolstered production levels and shareholder value. The company completed a planned turnaround at the Athabasca Oil Sands Project ahead of schedule and reported high production and upgrader utilization rates. Despite a temporary reduction in production due to the turnaround, overall quarterly production increased significantly from the previous year. The company also closed key acquisitions, including assets in the Palliser Block and Montney region, enhancing its asset base and production capabilities. Financially, Canadian Natural reported adjusted net earnings of $1.5 billion and returned $1.6 billion to shareholders, maintaining a robust balance sheet with significant liquidity.

The most recent analyst rating on (TSE:CNQ) stock is a Hold with a C$47.00 price target. To see the full list of analyst forecasts on Canadian Natural stock, see the TSE:CNQ Stock Forecast page.

Glossary
BuyA stock rated as a "Buy" is expected to perform better than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock is likely to deliver higher returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
HoldA stock rated as a "Hold" is expected to perform in line with the overall market or a specific benchmark. This rating indicates that the stock is neither particularly compelling nor unfavorable for investment. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.
SellA stock rated as a "Sell" is expected to perform worse than the overall market or a specific benchmark over the near-to-medium term. This rating suggests the stock may deliver lower returns compared to other stocks in the same sector or market index. Note: This is not investment advice; please consult a financial advisor before making investment decisions.

Disclaimer

This AI Analyst Stock Report is automatically generated by our AI systems using advanced algorithms and publicly available financial, technical, and market data. While the information provided aims to be accurate and insightful, it is intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Any content created by an AI (Artificial Intelligence) system may contain inaccuracies and/or contain errors. Investing in stocks carries inherent risks, and past performance is not indicative of future results. This report does not account for your personal financial circumstances, objectives, or risk tolerance. Always conduct your own research or consult with a qualified financial advisor before making investment decisions. The analysis and recommendations provided are based on historical and current data and may not fully reflect future market conditions or unexpected developments. Neither the creators of this report nor its affiliated entities guarantee the accuracy, completeness, or reliability of the information presented. Use this report at your own discretion and risk.Date of analysis: Sep 07, 2025